A Visit to Swansea

The Missing Hancocks recreates those episodes of the classic Hancock's Half Hour that have been wiped or lost from the archive. Something else had gone missing at the start of this series - The Lad Himself, who had absconded to Rome. In 1955, he was replaced for the first three episodes by the Goon Show's Harry Secombe, who in this recreation has been replaced by Andy Secombe - Harry's son. After Tony returned from his jaunt the writers Galton and Simpson ensured he wasn't allowed to forget who had saved his bacon, so in this episode, for one show only, both Tony and Harry appeared together in Hancock's Half Hour. Not heard since then, this is a real piece of comedy history.

The first modern sitcom, Hancock's Half Hour made stars of Tony Hancock, Sid James and Kenneth Williams and launched Ray Galton and Alan Simpson on one of the most successful comedy-writing partnerships in history. But 20 episodes of the show are missing from the BBC archives. Now, after two highly successful series, another five of those episodes have been lovingly re-recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC Radio Theatre.

A Visit to Swansea.

This episode was first broadcast on the 10th May 1955.

Tony, Bill, Andree and Sid head to Swansea in search of Harry Secombe. This episode was first broadcast on the 10th May 1955.

Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and with the classic score newly recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the show stars Kevin McNally, Andy Secombe, Kevin Eldon, Simon Greenall, Robin Sebastian and Susy Kane. A Visit to Swansea.

Produced by Neil Pearson & Paul Sheehan.

Written by Ray Galton & Simpson

Music recorded by the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Levon Parikian.

A BBC Studios Production.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2017.