Tom Rosenthal. Kevin Eldon and Mathew Horne sign up for the platoon

The full cast has been revealed for the remake of the missing episodes of Dad’s Army – with Tom Rosenthal. Kevin Eldon and Mathew Horne joining the platoon.

As Chortle reported in November,  Kevin R. McNally is to play Captain Mainwaring in the three episodes, which have not been seen since their original broadcast in 1969 as the BBC wiped the tapes.

Now the Gold channel, which is remaking the episodes, has revealed that Eldon will be playing Lance Corporal Jones, Horne will be Private Walker and Rosenthal will be Pike.

David Hayman, from Trial and Retribution and Taboo  will be  Private Frazer, while as previously announced Cold Feet’s Robert Bathurst will be playing Sergeant Wilson  and Bernard Cribbins is mild-mannered Private Godfrey.

The remakes will use the original scripts, which were written for the second series of Dad's Army by Jimmy Perry and David Croft. The epsiodes being recreated are: The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Walker, A Stripe for Frazer and Under Fire.

McNally is no stranger to dusting down old comedy episodes, having played Tony Hancock in remakes of the dour comedian’s shows on radio, TV and stage 

He said: ‘Now look here men, HQ tells me that three episodes of Dad's Army have gone missing. And it has fallen to us to step in and replace them. 

‘I have been asked to double for Captain Mainwaring and daunting as that may be, I accept the responsibility and look forward to leading the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard in three last pushes against the Jerries. I hope you'll join us and enjoy the ride.’

Bathurst previously played the man who played Wilson, John Le Mesurier,  in the 2011 BBC biopic Hattie, about the actor’s second wife Hattie Jacques.

He said: ‘ I've played soldiers before, but find I handle guns with all the bloodcurdling authority of Sergeant Wilson. I'm looking forward to playing him.

‘I hope we can honour Croft and Perry's lost episodes. It's a celebration of their writing, with understudies.

Cribbins, 90, added: ‘What a way to start the New Year. Back in khaki again - just like I was in 1947.’

Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes will air on Gold in 2019 to celebrate 50 years since the episodes were first broadcast.

The classic sitcom was remade as a film two years ago with Toby Jones as  Mainwaring, Bill Nighy as Wilson and Michael Gambon as Godfrey.

Published: 16 Jan 2019