UK TV Nostalgia

This page is dedicated to TV shows from the past, with a selection of links to pages looking back at classic TV shows.

There are so many excellent nostalgia sites around on the Internet, that there's no need to create another with Radio and Telly. This site will, however, list a few of the shows that stick in the webmaster's memory as being classic shows, where there's little content to be found elsewhere on the 'net.

UK TV classics:

The Adventure Game	The Adventure Game - Classic BBC2 game show that almost no-one remembers. Does the planet Arg, the Vortex, crystals, Drogna, Dogran, Angord, Gandor and Rangdo the Aspidistra ring any bells? For more, see the entry in the Wikipedia, or the BBC Cult TV site, which contains some video clips. The series has recently been re-run on Challenge TV... When is "The Adventure Game" next on? (See our Guides page)
The Kit Curran Radio Show	ITV sitcom from the mid-eighties about an over-the-top commercial radio DJ, Kit Curran. The first series was mostly set in the studios of Radio New Town, and centred around various battles with Roland Simpson, the station manager. Classic moments include the first episode's mission to drive out the 'new broom' Roland by convincing him that the station was run-down, riddled with asbestos, and with a severely speech-impaired newsreader. Kit, a totally self-obsessed egomaniac, ended the series by failing to get a job on Radio 1. Preparing for the interview, he's deciding how to present himself at the interview. Les tells him to "just go as yourself". Kit's reply. "Yeah, but which myself shall I go as?" The second series wasn't a patch on Series 1... sacked from Radio New Town, Kit's turned into a radio pirate broadcasting from an industrial park. Episodes mostly revolved around failed attempts to score with the owner of a fashion house in the next office. Funny moments - inciting a riot to avoid a raid, fake helicopter reports, "Radio Kit is now closing down!", and Damien Appleby's zylophone to create a news jingle. The series starred Denis Lawson as Kit Curran, with Paul Brooke as the overweight technical operator Les Toms, Clive Merrison as newsreader Damien Appleby, and Brian Wilde as Series 1's programme controller Roland Simpson. Written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, who went on to create another media sitcom, Drop the Dead Donkey. There's a page of information on the series here. Click here for a brief MP3 extract of Series 1, Episode 1. Denis Lawson, the star of the series, also released the theme tune on vinyl "Ultra Fantastico" in 1984. We'd love to see Series 1 make an appearance on DVD...
Star Fleet	Star Fleet, is a cult classic 1980's space puppet show that almost no-one remembers. For full details, images, video and audio clips, go to the best Star Fleet site on the net, Star Fleet X Bomber. There are a selection of video tapes of Star Fleet available via the Ebay memorabilia auction site. Well worth a look, but note that many are in NTSC format (used in the US), and not PAL (the UK system). Some video recorders can cope with both PAL and NTSC, but if buying a video from Ebay, check that you'll be able to play it!
Radio Phoenix	'Radio' - A drama produced by former TV company Television South (TVS) back in 1982, this series was essentially a soap opera following the staff of fictitious Brighton-based commercial radio station, Radio Phoenix. Very few people remember the series, but those in the radio industry, myself included, loved the show. I'd be keen to add some more content related to this series. If you have any audio or video tapes or clips, please let us know. You'll find a very low quality MP3 clip of the programme's intro here, and the show's closing jingle here. Many thanks to site visitor Ian Wegg for getting in touch and letting us have a copy of the last episode of the 1982 series on DVD - great to get to see an episode again after so many years. From the show's credits, the last episode was produced by Colin Nutley and Tony McLaren, and directed by Peter Ellis. On the right is a screen capture from the show, showing a 1980's ILR desk in it's prime (click to enlarge). This episode has now been uploaded to YouTube in two parts: Radio Part 1 and Radio Part 2 Thanks also to Hugh for the following: "I remember this featured Perry Benson (who was also in 'Going Out') as this hapless kind of bloke working there. There was a moustachio'd dj who - if i remember this correctly - seemed to go by the nickname 't***r'. Hence at the end of certain episodes and aggrieved Perry Benson would exclaim 'you T***R!'. Bit strong for early Sunday evening!" We've also heard from Neil as follows: "I'm currently looking for information about the program called Radio Phoenix, did you know that this is supposed to be a follow up to a program written by Phil Redmond called 'Going Out' apparently the same charaters appear in both, do you know if the Radio Phoenix show is available anywhere?"
WKRP in Cincinnati	US comedy charting the lives of the staff behind AM rock station WKRP. The series appeared in September 1978, with 90 episodes. The team consisted of morning man Doctor Johnny Fever, Programme controller Andy Travis, station owner Arthur Carlson, receptionist Jennifer Marlowe, journalist Les Nessman (always pictured with a plaster!), 'Venus Flytrap', Herb Tarlek, and the sexy backroom babe, Bailey Quarters. An attempt at reviving the series came in 1991, with the start of the "New WKRP", but this wasn't a patch on the old series. Will the series ever be released on DVD? Apparently the key reason for the fact that this show doesn't get repeated or released on DVD in the UK, is one of copyright - the show played a lot of music, and getting permission to use it, costs. For more on the series, try these links: WKRP Episode Guide Great site for information and FAQs A general WKRP site Serious fans may want to check out WKRP: America's Favourite Radio Station, a book looking behind the scenes. Latest: Series 1-3 on DVD now available at Amazon.com.
Blake's 7	Classic BBC sci-fi series that ran from 1978 to 1981. Blake, Avon, Gan, Vila, Jenna, Cally, Soolin, Dayna, Zen and the chatty perspex Orac fighting against Supreme Commander Servalan of the Federation. Cheap props, dodgy effects and even wobblier plotlines just added to the appeal of this low-budget spectacular. Memories: The Liberator, teleport bracelets, and the fact that every planet looked like a Welsh quarry-pit. Order Blake's 7 Series 1 on DVD , Blake's 7 Series 2 on DVD and Blake's 7 Series 3 on DVD . Blake's 7 update: In April 2008, Sky One announced thjat they were starting up activities to produce a new series - more here For more liberating Blake's 7 chat and news, try Blake's 7 Guide and Hermit's B7 site When is "Blake's Seven" next on? (See our Guides page)
Hot Metal	Anyone remember this one? This was tucked away on the ITV Sunday night slot, and featured Geoffrey Palmer as Editor of the Daily Crucible. The stuffy paper gets acquired by megalomanic Twiggy Rathbone, who puts his own man, Russell Spam (both played by Robert Hardy), in as Editor. Palmer's character, Harry Stringer, gets relegated to an office in the list and fights against the Crucible's downhill spiral into tabloid hell (Royal scandal, local vicar is a werewolf, etc...). One of the paper's reporters, played by John Gordon Sinclair, uncovers a political conspiracy, whilst sleasy journo Greg Kettle, uncovers Nikita Khrushchev in hiding. A couple of years later, a second series appeared - Geoffrey Palmer's character had left, and Dicky Lipton (played by Richard "Meldrew" Wilson). The series was written by Andrew Marshall & David Renwick (Also writers for Not the Nine O'Clock News and Whoops Apocalypse). Hot Metal was a well written little series, that's sadly not been repeated or made it to DVD... yet.
Terrahawks	"Terrahawks... stay on this channel... this is an emergency!" - The introduction to the early 80's sci-fi series from puppetmaster Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, Stingray et al). Very much in the Thunderbirds style, a team of specialists protect the earth from the invading forces of the evil Zelda and her dribbling son. A variety of vehicles are used by the team (including a chameleon Rolls Royce called Hudson). Pictured here is Sergent Major Zero, in command of a 100 strong squad of 'zeroids', that can be deployed to defend earth. Each zeroid has its own personality, such as the unlucky 13, and space sergeant 101. Here are some useful links: Terrahawks.org - Great resource, with stacks of information and some video and audio clips Terrahawks Cyber Pages - including an animation of the end credits noughts-and-crosses DVDs are now becoming available, starting with volume 1 in 2002. Take a look at the range at Amazon.
Max Headroom	Set 20 minutes into the future, Network 23's reporter Edison Carter is almost killed by his own TV network, and has his mind dumped down to a computer - the bits and bytes form "Max Headroom", a sentient computer program based on Edison. Max, Edison, and his sexy office-based controller seek out to expose Network 23's dirty secret - that their new commercials, 'blipverts', have a devastating effect on the minds of some of their viewers. So goes the plot of the 1984 pilot produced by Channel 4. Slightly sanitised and Americanised in 1987, this ran as a series for two seasons, before Max became a video jockey on a TV music station. Excellent series with some ahead-of-its-time ideas, and a worryingly realistic estimate of where TV and society are heading. Some links: Max Headroom on Tech TV Episode listings and some useful trivia Jumptheshark - A collection of comments on Max Headroom As far as we can tell, there are no videos or DVDs currently available of the Max Headroom series, or the original pilot, although occasionally, some items appear on Ebay. If you know of a source for DVDs, let us know.
Other favourites	Charley says - 150 classic TV Public Info Films on DVD Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The most wholly remarkable radio comedy ever to come out of a BBC transmitter Bagpuss - old fat furry cat-puss Benny Hill, The Lost Years - The early years of Benny Hill, now on DVD Just good friends - Penny and Vince in the classic 80s relationship comedy The Trapdoor - Unofficial site supporting the 80's animation series Spitting Image - No sign of a DVD release of this as yet, although a video is still available from Amazon . Anyone got any news on a DVD release? Steptoe and Son - Stylish site dedicated to this classic British comedy

UK TV Nostalgia

UK TV classics:

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