Meet the man behind one of our best loved comedy shows

One of his best-loved comedies, Rising Damp, is returning as a brand new stage production to Dunstable’s Grove Theatre in July.

Octogenarian Eric - whose credits include Duty Free, The Bounder and Only When I laugh – loves visiting the theatres where his plays are being staged.

“The cast always know when I’m in,” he smiles. “I’m the one they can hear laughing the loudest and nudging the people next to me to do the same.”

He won’t name his comedy heroes. “We’e all competitors,” he teases. But he’s a fan of ‘Alan Bennett at his best’ and Ian Le Frenais and Dick Clement who were responsible for Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

Eric believes the success of these ever-green classics comes from using actors, not stand-up comedians.

He’s always eavesdropping on converations and claims he gets his best ideas in the bath.

> Win tickets to see Rising Damp - details in the News/Gazette