TV archives don't often produce a genuine new viewing event, but this one comes close. "The Morecambe and Wise Show" missing episode was first broadcast on September 16, 1968, as episode three of their return to the BBC.
You can watch the "missing" episode of "The Morecambe and Wise Show" online from anywhere with a VPN (try risk-free) – and potentially for free.
"The Morecambe and Wise Show" missing episode airs on BBC Four at 8 p.m. BST on Thursday, May 14, 2026, and will also be available on BBC iPlayer from the same time.
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The timing is deliberate, too, with the BBC scheduling the broadcast to mark what would have been Eric Morecambe's 100th birthday.
There's a bit of television history behind it. The episode was found in a private collection by Film Is Fabulous! after most of this 1968 run was lost during the BBC's tape-wiping era, and although it was originally recorded on color videotape, the surviving print is in black and white.
As for the content, it includes the nudist camp sketch, a balloon-dancer routine, and a musical performance by The Paper Dolls, all from the Sid Green and Dick Hills era before Eddie Braben became central to the pair's best-known work.
For Morecambe and Wise fans, this is less a nostalgia exercise than a rare recovered piece of British comedy history.
Watch 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode in the U.K. for FREE
In the U.K., the missing episode of "The Morecambe and Wise Show" airs on BBC Four at 8 p.m. BST on Thursday, May 14, and you can also watch it live or on demand on BBC iPlayer for free.
To access BBC iPlayer, you will need a U.K. postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB) and a TV license.
If you are overseas when the show premieres, use a VPN service such as NordVPN to access BBC iPlayer from anywhere.
Watch 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode from anywhere
Traveling and blocked from your usual streaming app? A VPN, or virtual private network, lets your device appear to be back in your home country so you can securely use your existing subscriptions while abroad.
Tom's Guide's standard pick for streaming is NordVPN, which is as fast, reliable and broadly compatible across devices, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is simple.
1. Install the VPN app on the device you’ll watch on. NordVPN is our pick.
2. Connect to a server in your home country. For example, choose a UK server to access BBC iPlayer while abroad.
3. Open your streaming app and play as normal.
'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode cast
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise headline the rediscovered episode, with Ann Hamilton appearing in the nudist colony sketch as Pauline and Jenny Lee-Wright featuring as Eric's niece in the balloon dancer routine.
The episode also includes a musical performance from 1960s pop group The Paper Dolls, with Trio Athénée listed among the guests.
Why was 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode lost?
Like many programs from the 1960s, the original tape was lost during the BBC's practice of wiping and reusing expensive videotapes. This surviving copy was later found in a private collection by the charitable trust Film Is Fabulous!
Is 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode in colour?
No. The episode was originally recorded on color videotape, but the recovered print being shown by the BBC is in black and white.
Is anything else airing with 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' missing episode?
Yes. BBC Four will also show "The Perfect Morecambe and Wise" as part of the centenary celebrations.
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