He then experimented with different formats and contexts, including stage farces, Shakespearean comedy roles, and television sitcoms. After suffering a nervous breakdown at the start of the 1960s, he began to recover his old popularity, initially with a season at Peter Cook's satirical Establishment Club in Soho in London. He was boosted further by success on "That Was the Week That Was" (TW3) in 1963 and on stage with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (1963–1965), which led into regular television work. In 1966 and 1967, he co-hosted a 90-minute Christmas show called "The Frankie and Bruce Christmas Show" with Bruce Forsyth, featuring many top acts of the day.