“Best switch off – if you don’t believe in laughter.” This final year of the decade found the BBC enjoying renewed popularity...
“People actually send spies to the rehearsal rooms.” Christmas 1978 was one of those pivotal moments in television history, where a number...
“Both parties contemplate divorce.” 25 December fell on a Sunday this year, so that meant a slight re-working of the traditional menu...
“400 brownies are yelling ‘We want Leslie Crowther’.” The Radio Times noted that a key element of Christmas was “being able to...
“A sort of Christmas bonus, you might say.” After their botched effort last year, the BBC rallied in 1975 to deliver another...
“Music composed and conducted by Ronnie Hazelhurst.” As ever, BBC1’s morning schedule ran to form: some carols, kids programmes –Camberwick Green, and Cartoon...
“A cast of 362 animals, birds and lords a-leaping.” If there was one person above all who was responsible for the BBC’s...
“‘Hello Ask’, a small boy greets Aspel.” ITV launched their Christmas Day with an ambitious carol service recorded at the Royal Festival...
“The entire World of Sport team supply percussion.” BBC1’s schedule this year was almost identical to that of 12 months earlier – and...
“The commercialisation of it distresses me.” The first Christmas of the new decade found Eric, Ernie, Cilla and Rolf on the cover...