Galton and Simpson were not paid by Hancock for all their efforts and eventually wrote comedy scripts for the BBC, one was "Steptoe and Son" which took them off in a different direction ending their partnership with Hancock.

Hancock now decided to form his own company with Phillip Oaks and they co-wrote "The Punch and Judy Man" which was far from triumphant even in the UK. Hancock went back to ITV and made 13 more comedy series which by pure coincidence were broadcast at the same time as Steptoe and Son, although Hancock was reasonably well received he could not compete with the success of Steptoe and Son and eventually returned to the stage.