For all the joy of Christmas, then comes the other side. The true meaning of Christmas, every now and again television puts this into focus with serious debates and discussions. Think Question Time with added three day old Turkey sandwiches. Who can think of anything more festive whilst wrapping presents to have two men talking about the merits of keeping Christmas and who do we spy as the festive Scrooge? Its Mr 'Wot a Rotter' himself Bill Grundy talking about axing Christmas, putting the point across that the festive season is no more an excuse to eat, drink and spending too much on presents. But to put the opposite view is Dr John Rae, the headmaster of Westminster School.
Wait, hang on. Have we been reversed here? A teacher encouraging fun at Christmas? Seems so, Lord Thames though this was a good programme to put out on Christmas Eve. Plus with its title 'Abolish Christmas!' meaning that the fun is being sucked out of Christmas some what. Though I do have a theory about Mr Grundy's grumpiness and its not to do with those 'Sex Pistols' either.
No I think it all stems from a little know series travel films produced by British Pathe in 1972. Telly Savalas got to visit Aberdeen, Birmingham and Portsmouth, Pete Murray went to Nottingham. At least James Mason got to look at some public conviences, but not our Bill. He went to Aylesbury and Windsor, maybe he could see what was coming after all and decided to turn himself into a Dickensian character, sweeping away the comforts for news.
So let us remember Bill Grundy for what he was before and not what happened in 1976 and so here are two films where Bill Grundy visits...
For today's door on the advent calender, we go back to 1978. So what's better then first off Bill Oddie larking about in a winter wonderland with the help of some special effects from Southern Television's box of tricks.
Goodie grief...
Quite a few ITV regions in the late 1970's decided to let Southern go down the short bearded presenter route with Bill Oddie for Saturday mornings, to go up against Swap Shop and so the Saturday Banana is born and meaning that Mr Oddie is catapulted into the world of children's television where he looks ill at ease somewhat. Not really wanting to be there trying to hold the programme together and helped by Metal Mickey, before he went off to get his own series. Though thanks to Southern owning formats which they had brought, at least there was Runaround on a smaller scale and plenty of creature features. Alas with most of ITV's attempts to stop Noel on the other side, the Banana didn't last that long, eventually with Tiswas taking over the whole country for ITV as ATV Land spread its wings. So for the third day, we bring you over eleven minutes of titles for the Saturday Banana not seen since its broadcast back in the late 1970's
As we start another advent season, so the advent calender is once again opened up for business hopefully not finding one of those nutty toffees in there. But Christmas television is usually in December, right? Yes, there is the jokes about repeats in July, even the Mike Yarwood 1978 Xmas Special was shown on Election night 1979. Though what about first run specials, surprisingly they don't appear when there's holly on the tree and the tinsel is flowing. Well, our first out of season performer is Brian Conley who had his Christmas special shown on 22nd of July 1995. With a guest list of Gerry Marsden, Mike Pender, Shania Twain, Domino and John 'Four Square' Sachs to boot. The ITV management thought this was something jolly to show at that time, but July? I can think of nothing better then a warm mince pie and hot custard in the middle of a heatwave. Conley as a performer was at his peak and by 1997 Carlton gave him the chance to appear a bit nearer the time on 23rd of December, at least the show could touch the festival period rather then stretching to reach it with a elongated broom. Though the world of sitcom does not escape from this fact either, on the 27th of July 2000 BBC2 broadcast an even more out of place Christmas special, from the minds of Dominic Anciano and Ray Burdis came one of the most surreal Christmas specials ever. As part of the third series of Operation Good Guys, it is decided by D.I. Beach played by David Gillespie that because they have their own fly on the wall documentary, so thus the Good Guys should have their own Christmas Special as well. Leading to meetings with BBC executives Paul Jackson and Will Wyatt, a load of confiscated cocaine, an angry small actor called Kenny who has the tendency to bite people, a confused Michael Fish and a kidnapped Denise Van Outen who has to act like she is enjoying herself. Not to forget D.I. Beach's attempt at racial harmony as well.
"Merry Christmas from the BBC!"
But for all these specials come the likes of One Foot in the Algarve, Only Fools and Horses which their episode Miami Twice went on location and even Duty Free decided to book into the same hotel again in 1986, meaning seeing characters roasting under a blazing hot sun whilst in the real world the temperature would not barely climb high enough to warm a cold wet piece of cod.
At least with the Australian soaps, meaning that Turkey on the beach is a regular thing for those Neighbours down Ramsey Street or with the residents down in Summer Bay for Home and Away. Well as the schedulers like everything to match in with each other nowadays, years ago it was not uncommon to see Christmas on Australian soaps in March or April, owing to the lagging behind by a couple of months from the actual Australian broadcasts.
"Five Harold Bishops..."
So not always does television do its Christmas programmes in December, but yet they are done so they can feel as Christmassy as possible, no matter if the barbecue is cooking up a treat outside. Still at least it would remind us there are only another two hundred odd shopping days to go till the shops shut and that's a good thing isn't it?
