The legendary comedy duo's Christmas Specials began in 1969, but the phenomenon exploded in 1971 when the first, lavish, extended Christmas production was broadcast. Shirly Bassey sang in hobnail boots; Glenda Jackson was serenaded by an assortment of BBC presenters and the Andre Previn sketch stole the show ("I'm playing all the right note, but not necessarily in the right order"). In subsequent years, Diana Rigg played Nell Gwynne, Elton John was sent the wrong way round the Television Centre, Vanessa Redgrave ("She's tall enough to play in goal") starred in a Latin-American extravaganza and a leggy Angela Rippon emerged from behind the news desk to perform a legendary dance routine. In their last year at the BBC, the show readhed it's peak as a record 28 million people tunedin th see a chorus lime of newsreaders acrobatically dance and sing 'There ain't nothing like a dame'. Penelope Keith climbed awkwardly from an unfinished stairway and an unexpected return for Elton John