Editing Cannon and Ball (section)

==TV and film==
Their first TV appearance was as contestants in talent show ''[[Opportunity Knocks (British TV series)|Opportunity Knocks]]''. In 1974 they appeared in variety series ''[[The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club]]'' before, in 1978, landing slots on ''[[Bruce Forsyth's Big Night]]''. In 1979, [[LWT]] offered them their own series, ''[[The Cannon and Ball Show]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/6070 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116084034/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/6070 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 January 2009 |title=BFI &#124; Film & TV Database &#124; CANNON AND BALL |publisher=Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk |accessdate=22 April 2013}}</ref> which premiered on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] on 28 July 1979. Further series followed each year through to 1988, along with Christmas and Easter specials.

They were the subjects of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1981 when they were surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] outside the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane]] in London.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

In 1982, they appeared in a feature film, ''[[The Boys in Blue]]'', based loosely on the [[Will Hay]] film ''[[Ask a Policeman]]''. ''The Boys in Blue'' was regarded critically as weak in comparison, and was their only cinema outing.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

They also featured in a comic strip, ''Rock On, Tommy'' (titled after Ball's onstage catchphrase), published in the magazine ''[[Look-in]]''.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

Their popularity coincided with the rise of [[alternative comedy]], with its emphasis on more socially relevant and political concerns. Cannon and Ball's popularity began to decline, though they were not the only comedy act to suffer as comic tastes shifted. During the 1980s, [[Greg Dyke]], then Head of Programming at ITV station [[Television South|TVS]] and later to hold a similar position at LWT, expressed a concern that [[Northern England|northern]] comedy shows may not suit [[Southern England|southern]] tastes.

By the 1990s, the duo were seeking a change in direction and appeared in their own sitcom ''[[Cannon and Ball's Playhouse]]'', the spin-off series ''[[Plaza Patrol]]''<ref>{{cite news|title= Preview: Cannon and Ball at Princess Royal, Port Talbot |work= [[Wales Online]]|url= http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/showbiz/2011/08/13/preview-cannon-and-ball-at-princess-royal-port-talbot-91466-29227521/#ixzz2H7KVTTQd|accessdate=5 January 2013}}</ref> and their game show ''[[Cannon and Ball's Casino]]''. ''Plaza Patrol'' saw them play security guards in a shopping mall.