Labour leader Harold Wilson secretly lobbied the BBC to change the time of popular comedy Steptoe and Son on the night of the 1964 election because he feared working class voters would stay at home and watch the show instead of supporting his candidates. According to new archive footage held by the BBC, Mr Wilson went to the home of BBC Director General Sir Hugh Greene and told him the show could cost him 20 seats. Mr Wilson was leader of the opposition and was seeking to oust the Conservative Prime Minister Alec Douglas Home. The Labour leader thought the planned repeat of the sit-com starring Harry H Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell would hit them badly. Scroll down for video . The Labour Party was afraid that its supporters would stay at home and watch a repeat of Steptoe and Son featuring Harry H Corbett, left, and Wilfrid Brambell, right, instead of coming out to vote in 1964 . Labour leader Harold Wilson, centre, approached the BBC directly to delay the show's repeat broadcast . So he approached Sir Hugh at his home to express his concerns over the broadcast. The BBC is releasing an archive interview with Sir Hugh recorded in 1982 as well as a 1981 interview with the former Prime Minister. The joint project between the BBC and the University of Sussex, which is being published today, shows the corporation's involvement in elections since 1922. According to Sir Hugh's 1982 interview: 'He came around to have a drink. He had been very much upset because the BBC had planned the beginning of a series of repeats of a very popular light entertainment programme, Steptoe and Son, on the evening of polling day. He thought that would keep away particularly Labour supporters from the polls.' At the peak of the show's popularity, some 28 million people tuned in. Sir Hugh continued: 'Harold Wilson that evening began by accusing the BBC of plotting against him. I told him that he must really know in his heart of hearts that that was untrue, and unless he withdrew that remark there was no point in our discussing anything. We could just have a drink and that could be that. 'He did withdraw and we talked about the Steptoe and Son problem. The next day I discussed the matter further with the controller of BBC One and we thought a good idea would be to shift it from early in the evening until nine o'clock, when at that time the polls closed. 'I rang up Harold Wilson and told him about this decision and he said to me he was very grateful - it might make a difference of about 20 seats to him. 'He won, I think, by four, and I've sometimes wondered what effect my decision had on British political history.' Former BBC Director General Sir Hugh Greene, pictured, said Mr Wilson feared broadcasting Steptoe and Son on the 1964 election night could end up costing the Labour Party 20 seats - they won the election by four . Mr Wilson also gave an interview on the subject which has been published as part of the archive. He said: 'Polling then ended at nine o'clock and a lot of our people - my people, working in Liverpool, long journey out, perhaps then a high tea and so on, it was getting late, especially if they wanted to have a pint first. 'I said I didn't want a popular programme between eight to nine o'clock. It was the equivalent of bringing Morecambe and Wise back. Hugh didn't think much of this argument. He said: "What would you prefer to put on between eight o'clock and nine o'clock?" 'I said: "Greek drama, preferably in the original."'
Harold Wilson feared the popular sit-com would cost him 20 seats in 1964 . He said Labour voters might stay at home or in the pub on election night . The BBC agreed to delay broadcasting the repeat until polls closed . The Corporation has released archive material about the secret deal .