From the editor: No matter what, we always have room for a Chuckle

Everything is different and the suggestions for how we go about our daily lives – without breaking the lockdown rules and putting ourselves at risk – have got me thinking. What would you most like to bring back from the past, if you could?

I’m not talking about the freedom to come and go as you please or the days before Covid, which we would all dearly love to see. I’m being more specific – prompted by the comic genius that made up one half of the Chuckle Brothers. Those South Yorkshire legends kept generations of children entertained and I’m not ashamed to admit for the greater good that, even as an adult, they always have me giggling. In fact, I only realised how much seriously entertaining those brothers really were when I saw them in action at the Lyceum during one of their many tours. What fun and what lovely gents.

So, why is this peculiar topic cropping up now? Well, a couple of days ago Paul Chuckle came up with this idea: “Just thinking ... why aren't the BBC putting out all 294 episodes of ChuckleVision to keep everyone occupied when the weather is a bit dull and they need cheering up – and to show the under 10 year olds just what they have been missing.” Now obviously, the sun responded to this message very quickly and we have had glorious weather ever since. The Beeb have been a bit slower but almost 30,000 agreed with the suggestion on Twitter so you never know.

If there was a programme, tune, radio show or shared memory which you could bring back to ease isolation, what would it be? I remember adoring Bagpuss as a child but it is so long since I watched an episode, I’m not sure I could vouch for it any more. What about the Wombles? Recycling and litter picking legends, in my young eyes at least. I also made my two youngest children sit through all three Back To The Future films recently. I thought they’d quickly get bored but they were enthralled by every minute. I’m working up to suggesting Short Circuit to them when they next say they’re bored. I would love to see a flurry of ideas appear on our letters pages and I am very grateful to everyone who has got in touch since my last plea for more correspondence. Keep writing, please.