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The Diamond Ring

The Lad finds a diamond ring, but when Moira thinks that marriage is in the air, Tony seeks help from Sid! Stars Kevin McNally.

This is a recreation of a classic episode missing from series 1 either wiped or lost from the archive.

The Lad finds a diamond ring, but when Moira gets it into her head that marriage is in the air, Hancock is forced to turn to Sid for help.

The first modern sitcom, Hancock's Half Hour made stars of Tony Hancock, Sid James and Kenneth Williams. It also launched Ray Galton and Alan Simpson as one of the most successful comedy-writing partnerships in history.

But 20 episodes of the show were missing from the Âé¶¹Éç archives.

Now, after four highly successful series, the final batch of those episodes have been lovingly re-recorded in front of a live audience at the Âé¶¹Éç Radio Theatre.

Written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson

Tony Hancock …. Kevin McNally
Bill Kerr …. Kevin Eldon
Kenneth Williams …. Robin Sebastian
Sid James …. Simon Greenall
Moira..............Margaret Cabourn-Smith

The classic score re-recorded by the Âé¶¹Éç Concert Orchestra, conducted by Levon Parikian.

Produced by Neil Pearson & Hayley Sterling.

'The Diamond Ring' was originally broadcast on the 9th November 1954.

A Âé¶¹Éç Studios production for Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4, first broadcast in November 2019.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 2 Apr 2026 02:30

Broadcasts

  • Tue 5 Nov 2019 18:30
  • Tue 12 Nov 2019 07:30
  • Tue 12 Nov 2019 17:30
  • Tue 12 Nov 2019 22:00
  • Wed 13 Nov 2019 05:30
  • Tue 1 Nov 2022 18:30
  • Wed 9 Nov 2022 08:00
  • Wed 9 Nov 2022 12:00
  • Wed 9 Nov 2022 19:00
  • Wed 1 Apr 2026 07:30
  • Wed 1 Apr 2026 12:30
  • Wed 1 Apr 2026 18:30
  • Thu 2 Apr 2026 02:30

Classic Hancock Clips

A selection of memorable moments from the surviving episodes of Hancock's Half Hour.