TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Syd Little and Eddie Large, despite their working men's club origins were always seen as a children's act as far as TV was concerned. Fat and skinny opposites had been a staple of comedy since the days of Laurel and Hardy, but despite the descriptive name they rarely used their respective appearances to over-rule their comedy for cheap laughs. Instead, Large was the child and Little was the adult pointing out the error of his ways, with only cutting remarks, or sometimes bullying as thanks.

After winning Opportunity Knocks in 1971 they were quickly snapped up by BBC1's Crackerjack where they fitted in perfectly, being silly and chucking in pop culture references that the kids got immediately. Pop music was always a part of the routine, with Syd Little always handy with an acoustic guitar ready to play an oldie to provoke a comic plot.

Quite why it took six years after their Opportunity Knocks win to head their own series is not known, but they were always a reliable and popular filler for many kids and variety shows in the meanwhile. When it did finally occur it was ironic that the series would take the Monday night pitch usually occupied by Opportunity Knocks. But after Morecambe and Wise left the BBC for Thames in 1977 Little and Large went in the opposite direction, seen as a spite inspired move by the BBC, but unlikely since both double acts were very very different. M&W had developed several "bits" of business, like Wise's over-developed sense of self-worth and talent which Morecambe would go along with to expose his partner's faults, or Morecambe's talent to casually insult any visiting star by confusing them with someone else to cover up the fact that he didn't know who they were. Little and Large really only had one "bit", with Syd trying to sing a song or tell a story, with Eddie interrupting with bad impressions or visual gags, dismantling or deflating Syd's honest attempt to entertain, but winning the audience's sympathy as a second prize. Eddie was like a human Basil Brush, ready to leap in with a gag just as Mister Syd was telling a story, or if you wish, Jack Black. The Thames shows saw them supported by Tony Hatch and his orchestra, dance troupe Love Machine, choreographed by Arlene Phillips and backing singers, Bones.

As far as music goes their first and only Thames series in 1977 gave space to Linda Lewis, Matt Monro, Mud, The Stylistics, Four Tops, Suzi Quatro and others. By the end of the year they were at the BBC and their Littlest and Largest Show On Earth, broadcast 27th December 1977 found room for Smokie and Leo Sayer. Another special on 1st May 1978 saw them play host to Petula Clark, Boney M and The Stylistics again. When the full series finaly appeared on 30th September 1978 their guests would be The Drifters, Elkie Brooks, Showaddywaddy and the Four Tops again. The next series wouldn't appear until the beginning of 1980 with Cliff, Amii Stewart, Liquid Gold and others and that's pretty much how their shows went for the next eleven years, but to be fair they did rather surprisingly have The Railway Children as one of their final guests in 1991. They nearly reached the chart themselves in 1972 with their Polydor 45 Rock Steady and released singles and a couple of albums during their career.

The pair went their own ways in the 1990s, leaving comedy behind with Syd helping to run a restaurant with his wife and even appearing on Celebrity Masterchef, while Eddie's health deteriorated after the last series as a consequence of the relentless touring the pair had to do, eventually succumbing to a COVID related illness in 2020.

LITTLE AND LARGE

The Little and Large Telly Show

Thames 18th April 1977 - 23rd May 1977

The Little and Large Show

BBC1 30th September 1978 - 20th April 1991