Tonight’s BBCtv… in 1968 

8 April 2015 tbs.pm/6204

From the Radio Times for Monday 8 April 1968 comes this run down of what you could be watching on the BBC. Things worth noting:

  • The Welsh-language programme Rhwng Sir A Sir is shown in for non-resident Welsh-speaking viewers in London, the Midlands, the north of England and the West.
  • For purposes of totalling up on-air hours, Welsh programmes, adult education (judged broadly) and religion don’t count, so BBC-1 hits its allotted 7.5 hours.
  • Twenty-Four Hours at 9.55pm had replaced Tonight and would itself be replaced by Nationwide.
  • (A Man Called) Ironside gets a good slot at 9.05pm, but would be treated worse next year.
  • BBC-2’s highbrow reputation continues with a heavy but varied evening of programmes, including the wonderful Hattie Jacques and Betty Marsden popping up in The World of Beachcomber. Alas, only one episode of this colour series still exists – as a 16mm black and white telerecording.
  • While BBC-2’s programming hours are limited (by finance as well as by law), the eagerness of the BBC and the government to sell colour sets means there’s a varied diet of trade test transmissions during the day – helpfully listed in brief by the Radio Times.

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2 responses to this article

Dave Rhodes 8 April 2015 at 12:56 pm

The ‘new’ Leeds edition of Look North deserves the billing, entering its third week tonight.

Keith Fordyce, hosting BBC1’s pub quiz at 6.15, had a long run at the helm of Westward’s Treasure Hunt.

The then-current Come Dancing host, Peter West, is joined by future presenter, Terry Wogan at 10.25pm on 1.

The RT layout looks oddly confused – the magazine was going through some half-hearted attempts to ape the TV Times style
around this time – a redesign two years later gave it a stronger sense of self-confidence.

Arthur Nibble 9 April 2015 at 2:00 pm

A very comely photo of the then 21-year-old Felicity Kendal.

Keith Fordyce wasn’t the only “ITV face” on display here – Wally Whyton helped out with Ollie Beak and appeared on “The Sooty Show”, while fellow “Play School” presenter Julie Stevens went onto a grittier role in “The Avengers”.

Surely not THE George Benson in Spike Milligan’s show!

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