Carry On Up The Archive with Jim Dale

As we all know, this year has marked 60 years since the very first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant, was made and released on the unsuspecting British public. The series has become the stuff of legend thanks to some cracking scripts and an amazing team of comedy actors who continue to delight us to this day.

Now, a special BBC Radio programme, Carry On Up The Archive, featuring many rare or previously undiscovered clips, has been produced and is due to air this festive season.

The programme makers have been trawling through archives all over the country and are now preparing to share a great deal of previously unheard material featuring some of our favourite Carry On actors. You may recall earlier this year that a very rare interview with Sid James was discovered and aired again for the first time in over forty years. Indeed, it was the last recorded interview Sid gave before his untimely death in 1976.

The rare audio recordings, either previously unknown or thought lost, featuring the likes of Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor. Jim Dale, who starred in  eleven Carry Ons in the 1960s (and of course Columbus in 1992) presents this great programme looking back at some of our best loved comedy stars as you've never heard them before.

Carry On Up The Archive will be broadcast across the BBC Radio network on 28 December at 6pm. You will be able to listen live/listen again here. The programme was produced by Richard Latto.

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