A long-lost slice of British television history is making a triumphant return this festive season. The Cannon and Ball Christmas special from 1985, unseen on national television for forty years, is finally coming back to our screens.
A Festive Gift for a New Generation
The beloved comedy duo's festive special first aired on ITV on December 21, 1985. Now, That's TV has secured the rights to broadcast it again on December 20, injecting a dose of nostalgic fun into its December schedule. The special will be followed by a full season of classic episodes from the hit variety show, which originally ran from 1979 to 1988.
For Tommy Cannon, 87, the news is profoundly moving. "I'm absolutely thrilled that the shows will be back where they belong on national TV," he said. "Seeing mine and Bobby's work back on national television, well, it means more than I can put into words." He reflected on the pair's unique bond, stating they made the show "with love, mischief, and a bond that never broke."
The Legacy of a Comedy Institution
The return follows a successful campaign by Cannon and the show's devoted fans for its inclusion in ITV's 70th-anniversary celebrations. Kris Vaiksalu, Head of Programming at That's TV, hailed the acquisition as a "stratospheric" Christmas gift for viewers. He emphasised the show's historic impact, noting, "Throughout the 1980s, Cannon and Ball was must-watch viewing for millions on a Saturday night, leaving the whole nation crying with laughter."
The duo's journey began in the 1960s when they met as welders in an Oldham factory. Their big break came on ITV's Opportunity Knocks in 1968, leading to a decade of primetime success. While their fanbase waned with the rise of alternative comedy, they adeptly reinvented themselves with pantomime, theatre, and a memorable stint in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2005.
Behind the Laughter and Lasting Impact
Their professional partnership, however, was not without its well-documented strains. At the height of their fame, the pair admitted they barely spoke off-stage, a tension that lasted three years before they reconciled and grew close again. Bobby Ball's death from Covid-19 in 2020, aged 76, was met with an outpouring of public grief, with fans lining the streets for his funeral.
The revival offers a welcome nostalgic treat for audiences who have expressed disappointment with this year's festive TV lineup. It serves as a potent reminder of the era when Cannon and Ball's unique brand of humour dominated Saturday night television, a legacy that, as Vaiksalu asserts, "really nothing compares to it in TV today."
