In the past couple of weeks I have decided to spread my wings somewhat by trying to write for the local Portsmouth News, by doing a piece for their Saturday TV Nostalgia column. It may not be an in-depth piece, that it is not the style of the column at all, but its a start a I suppose... Here it is..
In today's world of multiple sports channels, its hard to forget there was a time when two shows dominated Saturday afternoons, the BBC had Grandstand whilst ITV's version was World of Sport. Though the two could not have been more different at all, if Grandstand was like a luxury sofa, then World of Sport was like a beanbag.
It was presented by Dickie Davies for all of its life, a man who looked like a cross between a badger and a used car salesman whilst all the time helming a mixed bag of sports from the sublime to the ridiculous titled including the World Clown Diving Championship. Which was basically men in fuzzy rainbow coloured wigs diving into a paddling pool for entertainment.
On Christmas Eve 1977, Eric Morecambe brought his brand of comedy to help Dickie Davies present the programme. Even leading to Morecambe commenting on Davies' trademark moustache whilst Dickie was introducing the next with the line "The last time I saw anything like that they kill a whole herd of buffalo to make it!" With Davies trying to keep a straight face throughout this chaos happening around him!
In the end with ITV wanting to head in a new direction with its sports coverage, World of Sport was axed in 1985. But for a programme which was going to be called 'Wide World of Sports' originally, it did pretty good by covering events more close to home.
And welcome back after Christmas to the New Year, which in televisual terms means the start of new ITV franchises, well in 1982 and 1993 anyway. These are always seen as a way for ITV to regenerate and reinvigorate itself.
Such with these affairs, which saw Central bid £2000 for their franchise in 1991, Carlton bid £43 million to win the London Weekday franchise and Thames bidding £32 million, passing the quality threshold and losing. Though TVS' bid £57.96 million and lost to Meridian's £36.5 million one. As proved this at that time could be a crap shoot, crap as in the game craps and no reference to Carlton's programming at all.
Though this could be said to significant in the history of ITV, especially combined with political machinations as well. But the 1980 franchise round, I think is the more significant. We know the winners, but how much do we actually know about the other competitors? Their place in history may be recorded to the ages, though what exactly more could they have offered in place of the winners. Some like TVS we know through their history and record as well, but who else could have offered programming and what exactly would their structure be?
First of all, the Midlands. So ATV won the the new dual region albeit changed into Central to make sure their was a look to the new company to have seen to have changed both physically on-screen and at boardroom level to make the IBA give them the franchise, they knew that the East Midlands had to be served after being almost put aside in years previous with programmes coming from Broad Street and Elstree for the vast majority of it entertainment output.
Plans were in place for studios to be built in Nottingham to satisfy the need for a studio complex in the East Midlands and take off the pressure on Elstree, such with this there was a long campaign to keep programming being produced at Elstree. Though with the ammount of programming reduced to a minimum of being produced there and the phasing in of the Lenton Lane Studios after being made to broadcast from Giltbrook.
"Welcome to Central..."
The two main oppositions to Central were two newly formed companies, one was Mercia Television and the other Midlands Television Limited. Mercia itself had John Fairley as its Head of News, Current Affairs and Documentries plus John Wilford as Head of Local Programmes. Both had come from Yorkshire Television to fill these positions, with Fairley later on becoming the Chief Executive of Yorkshire Television. Their aim was to take a separate East Midlands franchise, but when this did not happen they went for the dual region. With the talents of Brian Walden, Beryl Reid and Jasper Carrott on board, it seems like their angle was trying make top quality entertainment and also topline Current Affairs programming as well. Walden, the presenter of Weekend World had the experience in both broadcasting and politics to be able to make this a possibility, at that time his star was rising in such a way that his position was vital to be able to break the ground politically. This would have been vital for any franchise to get kudos for its Current Affairs output, plus with any potential politicians as well coming upto the 1983 General Election as well meaning that any coverage could be favourable but also seen to impartial as well.
With Reid and Carrott, bringing entertainment would be the brief but serving it from both angles. Reid's more traditional line of entertainment would be good to allow variety to at least flourish within its boundaries, with more and more alternative comedy becoming the norm on screens, the variety angle with a hint of Midlands flavour would have been ideal for the company at that time, allowing for them to spread out as ATV had done into lavish productions. Rivalling what the BBC had to offer and making sure ITV would have had the edge into supporting what Thames, LWT, Yorkshire etc were making at this time. This was vital to ITV who had made sure in the early 80's that their big name signings, new talents and new programming that they worked.
Squished in good with Paul Squires and Friends...
As far as the IBA concerned it seems the costings were not right and Mercia had not seemed to have understandable, the need for studio facilities plus also union relations making the point that two of their leading light had come from Yorkshire, where union issues had been a problem throughout the 1970's
Midlands Television seemingly had try to woo the IBA with clichés about ATV's record as a broadcasting stating they would be daring in the pursuit of excellence whilst displaying Reithian values as a broadcaster, which may have been good for some but for other this seemed a bit stiff in it style. Everyone wanted quality from a franchise holder, but this was seemingly beyond the call of duty almost like a white knight in the ITV system. Though in launching a partnership with several leading independent producers, they had an eye on the 1980's ahead and almost foreseeing Channel Four's ambitions in that way.
The main force behind the franchise was Stuart Wilson, who had been a leading light in putting together the consortium for Yorkshire Television. Himself having become the Joint Managing Director of Yorkshire and also Assistant Managing Director of holding company Trident Television before leaving in 1977. His experience was vital to be able to have the know-how of how to run an ITV franchise, in backing him up he had Sir Robert Booth who's experience had been as Director of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and also Chairman of the National Exhibition Centre between 1965 and 1978 as well. The board boast the like of the writer Lord Willis, the Duke of Rutland and also Joe Gormley, at that time the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.
But this was not to do for Midlands Television, at press conference Lord Willis who had worked for ATV over a period of 15 years said "I would be ashamed to associate myself with a company who produced Crossroads.." But then he put ahead is plans for a new series called Auto, which would reflect the Midlands car industry and the people who worked within it.
Although the IBA would have it reservations about Crossroads and its quality, it realised that it was a winner with the viewers and having immediate change did really seem really not alienate the viewers really. Though it seems the fact that Midlands was almost preaching to the IBA that their way of doing it was wrong proved to be their biggest downfall in not getting the franchise. As we will learn in the the round for the South and South-East next, its never no good to annoy the IBA at all...
Next time, we head South with a man used to Star Maidens and a scarecrow being handed the keys to the Dream Factory...
Hello again and we are at the three French Hens stage of the countdown, though who let Bridget Bardot, Audrey Tautou and Charlotte Gainsbourg in here is anyone's guess.. There comes a time of year when people like to let their hair down or in Bobby Charlton's case, his two strands... But imagine you are working making programmes all year round for people to watch, as we know though Light Entertainment is a hard business especially to get it right. So for all the staff, they need to let off some steam at the end of the year and have some fun, same goes for the performers as well.
This is where the Christmas Tape or Film, as they were originally called came into its own. As the first earliest examples are of impromptu sketches being filmed at the staff's Christmas party, usually involving a hat or a wig with some shtick of some sort. But later on more and more complicated sequences were filmed involving the stars of the time performing for the staff and even joining in with the fun. Usually the bloopers in later years were taken for out-take shows, generally the more racier stuff was kept in to appeal to the staff and every year a competition was held privately to find out who could put together the best one.
Though when journalists found a skit involving Princess Anne being interviewed by David Coleman had been edited down to make Anne say things out of context to the interview, the tapes were clamped down on more and more as practises in the broadcasting industries were changed. But contrary to belief, these tapes have not gone away, the stars maybe weary about taking part but the staff at television companies and regions still do make them for their own amusement....
Let's a look at what the boys and girls in VT got upto...
1. "Give me a shot of Enge please!"
The legendary Stewart "CUE THE ROLLER!" Morris here directing a piece for the BBC 1979 Christmas tape 'Good King Memorex' partly persuading Engelbert Humperdinck to film a piece with the girl dancers from his show for VT, but also Stewart plays along with the nature of the tape making jokes as he goes. This shows Morris at his best, in control but getting the best out the performers he worked with but also having a laugh as well. Stewart Morris could that so well, knowing that his rapore with the staff he worked with was intact to be able to produce great shots when needed, but loving the cheekyness of the whole thing as well...
2. "I don't believe it! Figgis, why have you got a party hat on?"
Richard Wilson here in full 'Only When I Laugh' mode with James Bolam as well offering good advice on the do's and dont's of Christmas lunch from a 1983 LWT Christmas Tape. Wilson known for appearing 'Only When I Laugh' at that time, acts the same way that his character does to make it sound very genuine. Its his words which make this clip, appealing to the saucy nature of production crew, the laughter from the crew says it all "We get where you are coming from..." or depending on the nature of where the wind is blowing... But seeing this doesn't make Richard Wilson of being other then being a great performer, in fact it adds to it that he can play on the naughty side and still seem believable as his character.... Even with James Bolam not even saying anything, it makes the clip funnier that they just stuck a party hat on him to get into the spirit of things...
3. "Boll-locks!"
The best of the BBC here featuring the late Sir Jimmy Savile, Angela Rippon, Richard Baker and sweary Dalek as they enjoy themselves and show their boobs or should that their goof-ups? When newsreaders are singing and dancing ten-a-penny nowadays, Richard Baker just has to put on a wig to make people laugh. Plus during a break from one of his many shows, Les Dawson treats us to a little tune on the piano but the star has to be Noel Edmonds who has a very little time to tell us what's on Swap Shop that Saturday but in such little time he makes so make goofs much to the amusement of Maggie Philbin and John Craven who are supposed to be dozing either side of him. With one familiar refrain of "Merry Christmas VT!" they know that the mistake which has just occurred will be put on tape ready for the Christmas tape that year.
4. "He's a sports PA and he went onto work for the FA..."
Finally, a musical number about working in the BBC Sports department including Suzie Quatro and her band plus a man who went onto oversee England at the World Cup, one Brian 'You work for the BBC, out you go!' Barwick. Ms Quatro plays a little ditty, installing the virtues of working in the BBC Sports department in the late 70's. Taking on everybody and everyone by the presenters and commentators seemingly not trusting the sports PA's it seems, but also footage from many far flung places such as Munich and also a cold soggy first division football ground as well. Its little wonder why the BBC didn't have any left after this or either that everything was settled with a few pints in the BBC bar... Lager 1 Malt Whiskey.. Two dozen...
So that's another aspect of Christmas wrapped up in protective foil for another time, come back on Wednesday when I'll have part four...
We think that only since 17th January 1983 television has been getting up early each morning to bring a serving of breakfast to the bleary-eyed viewing public or it does seem that this is the date which is remembered by the average viewer. Throughout its 75 years television has been early to rise and late to bed, it only takes a special occasion for it rise from its slumber.
Contry to this the tea and toast is pulled out on several occasions before Frank Bough welcomed the world to Breakfast Time, well he should know... He was on of the faces on the early shift years before the leather sofas were introduced to BBC1. During 1968 owing to the time difference between the UK and Mexico where the Olympics were being held that autumn, the BBC had to mount a breakfast service to cover the events as they happened from Mexico City and also again for the 1984 and 1988 Olympics as well.
" *whispers* And what you don't realise Debbie, he's going to go onto Wogan in a turquoise shellsuit.."
For the time difference between the Americas and this country meant also that the lunar landings in 1969 took place in the middle of the night allowing BBC and ITV to extend their hours, before 1972 permission was needed especially for ITV to be able to broadcast outside their hours which were limited at that time. There was racing and other events which meant the rules could be relaxed for special events then need for them to be covered was some what important.
Of the two royal weddings in 1973 and 1981, both channels opened for business early on both days with in 1973 when at that time because of the three-day week hours were held even tighter then usual thought BBC started at 7.30am and ITV an hour later. When it came to the big day in 1981 BBC started with two cartoons at 7am and ITV at
7.30am began their build-up, even BBC2 joined in at 9.45am with coverage with subtitles for the deaf which showed the versatility of the second channel. These programmes were long affairs, not like the marriages themselves! They would start off at breakfast time and go off the air at the start of the afternoon, meaning that hours and hours of coverage could be shown and with only three channels if you didn't like the pomp and circumstance you had little escape from the day on television.
This all happened before a time when the radio ruled in the morning with Radios One and Two in its infancy, it no doubt that television at this time was something new and different. Though whether that matter to the mothers and fathers going about their business of a morning is a different matter, maybe for the younger viewer this had an effect on.
General elections are another exception to the rule, with coverage starting the night before usually at 10pm when the polls closed. For most of the elections upto the 1980's the pattern would be a closedown about 4am ready to come on again at 7am the next day and for the host, on the BBC, a Dimbleby to catch some sleep with also Cliff Mitchelmore and Alistair Burnet as filling the chair for auntie. By the time of breakfast television which took on the early programmes role for general elections, this was seen the last bastion of television making special apperances before when it usually started up, but the late closedown was still there and one day in 1985 made sure that it was a very late night closedown.
"Yummy! I love a Walls Ice Cream brick!"
With Live Aid which had started at 12pm London time on the 13th July, the concert in the UK was done by 10pm but with also it taking place in America, the time difference for it to be shown on American network television and over here meant that BBC1 had to go into the early hours, but when the importance of such an occasion was realised by Michael Grade, he gave his blessing for this to happen and give over time to the American concert when realising the quality of the acts at the Philadelphia concert. By not wanting to annoy any of the music fans who had tuned in from the start, it was a wise move and thus BBC1 closed down at 4am on Sunday morning. Really with it being a Sunday in the middle of summer, it didn't really matter if BBC1 opened up at about 10am on the Sunday, before the days of 24-hour television it didn't really matter as much as the same with most of the other early starts and late close downs.
"And their line-up for this big game includes a few changes here with Dwight and Kemp coming into the midfield..."
Television eventually closed down later and later with much more things being put into the small hours, with ITV eventually covering the big boxing clashes to fill this time in terms of airtime and the same went eventually for sports which were covered such as the 1987 Rugby World Cup, various Grand Prix and other events. Now it seems no one cares when television should stop and with things like The Sign Zone which are a good thing in themselves, there is a point to that. But when BBC News is simulcasted in the early hours, when news doesn't generally happen. Through the death of Princess Diana, it seems television has felt embarassed by that ever since that they had to cut into a closedown and don't want to be caught with their night clothes on again, but surely there has to be a natural stopping point again for television. With special occasions allowed for events to be covered by broadcasters, but even television must been seen to get tired without a rest since 1989.
Maybe its time we told it go to bed and get some sleep and we'll come back when its good and ready, dead air is not a crime as long as there's something in it and television will feel refreshed for it....
Over 500 channels and in the beginning it was a dummy's head in 20 line vision, we've come a long way with television in 75 years from 4:3 to 16:9 and HD. But what's the part that anyone matters, its whether their show will be on at the same time every week, nay every day in some cases. The schedules have been a key pat of the growth of television if that be cooking with Fanny Craddock, A boxing match from the Empire Baths, Wembley or Jools Holland and Paula Yates giving a kick up the anals of television with The Tube. Looking through the television pages say for a Thursday, taking today (13/10/2011) as an example, ask anyone what's on BBC1 at 7.30pm tonight and they'll say Eastenders, that's no matter if they like the programme or not. Its like an in-built sat-nav really that we can tell without looking at television listings when our favourite programmes are on generally.
"Give it the works... *click*"
Scheduling follows a pattern in which the viewer has the familiarity of knowing, as Michael Grade once put it "The smell of a Sunday Night hit..." Sunday's are the night of the costume drama and the detective, the way of putting the feet up and immersing in a book only in pictures and being acted out in front of you. Something like The Onedin Line or Poldark is like a world of fiction spread out, as such for the ladies a strapping but rough hero who battles the rights and wrongs of his world as his mistresses go about supporting him but with enough pep to hold their own in this world. Even something as Bergerac or Shoestring can be seen in the same vain, action and also nice scenery to look at, the men make the programmes as such to be recognisable through the winter months, such was John Nettles' effect that he was able to spread himself from the programme guaranteeing work in panto, personal appearances and also guest star spots with the likes of Les Dawson on his show. The roaring fire and the warmth plus the knot in the stomach of every youngster of that they have to go to school in the morning, this sets the scene perfectly for the post cake and sandwich tea.
A schedule is like a variety bill and of course most the early protagonists for Independent Television coming from that variety background its little surprise they do read like a variety bill in that sense. The acts underneath such as comedians and speciality acts keeping the audience amused ready for the big star to come on and do their thing at the top of the bill. For instance with Saturday nights, entertainers or comedians have always warmed the audience ready for the big show. But in the past few weeks, the new BBC One controller has changed this by putting an edition of Celebrity Masterchef early on a Saturday night where normally Total Wipeout would be to bring in the punters for Strictly Come Dancing, seemingly it has changed the landscape of what a Saturday schedule should be. But that's nothing new, even back in 1970's Lew Grade thought ITV could better be served by putting entertainment in the World of Sport slot cutting down on its hours that they were broadcasting live sport each and every Saturday. That didn't happen totally until 1985 when the programme was seemingly out of date and eventually along with Wrestling, Darts and other sports that programmes like Mind Your Language, Please Sir! and also The Cuckoo Waltz were repeated saying that they were comedy classics. To the young viewer, this was pleasing to see something I had never seen before such as the same would be said also of Windmill on BBC2 at Sunday lunchtimes.
Stand aside The Bionic Woman... It's the Pneumatic Woman!
People plead for structure in their viewing still, know that something will at the same time each day. BBC1 always starts The One Show after a trip around the regions, how much to some people it might be as mind-numbing but it bring a viewer into the evening. They might not stay with a channel for a whole night now, we are offered the choice of viewing so during in a evening I could watch The Sweeney on ITV4, Inspector Morse on ITV3, Mighty Ships on Quest and Catchphrase on Challenge. We are given free reign on being the scheduler nowadays, but when it comes down to it, we just want to know that a programme will on the same time every week or that a certain type of programme will be on at a time.
Choice? The more we want, the more we are confused... Be thankful to scheduler, at least they've made a decision for you or if that's not your bag. Look out, go for a walk, read a book or perhaps we should go back to the potter's wheel... Then at least we know what the programme would be about then...
With Jeremy Hunt saying about local television this week, that spaces on the Freeview multiplex will be give to microcosmic local television channels, similar to the old RSL licences. There is a case in point to look back at another experience I had...
In my time I had auditioned for the now defunct TV12 on the Isle of Wight, to not much success to be said. Now I had been working for the local hospital radio for a couple of years when an opportunity came about to appear in a local training video as one of many disabled people who had found opportunities through volunteering. To me this seemed a bit almost wet, but it was appearing in front of the camera so I took it.
This lead me into Portsmouth Television, the seemingly hotbed of local television... To tell you the truth, it was a news room and another room with a chromakey screen. But I had to look around ], so at the end of my recording I said is it OK to take peep at where the action is? They said yes, apart from the average presenters who have gone to other media organisations or just out of the industry...
But there was one person who looked set for the top even then, in the corner there was a women with long eyelashes concentrating hard who didn't even acknowledge when I said hello to all the people in the newsroom.
"Moody so and so..." I thought... But after getting some autographs of the presenters including Sarah Dinenage, Fred's daughter. It was time to go home, I kept watching the service to see if it would improve but this young lady kept appearing nightly reading the news...
I never thought much would come of her...
Then one day I switched ITV on and there she was...
Eyelashes not included...
Oh, I thought as I put my head in my hands... It was ITV News' Andrea Benfield...
Star spotting, not a great talent of mine... But it has come about that 65 licences are to be given out and it seems like the local news on this 'Channel Six' will be sponsored... But eventually as has been proven by other RSL's, that they will need to break even pretty soon after launch otherwise advertising revenue will not be big enough to maintain the service even with huge financial backing. In Manchester even with the full backing of Guardian Group, that Channel 'M' closed down eventually, but now is putting a bid in for the same region...
Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks, but getting them to remember it can be a pain...
Over time, I've been noticing that adverts and the actual programmes have been merging into one. I don't mind product placement as that's been going on in America for years now, plus also teleshopping because that was a key part of ITV making money at the start.
But slowly there has been a fog of confusion creeping in, such as the Philadelphia commercial with chef Ed Baines and a member of the public. Handily they put 'Advertisement' in small writing so you can just about see it. But switch over quickly from a channel and that's on, you don't know if its a programme or not! With so many channels including Food Network on Freeview now, you'd have a job trying to remember your place on there.
"Are you sure you're not from the Blue Man Group?"
Adverts were a chance to get up and make a cup of tea once, but now they serve as another thing to keep us in our seats and have a moan at the telly. So they've caught us lock, stock and barrel. But they do push their luck a bit now, for example the Gillette Pro Duraglide Challenge Man...
.
Too horrific to even show...
This man stalks changing rooms through out the land looking for innocent young men to thrust his shiny new thing on them with his call "Whoo buddy!" Never in my life have I ever said 'Whoo'
I've said Nrrrggghh and Grrrrr, mostly at this ad... Plus all the men in the advert are happy to see him! The first words usually used in that situation are "Where the f**k did you come from? If you don't move away I'm calling the police!" Are we meant to feel kinship with this man?
Advertisers try to make us feel like these people are our mates, but it wasn't that long ago when some like Robert Dougal would be selling us Reader's Digest or Rodney Bewes would greet us with the cheery refrain "Hello Faggot lovers.." It seems like we have come to situation that we cannot even believe the celebrities we see nowadays because they might be telling us half truths. In gameshows we need Celebrities to entertain us and members of the public during the ad breaks to sell us stuff that we don't need...
Doctor News and the Daleks?
But as Rice Krispies says nowdays in its little song... "Snap, Crackle, Pop... Its a crazy, crazy world we live in..."
Maybe that's what we can only believe in, cartoons and also a monkey flogging tea... Oh how times have changed...
As you can guess by now if you've been reading the blog from day one, I do like my television. Nothing wrong with that at all, I'm sure you like sitting down in front of it after a hard day. But the workings have always fascinated me, so much so I wrote to the BBC asking if I could be in the testcard even going as far as sending a photo of myself. But when reciving a bog standard letter basically saying 'No, you can't' and sending me some stickers for various shows such as Saturday Superstore etc. Which I duly put at the end of my bed so I could see the double striped BBC1 logo when I went to be bed and woke up every morning.
"Well, its hardly C3-PO isn't it?"
Though this didn't put me off at all, as when bored during the 1989 Summer Holidays thinking what could I do with myself, I thought I would write off to TVS, the local ITV company just cheekly asking if I could have a look around their studios. This was July and I didn't think much about it at all, almost giving up on it as a busted flush. But one day in early August this was going to change, I got a enveloped stamped with the TVS logo on it. Thinking it was going to be another knock back, I braced myself for disappointment. Then I opened it, it was from their press officer Mr Simon Theobolds, later I learned that he had co-written the Southern drama Spearhead as well. I had a look and it said yes...
What, I couldn't believe my eyes at all! They said yes, this never happens to me at all. OK I might have used the disability angle with as well, but I didn't expect even that was going to sway them. So after some more communication with Mr Theobalds it was arranged that me, my father and my brother would be allowed to go Northam and take a look around.
The Dream Factory...
So on the 1st September 1989, it came to the day of the visit and we all arrived after lunch at the studios wondering what we were about to see, we met Mr Theobalds in the reception and after the niceties of saying who were and all that, he led us Willy Wonka like around the studios. Viewing the props department and make-up, through the galleries we came to a studio. Now we were told they were going to record a piece for a programme and we were allowed to look in on it. Wondering what is it was going to be, then a young man who I found out later to be Graham Rogers, then a young lady came into the studio... I recognised her! It was Michaela Strachan! I knew her off TV-AM and also knew she did The Hitman and Her with Pete Waterman. But what was she doing here?
Really wild...
It turned out she was recording an interview for 'Late Night Late' TVS' own late night programming strand, at that time she was branching out into a musical career and had just released a single. Well, working with Mr Waterman, it seemed obivious... But this wasn't the highlight, but during the interview we were meant to keep quick... I dropped something which made a clang, the looks were like daggers at me! I know now it was wrong, but the one person who didn't seem to care I had done that was Michaela herself... She giggled actually and if it wasn't for that I think we would have got turfed out there and then...
Documentary evidence m'lord...
So the tour went on, we went around the other studios which weren't recording but in the main studio where they made the entertainment programmes, we met a man with white-ish grey hair and glasses. He said his name was Alan, I thought he must make some of the programmes, he asked us what we liked on TVS. I just said eveything and he said 'Good boy' in a Scottish accent. I thought what a strange man...
The tour ended and they gave me some stuff like pens, a Motormouth T-shirt and something special...
Here is the news...
A news script from that afternoon's news bulletin, fresh from the newsreader's hands...
I treasure that now as a memory of that day and that white haired Scottish man?
It was only Alan Boyd, Generation Game and Game For A Laugh producer and then Head of Programmes at TVS...
Strange who you meet whilst going out for a daytrip....
