A blue plaque commemorating a comedy duo whose career and friendship lasted more than 40 years was put up in front of a showbiz audience.

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, also known as Morecambe and Wise or Eric and Ernie, worked together in variety, radio, film and television from 1941 until Morecambe’s death in 1984.

The Heritage Foundation replaced a plaque at Teddington Studios in memory of Morecambe with a new one in tribute to the double act, where the pair recorded their final four series and some of their most memorable programmes.

The blue plaque was unveiled by Morecambe’s wife Joan and daughter Gail at the studios in Broom Road on Sunday, May 19, in front of luminaries including presenter Nicholas Parsons, comedy writer Barry Cryer, newsreader Nicholas Owen, actor and comedian Bernard Cribbins, former Doctor Who actress Katy Manning and television presenter Michael Aspel.

Joan Morecambe said: “The shows still come across as being funny, they're still entertaining, even for new audiences and people who weren't around in the days of Eric and Ernie.

“People are very nostalgic about their shows; they hone into long-term memories because they worked in television for years and years.”

Gail Morecambe said: “It was family viewing, so the generation of children who are watching now are doing so because parents are very comfortable watching this type of comedy with their children, parents and grandparents.”

The plaque was put up days before Eddie Braben, the writer behind the comedy duo, died aged 82 after a short illness.