Broadcast to the Empire
| "Broadcast to the Empire" | |
|---|---|
| Dad's Army episode | |
| Directed by | David Croft |
| Story by | Jimmy Perry and David Croft |
| Produced by | David Croft |
| Original air date | Monday 25/12/72 (recorded Sunday 26/11/72) |
| Running time | 14 minutes |
Broadcast to the Empire is the fourth (and final) Christmas Night with the Stars sketch of the British television comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Monday 25 December 1972. A radio version was also made, entitled Ten Seconds From Now (This was the last radio episode made).
The platoon are very excited as they have been chosen to take part in the BBC Radio Christmas Broadcast To Absent Friends, in which they are due to perform a short play about their duty as members of the Home Guard, just before the King's speech.
The platoon are excited by the broadcast, which they will be performing from the church hall where a microphone and radio speaker have already been set up. There is a great deal of excitement in the platoon, though the typically cynical Chief ARP Warden Hodges bets they will "make a right mess of it"; he then leaves to go and listen on the Verger's wireless.
During a run-through practice of the script, the BBC producer, Mr. Willerby Troughton-Maxwell (who is heard from Broadcasting House over the speaker), annoys Captain Mainwaring by telling him he doesn't sound like an officer, and suggesting that he and Sergeant Wilson switch parts. Mainwaring points out very firmly "I am the officer and he is the sergeant, and that's the way it's staying!" Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Jones irritates both Troughton-Maxwell and the BBC sound engineer present at the broadcast by continually banging on the microphone.
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