“As Morecambe and Wise, they were the nation’s best-loved comedy act, their Christmas extravaganzas regularly pulling in audiences of more than 20 million. But BBC chiefs initially believed Eric Morecambe would have a much better chance of TV stardom if he dumped Ernie Wise and went solo. The damning appraisal [was] delivered just two years before the duo … found fame on commercial television.”