British Comedy Guide
Tommy Cooper Forever. Tommy Cooper. Copyright: Shiver Productions
Tommy Cooper: In His Own Words

Tommy Cooper: In His Own Words

  • TV documentary
  • Channel 5
  • 2018
  • 1 episode

Channel 5 celebrates acclaimed comedian and magician Tommy Cooper. Also features Michael Parkinson, Jimmy Tarbuck, Chris Tarrant, Vicky Cooper, Barry Cryer and more.

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Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2018
Channel
Channel 5
Episodes
1
Features
Michael Parkinson, Jimmy Tarbuck, Chris Tarrant, Vicky Cooper, Barry Cryer, Lionel Blair, Sheila Steafel, Clive Mantle and more
Directors
Malcolm Donkin
Producers
Malcolm Donkin and Will Smith
Company

In this affectionate look back at Tommy Cooper's life and career, Sir Michael Parkinson, Jimmy Tarbuck and Chris Tarrant reflect on what made him one of the greats. Friends and colleagues talk about working with Tommy and his daughter Vicky gives her first ever television interview. All the classic routines and sketches are here, along with some rare gems from the archives.

The programme charts Cooper's rise from a weakling born in a Welsh mining town, through a military career in the Horse Guards, to being Britain's highest paid comedian with top-rating TV series throughout the 1970s. His writer Barry Cryer, choreographer Lionel Blair and "straight woman" Sheila Steafel explain what it was like to work with an unpredictable comedy genius. Actor Clive Mantle talks about playing the role of Tommy on stage, and Debbie McGee explains the truth behind Cooper's seemingly incompetent magic.

Additional details

Production
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Tuesday 25th December 2018 at 9:15pm on Channel 5
Episode length
120 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Saturday 30th April 2022 at 7:20pm on C5
  • Sunday 25th July 2021 at 12:00am on CC Extra
  • Tuesday 20th July 2021 at 10:00pm on CC Extra

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