17:35 – Thames TV morning start-up music.

17:41 – Only When I Laugh – S03E06 – Dear Diary – A sitcom made by Yorkshire Television for ITV, written by Eric Chappell (Rising Damp, Home to Roost). It stars Christopher Strauli as Norman, a rather naive middle-class man who is admitted to a hospital ward and finds that he is sharing it with a working-class layabout called Figgis (James Bolam) and an upper-class hypochondriac called Archie (Peter Bowles). All three of them cause headaches for the hospital staff, led by Richard Wilson with Derrick Branche. This week, Norman has been keeping a diary, and Figgis and Glover are determined to find out what he has written about them. First broadcast on Wed 7th Aug 1981 by ITV.

18:06 – Michael Bentine’s Potty Time S02E05 – Fu Manchu; The Great Train Robbery – a British children’s TV show, written by and starring Michael Bentine, and directed and produced by Leon Thau for Thames Television. This week, Professor Potsworthy tells of the oriental arch-fiend Dr. Fu Manchu, and his devilish invention – the thin-air disappearing machine. And R is for ‘Robber’: in this case, involving a story about the theft of an entire train during the American Civil War.  First broadcast on Wed 5th Feb 1975 by ITV. Needless to say, the first segment of this is going to be full of racial stereotyping. Shown for historical interest and completism only.

18:29 – Ace of Wands S03E17/20 – The Beautiful People: Part 1/4 – a British fantasy children’s television show broadcast on ITV between 1970 and 1972. It was created by Trevor Preston and Pamela Lonsdale and produced by Thames Television. It ran for two seasons of thirteen episodes each, and a third season of twenty, which is the only series that still exists. Telepathic stage magician, Tarot, and his two assistants solve mysteries and crimes of a bizarre or magical nature, and battle against villains with various powers. In this final story, written by P. J. “Sapphire & Steel” Hammond, when Mikki is refused entry to a small town fête run by two astonishingly beautiful girls, Dee and Emm, Tarot investigates. He uncovers a complicated plot organized by a group of extra-terrestrials with very special powers. First broadcast on Wed 8th Nov 1972 by ITV.

18:54 – Clangers (New CBeebies Version) S01E05 – The Flying Froglets – the 2010s reboot, of the famous early-1970s Oliver Postgate / Peter Firmin stop-motion children’s television series about a family of mouse-like creatures who live on, and inside, a small moon-like planet. This week, it’s Granny’s birthday and all the Clangers are planning their presents for her. Small asks Major Clanger if he can help him invent something for her but Major says his work is too difficult for such a young Clanger. Small decides to invent something himself, something which involves puffballs, airfruit and three extremely acrobatic – or should we say aerobatic – froglets.  First broadcast on Fri 19th Jun 2015 at 5.30pm by CBeebies. This episode, in common with many others, was written by Daniel Postgate – Oliver’s son – who also does the voices for the Iron Chicken, the Soup Dragon, and her son, Baby Soup Dragon.

19:05 – Star Trek (The Original Series) – S02E17 – A Piece of the Action – This week, the crew of the Enterprise struggles to cope with a planet of imitative people who have modeled their society on 1920s American gangsters. First broadcast in the USA on Fri 12th Jan 1968 by NBC. So here we go then, with the first of the “Planet of the… Gangsters / Nazis / American Civil War / Romans” quadrilogy. They get tedious towards the end, but the first couple are great fun. This was the last episode to have a (co-)writing credit by Gene L. Coon.

19:55 – Spaced S02E05 – Gone – the famous British sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the (comedic and sometimes farcical and action-packed) misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim Bisley, two twenty-something Londoners who, despite only having just met, decide to move in together after she gives up on squatting and he is kicked out by his ex-girlfriend. Supporting roles include Nick Frost as Tim’s best friend Mike, Katy Carmichael as Daisy’s best friend Twist, Mark Heap as lodger Brian who lives downstairs and Julia Deakin as landlady Marsha. This week, Sophie calls off a date with Tim at the last minute, citing that she has to work late. Having experienced the same thing with his last girlfriend who left him for her boss and his best friend, Tim begins to freak out. Daisy convinces Tim to go out on the town with her that night, leaving Brian and Mike to keep an eye on Colin. Tim and Daisy have an exciting night of drinking, escaping from angry college boys looking to get some weed, an irritating conversation with Tim’s arch-nemesis, Duane Benzie, and losing their car/house keys. First broadcast on Fri 30th Mar 2001 by Channel 4.

20:20 – Van der Valk – S03E07 – Face Value – After a four-year break (1973-1977) on original transmission, the Amsterdam-based crime drama returned for this 12-episode run, now made by Euston Films for Thames TV. It still stars Barry Foster in the title role, but his wife has mysteriously changed actress, from Susan Travers to Joanna Dunham, who played Patrick Allen’s lover in S02E01 “A Death by the Sea”. This week, a dead painter and a valuable collection of pictures lead Van der Valk to take a look behind the scenes into the world of art forgery. He finds more than he’s bargained for when someone makes an attempt on his life.  First broadcast on Mon 17th Oct 1977 by ITV. Featuring, together at last, both Clifford Rose AND Michael Sheard! Also features Kenton “Noah from ‘The Ark in Space'” Moore, Anna Wing, and Denis Lill.

21:10 – Eurotrash S05E01 a.k.a. Eurotrash Goes South of the Border (1/2) – The legendary late-night magazine show starring Antoine de Caunes and Jean-Paul Gaultier, exploring unusual and bizarre topics from Europe and around the world. This week, we have Brazilian horror legend Coffin Joe, Lolo Ferrari, Kitten Natividad, Mexican Wrestling, Gloria Trevi, Walter Mercado TV astrologer. First broadcast on Fri 17th Nov 1995 by Channel 4.

21:34 – Lytton’s Diary S01E04 – Tricks of the Trade – A drama series made by Thames Television for the ITV network, about the life of a newspaper gossip columnist, played by Peter Bowles, who also co-created the show with Philip Broadley. Scripts were by Ray Connolly, the journalist, interviewer, author, Beatles enthusiast, and screenplay writer of That’ll Be The Day and Stardust. Whether consorting with banking tycoons and ex-dictators or investigating a gang of skinheads, Lytton strives to expose the high and mighty, the corrupt and the crooked – and to make sure “God” (his editor at the Daily News) is happy with his work. All the while, Lytton struggles to keep his love life in order, write the one novel he feels he has in him, and fend off constant machinations and maneuvers of an old rival at the Daily Post. This week, Lytton learns about a crooked politician working a shady export deal with moneyed interests from the Middle East. In covering the story, he must tread a careful path–saying enough to draw the M.P. out, but not enough to get the Daily News sued. First broadcast on Wed 30th Jan 1985 by ITV. Guest starring John Bird and Nadim Sawalha. WARNING: the opening title sequence contains flashing images.

22:25 – Alfresco S02E05 – a sketch comedy series starring Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Siobhan Redmond and Emma Thompson, produced by Granada Television and broadcast by ITV from May 1983 to June 1984. Running for two series, it totalled 13 episodes and was named Alfresco (from the Italian al fresco, meaning “in the fresh air”) because, unusually for a comedy sketch show of the time, it was shot on location rather than in a studio. Like its pilot/predecessor, There’s Nothing to Worry About (from which several sketches were taken and repeated in this), the show was designed by ITV as an answer to the popular BBC series Not the Nine O’Clock News.  This week, trolley car passengers go crazy suing one another, Mr. Baker and Mr. Butcher take a stroll on the docks, and a Headmaster gets a nasty shock when interviewing an errant pupil. First broadcast on Sat 26th May 1984 by ITV.

22:49 – Agony S01E05 – Forever and Never – An ITV sitcom that aired from 1979 to 1981. Made by London Weekend Television, it stars Maureen Lipman as Jane Lucas who has a successful career as an agony aunt but whose own personal life is a shambles. It was created by Len Richmond and real-life agony aunt Anna Raeburn, both of whom wrote all of the first series. The second and third series were written by Stan Hey and Andrew Nickolds. This week, when Michael and Rob start having relationship problems, they both turn to Jane for comfort and Laurence isn’t best pleased. First broadcast on Sun 15th Apr 1979 by ITV.

23:14 – Spaced S01E05 – Chaos [COMMENTARY TRACK VERSION] – the famous British sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the (comedic and sometimes farcical and action-packed) misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim Bisley, two twenty-something Londoners who, despite only having just met, decide to move in together after she gives up on squatting and he is kicked out by his ex-girlfriend. Supporting roles include Nick Frost as Tim’s best friend Mike, Katy Carmichael as Daisy’s best friend Twist, Mark Heap as lodger Brian who lives downstairs and Julia Deakin as landlady Marsha. This week, after an all day marathon of Star Wars movies, it’s Tim’s turn to take Colin out for a walk. While he isn’t paying attention, the dog is stolen. Daisy thinks Tim got rid of Colin on purpose because she knows he doesn’t like Colin. All suspicions are dropped after they receive an anonymous letter revealing where Colin is. So Tim, Daisy, Brian, Mike, and Twist all develop a covert plan to retrieve him. First broadcast on Fri 22nd Oct 1999 by Channel 4. This week, it’s Mark Heap’s turn again to be talked over by The Crucial Three.

23:38 – Closedown music.

23:43 – Closedown.