SURPRISE EARLY START!! – NOTE REVISED TIMES!
16:55 – Sheepy’s opening caption.
16:56 – MUSICAL TRAIN JOURNEY – Settle to Carlisle (yes, AGAIN) set to some utterly top tunes selected by Jay Gnasher.
17:55 – Only When I Laugh – S04E05 – Escape – 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, Glover is charmed by new admission Harry Bridgewater – until it transpires that he is a prisoner who has come in for an operation with a guard in attendance. Having tried to pass himself off as a hardened criminal Bridgewater has to admit he is but a getaway driver but asks the patients to cover for him whilst he escapes – for a night – to have sex with his wife. They agree and persuade Dr Thorpe to assist them but will the convict return next day? First broadcast on Thu 2nd Dec 1982 by ITV. With Neil McCarthy (Where Eagles Dare, Zulu, Clash of the Titans) as the criminal, in what proved to be his last-ever role. Repeated from last week as it was on so early that nobody saw it!
18:21 – Michael Bentine’s Potty Time S02E13 – Prisoner of Potzenda / Troy – a British children’s TV show, written by and starring Michael Bentine, and directed and produced by Leon Thau for Thames Television. This week, all the excitement of The Prisoner of Zenda is brought to life – but even Professor Potsworthy is surprised to learn that the story is based on the escapades of Rudolf Pottendyll. Another chapter of history is revisited as the Professor tells us why Troy was rebuilt thirteen times. First broadcast on Wed 2nd Apr 1975 by ITV.
18:43 – The Gemini Factor S01E02 – Mirror Image – a 1987 six-part children’s serial starring Louisa Haigh and Charlie Creed-Miles, written by Paula Milne, directed by Renny Rye, and produced by Sheila Kinany for Thames TV. A twin brother and sister separated at birth. Two halves forming the Yin and Yang. Two telepathic minds. An ancient clock tower. A mystery to keep the mind alert. This week… well the series is obscure enough to have no Wiki page and a fairly minimal IMDb presence, so your guess is as good as mine! First broadcast on Mon 9th Nov 1987 by ITV.
19:08 – Clangers (New CBeebies Version) S01E13 – In a Spin – 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, while playing an energetic game in the living cave, Tiny and Small accidentally knock over a tankard, and green soup spills out all over Granny’s best shawl. First broadcast on Wed 1st Jul 2015 at 5.30pm by CBeebies.
19:20 – Star Trek (The Original Series) S02E25 – Bread and Circuses – This week, the Enterprise crew investigates the disappearance of a ship’s crew on a planet that is a modern version of the Roman Empire. First broadcast in the USA on Fri 15th Mar 1968 by NBC.
20:11 – Tales of the Unexpected S01E06 – Neck – a British television series that aired between 1979 and 1988. Each episode told a story, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, with an unexpected twist ending. Every episode of series one, eight episodes of series two, and one episode of series three were based on short stories by Roald Dahl, who provided introductions for the first two series. This week, Invited to a weekend house party by Sir Basil Turton and his younger wife Natalia, John Bannister is struck by the lady’s infidelity. She tries to undo his pyjamas and is plainly having an affair with another guest Major Haddock. Jelks, Sir Basil’s loyal butler, has also noticed… First broadcast on Sat 28th Apr 1979 by ITV. With Joan Collins, John Gielgud, Peter Bowles, Carmen Silvera, Michael Aldridge and Paul Herzberg.
20:35 – Special Branch S03E03 – Inquisition – After a two-and-a-half-year break (Nov 1970 – Apr 1973) on original transmission, this show returned in a completely revamped form, now made by Euston Films in their first-ever production for Thames TV. It now stars George Sewell as DCI Alan Craven, with support from an on-off combination of Roger Rowland as DS Bill North and Patrick Mower as DCI Tom Haggerty. This week, Craven busts a fraudster for carrying an unlicensed firearm and forged passport. But while his fellow officers question his holding the cooperative suspect without charges, the detective increases the pressure to get the information he’s really seeking. First broadcast on Wed 18th Apr 1973 by ITV. This episode was written by Trevor “Ace of Wands” Preston, and features Clifford Rose as the fraudster.
21:27 – Eurotrash S06E02 – 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 Vanessa Demouy, Tatjana: Holland’s Biggest Asset, Supermodel Shopping: Carla Bruni, Pompoos, Thierry Ardisson, Brothel Tester, Sit On Me. First broadcast on Fri 19th Apr 1996 by Channel 4.
21:51 – Lytton’s Diary S02E06 – National Hero – 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, in the last-ever episode, an international beauty competition offers Lytton a little in the way of a story, until sabotage, corruption, and perhaps even murder enter the fray. Back at the Daily News offices, the owner throws his weight around, determined to win a battle with the printers’ union. First broadcast on Wed 12th Feb 1986 by ITV. WARNING: the opening title sequence contains flashing images.
22:42 – Girls on Top S01E07 – Hark – a British sitcom, broadcast on ITV in 1985 & 1986, made by Allan McKeown’s Witzend Productions for Central Independent Television. It starred Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax and Tracey Ullman with Joan Greenwood. It was written by French, Saunders and Wax, with additional material for two episodes written by Ullman. It was produced & directed by Paul Jackson (S1) and Ed Bye (S2). Both theme and incidental music were written and perforned by Chris Difford & Glenn Tillbrook. This week, in the last of the first series, Jennifer loses Lady Carlton’s stuffed dog while taking it for a walk, so the flatmates try to convince their landlady that her beloved animal has a message for her from heaven. First broadcast on Wed 4th Dec 1985 at 8.30pm by ITV. This is the final on-screen appearance of Tracey Ullman as Candice Valentine. This show will be broadcast at 75% volume. 🙂
23:05 – Agony S02E07 – A Woman Alone – 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, in the last of the second series, Jane’s worried she may be pregnant and even more worried about who the father could be – Laurence or Vincent? Then when things couldn’t get any more stressful, the man who’s been sending her threatening letters shows up at the office. First broadcast on Sun 25th May 1980 by ITV.
23:32 – MUSICAL TRAIN JOURNEY (Repeat from earlier) – Settle to Carlisle set to some utterly top tunes selected by Jay Gnasher.
00:28 – Closedown music.
00:33 – Closedown.