IT is, unbelievably, 25 years since the great Eric Morecambe passed away. To those brought up on the Morecambe And Wise Show, it still hardly seems possible. His warmth and bumbling, self-parodying humour were such a part of our national life it almost seems he is still there with us, somehow.

To mark the anniversary of his death, Morecambe’s son, Gary, wrote this tribute to his father’s life and work. Packed with memories and stories, and lavishly illustrated with photographs, this is a must for fans of the comedian. There is a touching forward from York’s own Dame Judi Dench, who knew Morecambe well.

The Morecambe And Wise Show was always one of the highlights of the week, she writes.

“When the glorious moment came of being invited to appear on the show, I could not wait. I was SO excited. Among other things, we did Ernie’s version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I remember Eric walking through the set of a foggy London with three legs. We laughed until we wept!”

Morecambe kept referring to her as ‘young man’, Dame Judi recalls.

“Eric was genuinely funny, but never unkind with his humour,” she writes. “I still miss him and shall never forget him.”

Like so many of us.