When Ernie Wrote Back
Feature from 2026
Letter to Ern
The reply
The sketch
In December 1988, Angela Thom and her husband were watching a repeat of the Morecambe and Wise Musicals special, and chatted about the sketches they had seen over the years. Angela recalls seeing a particular sketch with her parents in the 60s that saw Eric dressed up as a chicken trying to lay eggs.
They both agreed it would be good see the sketch and wondered if they would ever see it again via repeats on television.
This was a time before streaming, DVDs or even a period when only snippets of Eric and Ern were available on compilation VHS tapes.
Angela decided to write a letter to Ernie Wise and hopefully persuade him to get the shows repeated so they could both watch it. The letter was posted in January 1989.
To their amazement, Ernie wrote back very soon afterwards and included a signed photograph. In the letter he confirmed that routine was from the early ATV shows, possibility 1961. These shows were not available to buy or rent and were hardly repeated.
Below are transcriptions of both letters, and an image of the sketch itself, named Battery Hen which was in fact from the ATV shows, series four, episode four, first broadcast in April 1964.
Letter to Ernie:
Dear Mr Wise,
Thank you for showing a repeat of the Eric and Ernie musical sketches last Friday 20.12.88.
My husband and I especially enjoyed seeing the sketch with Andre Previn again.
I was wondering if on your next programme you could repeat the sketch showing Eric Morecambe dressed as a chicken, sitting on a nest laying an egg! I only remember seeing it once on TV, many many years ago and it was very amusing.
I hope you can recall the incident, I will look forward to seeing it again in due course.
Yours Sincerely,
Angela Thom.
Ernie's reply:
January 1989
Dear Angela
You have a good memory. The routine with the battery hen was in black and white in about 1961, over ten years ago for A.T.V.
High hopes for repeating everything.
Best Wishes
E Wise
Our thanks to Angela for providing this information.
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