One of Britain’s best loved comedians was celebrated on Channel 5, as a number of unseen Tommy Cooper performances were aired for the first time to a British audience.
The funnyman, who was born on the 19th of March 1921, started his career in the showbiz industry in the 1940s after seven years of military service.
During one of his performances in 1967, it was revealed that he injured himself whilst on stage. Tommy was booked as one of the headline stars on Spotlight, a TV series dedicated to comedy performances and musicians.
In the middle of his routine, Tommy places his hand inside a ceramic jug and deliberately struggles to get it out. He then uses a mallet to smash the jug into pieces, much to the delight of viewers.
However later on in the act, when he’s performing a clock routine, there is a close-up shot of Tommy’s bleeding hand. Despite the injury, Tommy continues to perform and wipes the blood away with a handkerchief.
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Tommy Cooper once injured himself during a live performance routine (Image: Channel 5)
Tommy wiped away the blood with a handkerchief during the act (Image: Channel 5)
In 1984, Tommy tragically collapsed from a heart attack in front of 12 million watchers who were viewing LWT’s Live from Her Majesty’s.
It was later announced on the TV news broadcasts that he had died on stage.
Tommy Cooper: The Lost Tapes also included tributes and memories from those who knew him, including actress Sheila Hancock, broadcaster Trevor McDonald, entertainer Jimmy Tarbuck, music producer Trevor Horn and writer Colin Edmonds.
The programme also showcased an unseen performance of Tommy in New York, as a guest appearance on The David Frost Show.
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Tommy Cooper injured his hand with a mallet whilst on stage (Image: Channel 5)
In the 60s and 1970s he was a regular on television screens with his own programme, first with ABC Television. He also appeared on the Bruce Forsyth Show in 1965.
During the documentary ‘Bruce Forsyth: 50 Years in Showbusiness’ in 1992, Bruce recalled a vivid memory of Tommy Cooper when they were working together on the same line-up in Shrewsbury.
Bruce recalled: “He lived to be funny, at times I don’t think he knew how funny he was.
“I watched him just before he went on and he was touching the props, just touching them, see he didn’t move anything just touched it, just to check everything was there.”
Tommy Cooper: The Lost Tapes can be streamed on 5 Demand.