Barry Cryer prefers less 'aggresive' comics like Eric & Ern

A lot of the fun's gone out of comedy, according to Barry Cryer.

The veteran writer and performer said: ‘Comedy is as funny as it ever was – but it’s not so much fun.

‘A lot of it can be aggressive, but maybe it’s because I’ve got older I like my comedy more laid-back.’

He cited as particular favourties Ross Noble, Rob Brydon, Armstrong & Miller and Bill Bailey, who he compared favourably to the late Victor Borge.

His comments came as he promotes the release of three Morecambe and Wise Christmas specials, which he co-wrote after the duo moved from the BBC to Thames in 1978. Their most famous writer, Eddie Braben, was contracted to the BBC and only followed them to the ITV company two years later.

‘A whole gang of us used to write for them,’ Cryer told Chortle. ‘I used to write with John Junkin a lot... John and I wrote whole shows. In the old days of typewriters you would have a sitter and a walker. I was the sitter. John did this great impression of Eric and would say the lines.

‘Being a comedy writer is like being a tailor making a suit; it’s got to fit the person it’s for.’

The new DVD release contains the Christmas specials from 1978, 1979 and 1980, and Cryer said: ‘There were some great sketches in these shows that for some reason don’t get repeated, including one with Eric with the former Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

‘Nothing’s dated because they never did anything topical. When we did the Christmas shows once and Eric said no cotton wool snow, no reindeer, no tinsel. He said that, because otherwise it won’t be repeated. He was it right; it was shown again by Easter.’

‘They were certainly of their time. At their peak, they got 28 million viewers, than can never happen again.’

He said he had a close working relationship with the pair – especially Eric Morecambe, whom he knew before he started writing for him.

‘We used to talk to Eric about the jokes – and if it was money we would talk to Ernie,’ 78-year-old Cryer said. ‘The image was true.

‘I knew Eric before I started working for him, but he was able to keep work and friendship separate. Once I had written this two or three-minute sketch for him, and in a meeting crowded with the whole crew he just tore into it, saying, “No, you’ve got it wrong.” I was mortified, and I walked out sulking. Later I was in the bar and Eric came in and said, “Why the long face?” I said, “You’ve just belittled me in front of everybody”. He said, “Ah, that was in there, this is out here. What are you drinking?”.’

• Morecambe And Wise: The Thames Christmas Specials Vol 1, featuring guest appearances from the likes of David Frost, Hannah Gordon, Glenda Jackson, Leonard Rossiter and Alec Guinness, has been released on Network DVD today, priced £9.99. Click here to buy from Amazon for £5.

Published: 7 Oct 2013