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A previously unknown script for the classic British sitcom Steptoe and Son, intended for a Christmas 1963 broadcast, has been uncovered at the University of York. The show, featuring Harry H. Corbett as Harold and Wilfrid Brambell as Albert Steptoe, portrayed the lives of rag-and-bone men and was immensely popular, drawing audiences of over 28 million during its peak.
This rare script was penned by the renowned writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Archivists at the Borthwick Institute for Archives, where the script was found, believe it may have been set aside because of time constraints. Gary Brannan, keeper of archives and special collections at the University of York, described the piece as an encapsulation of British culture, particularly emphasizing “the humour of being miserable at Christmas.”
The plot of the rediscovered sketch revolves around Harold’s attempts to host an extravagant party for his fashionable, upwardly mobile friends, contrasted with Albert’s lack of enthusiasm for the festive season. The story takes a turn on Christmas morning when both father and son succumb to chicken pox. Mr. Brannan explained, “It’s a very British thing to want to laugh at horrible people having a miserable time at Christmas and all the ingredients of the way Christmas is shaped by our national identity are there: the food, the rows, the moaning, unwanted gifts and dodgy decorations.”
Mr. Brannan suggested that a likely reason the script was never filmed was due to the cast and crew’s tight schedules. “I think the main reason they didn’t proceed is that they had just performed a sketch at the Royal Variety Performance at the start of November and were about to begin recording the second series of Steptoe and Son in December,” he said. Despite this, elements from the script were eventually repurposed for a Christmas special aired in 1973. Reflecting on the find, Mr. Brannan remarked, “Luckily, this script saw the light of day eventually. Its discovery shows we’re always enjoying comedy, laughter and entertainment at Christmas and a good idea never stops being a good idea, even 10 years later.
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