Eric Sykes: 50 Years Of Laughs

Steve Teers edited this special film offering a heartfelt and humorous look at the life and career of Eric Sykes, one of Britain’s most beloved comedians of his generation – a writer, actor, and director with an unmatched understanding of British humor. His six-decade career brought laughter to millions, yet few knew of his tough childhood and the deafness that struck him in his 20s, just as he found success.

This poignant, funny film celebrates Eric’s finest comedy moments, tracing his journey from poverty in northern England to BBC stardom and London’s West End. It includes unseen interview footage, a rare stage performance, and insights from his daughter Julie Sykes, comedy legends Jimmy Tarbuck and Eddie Izzard, actor Amanda Abbington, former Goodie Graeme Garden, and producer Bill Kenwright. For the first time, it reveals the extent of his deafness and the remarkable way he overcame it while crafting some of British TV’s greatest laughs.

Steve really enjoyed editing this film…

“I was brought up watching 70s TV so it brought back many fond family memories. I even had a Great Uncle Eric who was quite thin and self-effacing and wore the same kind of cap. At one point during the edit my daughter Polly came in and said ‘Dad, do you get paid to chuckle?’

I edited it in various remote locations, sometimes next to the serving hatch in my London flat (albeit without Hattie poking her head through) and occasionally being interrupted by the cuckoo clock in our family home in Comună Băla, Romania, so it really was like living in a 70s sitcom.”

This film is available on Channel 5