The Greatest TV... - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
The Greatest TV of the '60s
The first episode takes a look at the best television programmes from the swinging decade that invented pop culture. From soaps to sitcoms, variety to live events, the show features insider stories and stand out footage.
Featuring interviews with some of the leading players from this decade. We hear from Coronation Street Legend William Roache about the early days of the soap, including the terrifying experience of filming live episodes. Comic Jimmy Tarbuck shares stories from his stint hosting the iconic Sunday Night at the London Palladium and remembers his comedian friends Tommy Cooper, Benny Hill and Dick Emery.
We have classic hilarious moments from Pete and Dud, Monty Python and Dad's Army. Drama is represented with a celebration of The Avengers and Z Cars, and we learn how the epic costume drama The Forsyte Saga was so popular that pub landlords complained that bars were empty while the show was airing and churches were forced to change the timings for evensong to avoid empty pews.
We remember the start of Top of the Pops, with Three Degrees singer Sheila Ferguson describing how the show elevated the band's fortunes. We remember Eurovision and kids TV, discovering how Play School accidentally launched BBC2, and finding out what happened when Blue Peter's Valerie Singleton took a lion for a walk.
And finally we revisit moments that united the world - with celebrities recalling where they were when man first landed on the moon.
The Greatest TV of the '70s
The best programmes of the decade, featuring comedy from Tommy Cooper, Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, Fawlty Towers, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and The Good Life. There are clips from dramas including I, Claudius, Abigail's Party and The Sweeney, as well as game shows like The Generation Game and Sale of the Century.
The Greatest TV of the '80s
The best programmes of the decade, featuring archive clips from shows including The Tube, The Young Ones, Brookside, Eastenders, Dallas, Dynasty and Blind Date. Michael Buerk speaks about his 1984 news report on the Ethiopian famine, while Coronation Street star William Roache remembers the storyline that saw Ken Barlow in a love triangle with wife Deirdre and arch enemy Mike Baldwin. Chris Tarrant talks about Tiswas and a spectacular prank involving Lenny Henry and Trevor Macdonald, while The Bill's Trudie Goodwyn shares secrets from the show.
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