Eric & Ernie's Christmas Show 1977

The final BBC Christmas Show attracted audience figures of 28.5 million, a record that has still to be broken. This was also the first time that Christian names were used in the opening titles, the "boys" having become something of a national institution by this stage. The opening sequence features a parody of Starsky and Hutch, in which the comics star as 'Starkers' and 'Krutch', driving through the streets in a red Mini Clubman emblazoned with the same white stripe. The casts of both Dad's Army and The Good Life appeared, as did Elton John, and the classic There Is Nothing Like A Dame routine featuring a host of BBC news presenters. Angela Rippon also reprised her high-kicking role from the previous Christmas show and Angharad Rees struggled against the blizzards to duet with Ernie. It was a fine finale to Morecambe and Wise's career that was never quite the same at Thames Television.