Boggen's Advent Calender (Day 25) - Christmas Meant ITV, but what does television mean nowadays at Christmas?

So the search for finding out who did ITV's Christmas Promotions and Trailers goes on, which have fascinated through a article which was sent to me by a friend outlining the start of ITV promoting itself through a seasonal basis of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Christmas split between the big five companies. Those being Thames, Granada, ATV, London Weekend Television and Yorkshire Television, the first of which came in 1969 when ITV did try to do a united effort but this didn't much have an effect to all intrinsic purposes. Where they failed to beat the BBC in 1969, ITV had seemingly gone through a traumatic year in 1970.

1970 for ITV meant a colour strike and union strife, meaning that where airtime was sold at a lower rather then a higher rate that colour broadcasts brought to the companies themselves. So Thames took it on themselves to come up with something for that year's Christmas to use on all companies but more importantly an ITV branding which was already being used on other programming that the network was showing.

But the original idea seemingly was to come from London Weekend but with Michael Peacock having gone in 1969 meant Muir Sutherland, an executive at Thames led a committee to come up with what ITV were going to use for Christmas 1970. The other companies put in the financial support to do so, this meant that Ron Walsby who had previously been at ABC before Thames came up with the promotions which was delivered via inter-company lines to all the companies throughout the network. But one problem was the Colour Strike still on going at the time, meant the promotions were seen in black and white on viewers' screens. 

To come out of all of this was a scheme where each season was give to one of the big five companies, sharing out responsibility equally among them, but as Winter 1971 followed on so shortly on from Christmas, this meant there was a jump to Spring 1971 seemingly Thames taking on responsibility for the Winter schedule as well, but this was to see what effect the promotions had at Christmas, if they were a good thing to continue in this way. Though in 1968, London Weekend had to be persuaded to spend more money on their on screen promotions when advertisers were paying good money to advertise with them. 

As the 1970's went on, the big five companies shared out duties between themselves but with some many big voices shouting all at once to promote their programmes as well as such big personalities in the management of each of Thames, LWT, ATV, Granada and Yorkshire wanting to push their wares on the ITV network. But as the BBC went into the Christmas of 1977 with one of their strongest festive programme line ups ever, ITV had to respond as the fight for viewers were becoming more competitive as ever. 

This meant ITV had to up their game as they had in 1970 with a campaign which was memorable even if the programmes may not have been like the BBC's. Though the 1977 promotions fell upon Granada for this year, not only with an animated Father Christmas cartoon going around delivering his presents as well as the very catchy 'Robin Song' behind the trailers made for a bright and cheerful set of promotions and trailers. The New Year's trailers are just the generic Granada trailers even using their own slides but with a 'New Year on ITV' ident where the usual Granada ident is placed.

Such with the promotions, that they used the companies own announcers to voice them meaning that voices not usually heard outside their own regions got an airing on ITV over Christmas, Malcolm Brown later of TVS was to be heard on the 1977 and 1980 Christmas promotions both done by Granada. 

1978 saw the promotions done by ATV, with a very cosy style of promotion very much different to 1977's effort. Taking inspiration from a traditional Christmas, by using three animated candles with a gold and red font these promotions hark back to a more traditional time seemingly less commercial but never the less adaptable to each regions own needs. With this being the first year of Morecambe and Wise on ITV since their move there after the previous year's Christmas special for the BBC and also Bruce Forsyth's big money move, the promotional package had to be a strong one with no doubts Thames and LWT wanting it to be as competitive as it could be to show off their assets and the whole network's assets as whole. Compared to 1977, the package offered up for 1978 is as good as any which had gone before it and proved ITV were getting stronger in promoting what they had as well as the BBC could do and they had the stars to prove it as well. 

The commercial network offered Bruce Forsyth on Christmas Eve and the movie premiere Charade as well, with the day before Christmas falling on a Sunday meant that LWT and Michael Grade was in charge, so his and ITV's biggest signing could appear on Christmas Eve itself to somehow recoup some pride from what Bruce Forsyth's Big Night had done for the network as a whole over the the Autumn season. However with the big day falling on a Monday, this gave Thames the upper hand with the main part of the evening turned over to the premiere of 'Diamonds are Forever', The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show of which this was Eric and Ernie's first one since their return to ITV and also a 'This is Your Life' special as well. 

Where as 1970 had been tough year for ITV, 1979 was to be its toughest year to date with the network totally wiped out by a ten week strike. The autumn season only starting in late October when the channel came back on air, leaving it very little time to regain viewers who had come to the network in the previous twelve months, in putting on a big show for ITV's return on the 24th of October. The Christmas promotion seemed slightly staid, with a Christmas card type of scene of a village as its main identity, however the menus and trailers seem very sparse indeed, almost understated in their approach. Seemingly the promotions and trailers done by Yorkshire were to be just that with the channel still finding its feet after such a long time away and viewers still loyal to the BBC.

However for the programmes, they offered as strong a line up as it had been in years, but with a familiar look to it too with 'The Three Musketeers' as the big film, Eric and Ernie on their second Christmas special since moving back and also 'This is Your Life' once again. Tried and tested it was for ITV, but as a recovering network they need to make their Christmas line up and promotion even better.

Come 1980, the honour once again of promoting ITV at Christmas fell to Granada yet again. Compared to Yorkshire's sparse effort of the previous year, the company for the North West of England decided to follow the same pattern as they had done for 1977, animated promotions and a catchy tune to go behind them. By using a wrapping paper and gift tag motif, they made it simple where as the BBC's efforts were getting overblown by this point. Granada known for their understated promotions, made something something which captured the new decade perfectly with its minimalism and also synthesizer backing track, showed that the promotion could be simplistic but effective. 

Much could be said about the schedule as well, 3-2-1, James Bond in 'The Man with the Golden Gun', Morecambe and Wise as well as This is Your Life. The same schedule almost for the third year in a row, by now the predictable nature of the Christmas Day schedule of ITV was starting to see the viewers get used to what was going to be on at a certain time in the evening, as much as they enjoyed the programming, there was a danger of also alienating them by having not much choice at all.

Something had to be done and in 1981, that something was a freshening up of both programmes and also a more exciting look to Christmas on ITV. By taking ideas used previously such as a Christmas scene in a urban setting, using Father Christmas flying his sleigh and also a star in the sky made for another Christmas card scene yet again. Different company, different ideas. But Thames came up with the promotions this time round, offering their take on how a promotion should be used and almost very BBC in style.

Yet with the big day falling on a Friday, this also meant a split in who was going to offer up the programmes themselves. This first part of Christmas Day meant that Thames could offer up Dr No after the Queen's Speech and also This is Your Life but much earlier in the evening than previous years, but the main movie of the day came from Lew Grade of which The Muppet Movie was shown at 5.50pm leading through the time that Thames handed over to LWT at 7pm. Meaning this could have been a deliberate ploy to allow the handover to go on in secret with ATV holding the fort. Though with LWT in charge, this allowed them to show their big hit of the year and away from The Generation Game on BBC 1 which had appeared after the Queen's Speech. Game for a Laugh produced by Alan Boyd, had fought off his previous show and stood proudly on Christmas Day, this was backed up with the third edition of It'll Be Alright on the Night another LWT production meaning that ITV could put out a different schedule than in previous years. But for the first time in a very long time Morecambe and Wise were not on either channel on Christmas Day, with their Christmas Special appearing on the 23rd of December when Thames put it in the slot where London Night Out with Tom O' Connor usually appeared, meaning that went to Christmas Eve at Eight o' clock in the evening.

Overall ITV's Christmas in 1981 had been different, as such revitalized itself once again. Though much thanks to the actual system of ITV then its programmes, with LWT taking the lead on Christmas Day, the commercial channel's schedule seemed a lot strong then it had done for years.

1982 brought the usual Christmas card scene for the promotions, but with the voice-over by Michael Aspel made them seem like effort was taken to get the promotions right and that they should be done properly. The lessons had been learned that ITV could get their Christmas look right, with more companies adopting it for their own in vision continuity spots. Meaning a good look could be universal through the ITV network and what they'd wanted for years, something which bring their identity to the fore. 

Such with Channel 4 having been launched in November, this was more then important with viewers able to pick from four channels and another commercial channel for a start. The ITV brand was getting used a lot more than it had been previously, but still they had no ident of themselves to speak of so they could not have a clear identity on their own promotional trailers.

With Christmas Day falling on a Saturday, meaning that LWT could have the whole day with no Thames programmes having to fit into the schedule. Which meant for the second year in a row, no place for Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise on the big day yet again. They would have to wait till the 27th and Thames to return. Yet, for the BBC's schedule on Christmas Day, the reliance on LWT meant that at the start of the day, the film Journey Back to Oz wasn't much entertainment at all and with Christmas Parade on BBC 1 it seemed like Christmas Day early on for both channels didn't seem to want to get started at all.

The actual schedules on both BBC 1 and ITV didn't started until after the early evening news had finished, however with LWT calling the shots, ITV went headlong into their schedule with a little help from Yorkshire Television and their festive edition of 3-2-1 at 5.35pm but there on in for the main part of the evening was all LWT made programmes. This meant an appearance for the second Christmas in a row of Game for a Laugh followed by Bruce Forsyth in Play Your Cards Right, the movie premiere of Disney's 'The Black Hole' followed and after that, Chas and Dave had their Xmas Knees-up including guests such as Eric Clapton and Jim Davidson. 

ITV had the might of LWT to provide programmes for them on Christmas Day, so finally they had taken on the BBC and gave them a real fright, but as such they still did not have an identity which they could call their own. In 1983, all that changed.

Christmas Day fell on a Sunday meaning LWT called the shots in programmes, yet again for ITV but the promotions went from them to Central, who took the theme of presents and decided to give them an eighties spin, literally. The present and gift tag idea used by Granada in 1980 combined with flying objects such as crackers, ribbons and presents but it did have an odd effect of like staring into a Christmas vortex with so many flying objects, with this being the year of ITV's 3D-TV experiment, it seemed like Central had taken it to the extreme somewhat. Though finally ITV had adopted their look and a first ident for the network used on screen. 

With drawing out the big hitters such as Superman - The Movie, Bullseye, a Royal Carol Concert, Play Your Cards Right and Jimmy Tarbuck reviving a sort of All Star Comedy Carnival/Christmas Night with the Stars calling it his 'Christmas All Stars' including the cream of ITV's and LWT's talent along with satellite links with the stars of Hart to Hart and Andy Williams. The strength in depth made ITV's Christmas strong however, the BBC used their stars in their own shows and played to their strength knocking ITV back somewhat from where they had been in the previous two years. 

As with most things, the computer graphics age was transforming television presentation and this was none more evident in 1984. But with Christmas falling on a Tuesday, ITV could not rely on LWT to help them this year, where as the BBC had been lackluster in the past few years, it was formerly one of there own which would be going up against ITV. Michael Grade had joined as the Controller of BBC 1 in 1984, as such he wanted to put on a show against ITV, Where as the BBC freshened up their line-up it seemed out of place somewhat.

For their literal Christmas Card look with flying train, Granada who provided the look made the effort to make it look modern, but modern doesn't always look right and 1984's look compared to BBC 1's looked sparse and almost bleak, the hard sell was there for the programmes but yet it feels cold and uninviting. Even the programmes apart from the Eric Morecambe tribute at 6pm don't have an effect at all. Making the line-up seem almost humdrum in comparison to what the BBC had on offer. Michael Grade knew how to construct a schedule and it would take a lot for ITV come back and properly challenge BBC 1.

Fast forward to 2014, today and BBC 1 are relying on the same programmes they have done for the past couple of years, Strictly Come Dancing looming large in the schedules along with Dr Who and Call the Midwife, ITV seems not to compete at all largely with just celebrity lead documentaries for most of the afternoon and early evening, with the later part of the evening not entertaining at all. Maybe its time for a change, after so many years the viewing public are getting bored of the same old thing again. So something is needed to happen to wake ITV on Christmas Day out of its comatose state, which it has been in for many years now. 

Where as the BBC cannot rely on the same programmes year after year, it would be surprising that people might go to on demand services and DVD's for their entertainment this year. Television faces the same problem as it did in the mid-1980's with the rise of home computers and VCR's. Innovation is the key for channels nowadays and there is very little of that on Christmas Day. 

So what will I be doing on Christmas Day? Pretty much what everyone else will be doing as usual, but in this multi-channel age I will be flicking around the many channels out there. As I have to say that television has let me down now, without serious thinking it could be looking at a very tough future for itself at Christmas.

Boggen's Advent Calender (11th, 12 and 13th Day) - When Fifteen goes into One: ITV Promotions and Trailers at Christmas - Part One

A couple of days ago, I looked at how promotions were used to promote different channels at Christmas time. But with the BBC it is easy to promote themselves because they are one Corporation as compared what ITV was, a series of individual companies all wanting to do their own thing. 

For so many years, the likes of Rediffusion London, Granada, ABC, TVS, Central etc, they would adapt their own look over the festive period. These efforts were a proportion to the companies they represented i.e. Granada's being homely, Rediffusion's being classy and TVS' being entertaining.

However with ITV wanting to serve a more united look over Christmas, how would the individual companies come together to give a unified look. In response to the BBC's lavish trailers of the 1970's, the independent channel had to come up with a way of doing this as well. The structure within ITV meant there were five major companies at its head after the 1967 franchise round, those being Thames Television, London Weekend, Granada, Yorkshire and ATV. With the more minor franchises supplying programmes for the Christmas schedule, but the big five companies were the ones tasked with coming up with the look for the festive period. 

Every year the responsibility fell one on of the companies to come up with that year's look for Christmas. Taking for example, 1982 with Christmas Eve and Day falling on Friday and Saturday respectively, that LWT took on that year's campaign running from the 20th of December to the 28th. So it was natural that London Weekend would use one of their own personalities to voice over the promotions, with Michael Aspel both a face from Give Us a Clue but also LWT's Six O'Clock show doing the duties. The actual launch trailer was broadcast on the 7th of December after the programme Russian Roulette. 

The trails themselves were played out on the fifth of December after the film 'Fort Ti' and before that evening's showing of The Professions, both of these being teaser trailers. However on the 9th of December, the first proper trailers were played out after an edition of 'Only When I Laugh' and also 'Falcon Crest', the first of these two concentrating on the entertainment to be seen on ITV over Christmas and the second showing the big shows and films the commercial channel had that year. 

In the line-up for that year's entertainment was Mike Yarwood, This is Your Life and The Morecambe and Wise Show from Phillip Jones' Light Entertainment depart at Thames. For game shows 3-2-1 from Yorkshire and Punchlines with Lennie Bennett from LWT, as well as two of LWT's main shows for Christmas night being Game for a Laugh in its second series and also Chas and Dave's Christmas Knees Up which is being re-shown by Channel Five again this year. Among the other highlights, the network premiere of Roger Moore as James Bond in Moonraker, Disney's The Black Hole, fun with Bruce Forsyth in Play Your Cards Right and Secombe at Christmas with Harry Secombe bringing a musical flavour to proceedings. 

An example of the 1982 ITV Christmas promotion

"There maybe trouble ahead..."

"Greetings to you too..."

However it has been an ambition of mine to learn who actually made the ITV Christmas Promotions/Trailers pre the united ITV era, so I will be looking into them more deeper soon.

Boggen's Advent Calender (Day Nine) - A Delve into the Schedules, 30 Years ago..

On the ninth day of the Advent Calender, I give to another look at around Christmas television. This time we skip back to 30th December 1984, which was a Sunday. With the festive season over and the New Year just around the corner, what did BBC 1 and BBC 2 have to offer us to people getting visual heartburn?

Well BBC 1 first brings The Flumps to screen at 9am, for some reason every set of listings I pick has had The Flumps within it, but the main channel gets more serious with a Cliff Morgan documentary about the 1984 International Games for the Disabled which handly points out that no-one runs as fast as Seb Coe or throws as far as Tessa Sanderson, but its only a matter of time according to the Radio Times. Then goodness knows what who ever wrote that would have made of the 2012 Paralympics! "People running, on blades?" As its Sunday, this also includes an edition of See Hear as well, meaning that the disabled can have their own little place out of the way it seems. 

However as its Sunday, religious and Asian programmes go hand in hand as well, good old Auntie BBC being diverse there. But the illusion of this is somewhat spoiled by an edition of Bonanza at 10.30am, so if you were a religious, Asian cowboy at least BBC 1 had you covered for the morning.

David Attenborough pops up with Wildlife on One about Antarctic animals after the news headlines, so on a cold day comes a programme about a cold land. The main channel sure knows how to warm people up, but at 1.50pm BBC 2 starts up with a comedy from Charlie Chaplin about a tramp, a blind girl and a eccentric millionaire. Hmm, so diversity from BBC 2 as well then, next there will be a load of beefy men all clashing into each other. Ah, yes.. Rugby Special, the Northern Division, which when you think about it sounds like a great name for an early 80's synth band. Anyway, the Northern Division take on the Romanians, it sounds like a Nigel Farage promise, but its a rugby match. Nigel Starmer-Smith sits at one end of the rugby club boardroom hoping to get a drink at some point. 

Think that's the end of the physical exertion? BBC 1 at five past two. brings you Stanley Baker and Michael Caine in Zulu. But thanks to Radio Times' listing writers, they can explain the film better then anyone else. "1879. Having inflicted one heavy defeat on the British army the disciplined warriors of Cetewayo march in towards the small army garrison at 

Rorke's Drift. Lt John Chard and Lt Gonville Bromhead desperately rally their meagre forces: 8 officers and 97 men against 4,000 Zulus!" Dramatic or what? But also spoiling the film somewhat as well, so thanks for that! 

But more stunning scenery for BBC 2 at 4pm with the last round of One Man and His Dog, the programme that colour television was mainly invented for, because there's lots of green, lots of it. So what's to follow lots of green? Lots of green of course! This time of the green fingered variety as Geoffrey Smith shows his World of Flowers at 4.45, so there a splash of colour there. What's next for the second channel today? The Wizard of Oz, oh right! A film which is part black and white and the main city in it is the Emerald City. More green again! But however is its a nice tea-time film to sit down to and have cake with. Well there's not much to be jealous about that there?

Let's see what BBC 1 is carrying on with. Holiday, people visting hot, sunny places and John Carter gets to do it on Concorde as well! How about Anne Gregg, where is she this week? Corfu, looking at 'Club' holidays to be precise. Dear oh dear, the booze is flowing everywhere this week but thank goodness Cliff Mitchelmore is in the studio with nothing stronger then water as usual. Good, safe, reliable and there's a third report as well this week. Frank and Nesta Bough have their first report from France, so everywhere you look there's drink this week. Best get the black coffee on then before next week's show, I think.

But to bring everyone down from this booze cruise at ten past five is adapted from the book of the same name is Keith Waterhouse's 'This Office Life' and now I can see what The Wizard of Oz runs for so long, its like BBC 1 is saying "Ignore us for now, come back to us later, OK?" Though with Sunday duty after the news comes Songs of Praise, but on BBC 2 at 7pm is a few people who are praying not to get hurt as Ski Sunday and David Vine brings us the first round in the annual Four Hills Championship from Obersdorf in West Germany. Adding his own brand of magic on commentary is Ron Pickering, who is ideally suited to people jumping off things. Whether he shouted "Away you Go!" as every jumper goes off the end of the ramp is not recorded. 

With all that snow and ice today, there has to be something to warm you up. So like a warm fire comes along Last of the Summer Wine, as Compo, Foggy and Clegg help out Wesley with his racing car, at some point they must go rolling down a hill for our amusement. Just like those chancers, comes Robby Box in Big Deal trying to gamble his savings for the taxman away. Bringing the series to conclusion after ten episodes and with more drama then you can shake a pack of cards at. 

That's a taste of the 30th of December 1984, the full listings for BBC 1 and BBC 2 are below, so you can have a good look at them.

BBC 1 30th December 1984

BBC 2 30th December 1984

Until the tenth, I bid you farewell for now..

Boggen's Advent Calender (Day Eight) - Sticking Out Like a Sore Thumb

Day Eight and it already feels like the big day is rushing towards us like a go-kart with no breaks and string steering. So in all this chaos, how as a television channel do you get across that you've got a raft of special programming coming up soon. Sure its easy enough as everyone's got a electronic programme guide on whatever they are watch the television on and funny enough a television set as well.

Though there were days when a copy of the Radio or TV Times would suffice to know what was coming up over the festive holidays, in loads of talk about people wanting to see what this year's BBC 1 Christmas ident will be even eighteen days away from Xmas Eve when we used to get it, but now its an excuse to get one over each and every channel. Let's go back to the days of less chaos and bad planning to see how Auntie BBC and Uncle ITV used to persuade us to sit down and open a tin of Quality Street and or Cadbury's Roses but never Celebrations as they weren't around then. I've gone all Stuart Maconie here, next you'll had a load of seventies celebrities poking their noses in too with their familiar faces as well.

1987 and a storm has blown over, finally they have prized Nicholas Witchell away from the Broom Cupboard so the normal continuiry announcers can add a bit of tinsel to the BBC 1 Globe. Yes, what better way to cheer everyone up with a lively Christmas ident...

"Marple-lous..."

Ah... yes.. Bits of paper paper flying around, shall I tell them or shall you? So five years after TSW and Channel Four got there with flying idents, the BBC for Christmas does something which is rather uninteresting and doesn't do much. At least Michael Grade had a three piece cracker, but enter John Birt so everything's classy but had the fun sucked out of it. The programmes are good, but surely they could had a Father Christmas walk across the ident or something or re-hired one of those animated bits of holly from 1986? 

Oh well, lets try the other side and Children's ITV to liven this up a bit. Yes, its voice of Channel Four Gary Terzza and Debbie Shore as well. They've got right into the spirit of Christmas with their tree and Debbie's natty Christmas jumper as well. Though always get that plug in for the TV Times there, as you might make another sale for the bumper Xmas edition as usual. 

Throw in the films, a bit of Disney and also anything ITV has found from somewhere and there you have what is enough to keep the Children amused, but how about something for all the family? Going back to this day in 1983 with the voice which launched a thousand clips, Brian Nissen on duty for TVS announcing Shelley with Hywell Bennett but Haskins from The Sweeney as well for full comic effect before some Americana involving Heather Locklear as per usual during the 80's. Any excuse to get her in clothing not becoming of family viewing, though in Hotel. Me neither, however at 50 seconds in comes the reason why I am including this. Its one of the first sightings of ITV's 1983 Christmas Promo package.

ITV's 1983 Christmas Promo

We'll be coming back to the wherefores and whys about ITV's Christmas Promos in a few days time however here's a sneak peek at what's to come from the commercial channel...

Boggen's Advent Calender (Day Seven) - Hooked into Christmas

Music is always the ingredient which adds to Christmas, though never the less you cannot escape it when shopping or on the television as Noddy Holder's bank account gets bigger and bigger much like the ringing of the cash till for Roy Wood. 

So many songs are played to death, they have no meaning what it is to be a Christmas song and yet everyone does one it seems, just because they don't make it onto television and radio, doesn't mean they are not less important at all.  But I have been searching around for some songs which will hardly been heard since they were first put onto turntables.

First of all, its 1981 and after all that went with the Summer of that year came one phenomena. Its name is Hooked on Classics, all the best bits from those famous composers put on one single or album if you're more fancy. Though hold everything, the cash tills are ringing like sleigh bells, so what's the best way to keep the Hooked On.. franchise going? Well, do it at Christmas! Its easy, get those favourite tunes and add in that funky syth-beat, so what have you got? 

Well, actually... A flop...For all its effort, it failed to reach the top 75 chart. so maybe stretching an idea to breaking point isn't a good idea after all then. But just for you, here's it moment in the mid-winter's sun.

"Hooked, line and sunk.."

Second up from the masters of the Can Can is Bad Manners, to get in the festive mood they have reminded is that "Its Christmas Time Again" which sounds more a weary statement than a cheery single. The actual song isn't that bad, but which leaves the question how could this not even challenge for the Christmas Number One. Proving its not an art how to write or make a good song but somehow it must have got swamped by all the rest of the Christmas songs out there. To Buster Bloodvessel, he went and tried something and isn't that better then not trying it at all.

"A-neeny-nani-noo-noo.. A Merry Christmas to you..."

So not every Christmas song is Wizzard or a Fairytale of New York, think of those which haven't been played to death because there's always a surprise or two out there

Boggen's Advent Calender (Day Six) - Going Cold Turkey with Bill Grundy

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...

"Here I am in a pub.."

"Oooh look, its the Queen!"

Boggen's Advent Calender (Day Three): Little Bill's Big Banana - When Oddie took on Edmonds

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

Bananas, everywhere...

The Christmas that Nearly wasn't – The BBC Strike of December 1978 and Christmas Television of that year (2015 Update)

Since December 1977, where the BBC had posted some of the biggest ratings for Christmas Day programmes ever with Mike Yarwood, contrary to belief being most watched programme on that day but with Morecambe and Wise plus Bruce Forsyth and The Generation Game posted remarkable figures for that one evening's viewing. It could be safe to say that when the viewing public arrived at the big day one year later, that the whole entertainment landscape had changed totally.

With three of the BBC's biggest entertainment stars leaving the corporation for pastures new, Bruce Forsyth moving to London Weekend Television to present his 'Big Night', also Morecambe and Wise moved to the other London ITV franchise Thames Television to make shows for them, just like that had moved from Lew Grade's ATV to the BBC in 1968.

That left Mike Yarwood as the jewel in the crown for the Beeb, where as ITV pinned their hopes on Forsyth, Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise hoping to repeat the success they had done at the BBC. Forsyth being a performer for LWT, was given his own Christmas Eve special which was an other edition of his ill-fated Big Night with Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday and Christmas Day on a Monday when Thames was broadcasting, meant that Eric and Ernie along with the première of the James Bond film – Diamonds Are Forever were ITV's main offerings on Christmas Day evening with the BBC offering a festive edition of 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em' and also the Mike Yarwood Christmas Show. But the BBC had scheduled Mike Yarwood's festive offering to finish fifteen minutes before Morecambe and Wise appeared with their Christmas show at 9pm.

However it is strange to think that ITV could have won the day through maybe unseen events of that time, a clear run if you will. Because seemingly not everything in the BBC camp was settled as it had been so smoothly in 1977.

The 1970's were a time of turbulent industrial relations right across the the board with not a week going by that a strike of one kind or another would take place, looking ahead what happened at the BBC in December 1978 would be but a small drop in the ocean as what occurred in the Independent Television network in the August of 1979. Where as ITV lost revenue and viewers through a technician’s strike, the BBC in 1978 could have lost their Christmas Schedule all together.

However you have to look back to earlier in that year for an indication of what was to come not only in December but in the year to come, Alan Sapper of the Association of Cinema Technicians and Television Technicians (ACTT) had written an article in the guide of that year's Edinburgh Television Festival guide which was seen as fanning the flames to the executives of that time, with Border Television going off the air for three days in November 1978.

But at Television Centre and Lime Grove, things were stirring with the ABS union, seen as the 'BBC' union the ABS decided to take on the BBC management to get themselves better pay and conditions for their members, however with the BBC already being pressured through limited revenue streams and also high inflation of this time, they could not afford to battle the ABS, but in principal they had to try and save their Christmas schedule.

The first union action occurred in November 1978, when the BBC wanted Radio 2 broadcast twenty-four hours a day, the action taken caused the schedule to be delay until 1979. But things were to be far from peaceful for the corporation during December, wildcat strikes were prevalent leading eventually to a two day stoppage on the 21^st and 22^nd of December, to make sure some sort of service either on Radio or Television was to happen on these days, a singular radio service was produced known as 'Radio 10' as it was combination of all the BBC's National Radio services, leading to classical music appearing on Radio 1, pop music on Radio 4, current affairs on Radio 2 etc. Against the backdrop of the television service broadcasting a caption explaining why there was no programmes on BBC 1 or BBC 2.

Though there was a price to pay, the BBC in not seeing their prized Christmas Day schedule being wiped out gave into the ABS union by granting a fifteen percent pay rise for its technicians. Unbeknown its was this decision by the BBC management which was to have a knock on effect to their counter-parts at ITV during the next year and for the BBC the unions picked and chose when they wanted to strike causing maximum disruption for some of the corporation's key programming through 1979 with A Song for Europe being blacked out and also that year's Miss World contest leading to Eric Morley moving the coverage to ITV in 1980 citing “That it was an embarrassment to me and the contest itself..”

After the strikes, came the schedules and naturally ITV was confident with their new signings and big movies, thinking that could this be their year after 1977's lean showing and the BBC's dominance. Even ITV's presentation had a classy look about it, making the previous year's effort of the commercial channel look almost cheap but cheerful with 'The Robin Song' being accompanied by an cartoonish Santa Claus having Christmas antics. Though the BBC management, with their many years behind them including Bill Cotton and his team of Light Entertainment Producers and Directors would deliver a schedule just as good as in 1977 or it would seem, at the strike stage the BBC had prepared an alternative schedule to be run by management if the strike had not been resolved by Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday led to strange mixture of usual Sunday programming and also major entertainment programmes on both the BBC and ITV, the likes of Nai Zindagi Naya Jeevan rubbing shoulders with a performance of Sleeping Beauty from Covent Garden on BBC 1, Rugby Special with a mouth watering clash between The South and Edinburgh combined with a special edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test from Wembley Conference Centre introduced by Annie Nightingale and continuing the sporting theme ITV had their usual dose of Sunday afternoon football in the vast majority of the regions with Bruce Forsyth's Christmas Eve, a festive edition of his Big Night.

Both channels decided to put on movies filled with big stars whilst people were either wrapping last minute presents or cooking in preparation for the following day. BBC 1 went all Roman with the epic 'El Cid' at five past eight in the evening, starring like in most of these epics, Charlton Heston backed up by Sophia Loren. ITV on the other hand decided to go for the master of murder, mystery and suspense for their Christmas Eve film showing Alfred Hitchcock's Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn at 9pm. However ITV decided to slice Charade into two with the ITN News sandwiched in the middle of it, a perfect crime perhaps to keep the viewers watching and extending the film so that take viewers away from Andre Previn's Music Night on BBC 1 at Ten past Eleven, with no Eric and Ernie to help him this time. Though both main channels had the traditional church services in and around midnight to welcome in the big day itself.

Because of the strikes, productions were affected as well such as the Top of the Pops Christmas special, with barely no time to record after the technicians started to work again. So effectively the Christmas Special was spilt into two, with a edition more akin to the usual Christmas Day special recorded and shown later in the festive holiday. On the main day itself, Noel Edmonds linked clips from a makeshift set, supposedly the Top of the Pops office.

With other productions taking priority such as the Mike Yarwood Christmas Show, the concentration being on getting these productions in the can ready to be able to be broadcast. Buf if Mike Yarwood was the jewel in the crown, then the early schedule on BBC 1 was hardly a classic beginning with a repeat of the previous night's Carols from Kings, Christmas Day Worship from Knutsford in Cheshire with an edition of The Flumps in between at 9.50am. Hardly rousing of the main channel, but ITV's approach was to make sure they caught the younger viewers attention whilst they were opening their presents. Over two hours, they showed The Christmas Story, The Wotsit from Whizz-Bang, a festive edition of Clapperboard and the usual visit to a Children's Home topped off with Christmas Morning Service from St George's Chapel in Windsor. Meanwhile BBC 2 opened up with an edition of Play School presented by Sarah Long and Don Spencer at five past eleven in the morning.

By lunchtime, BBC 1 had shown The Spinners from a Dickensian Street at York Museum and the late sixties Elvis Presley film Clambake based around the beaches and sunshine of America, whilst ITV went for warm sunshine as well in the form of the sequel to Born Free, Living Free starring Nigel Davenport and Susan Hampshire. Seemingly both movies were enough to keep the viewers attention through the frenzy of present opening, pleasingly they were entertaining enough to the day around to Christmas lunchtime when the schedules went up another gear, the day's viewing had been pedestrian up to that point but hear on in the BBC and ITV went their own ways with their choices of what their day's viewing should be.

At ten past one, ITV had an edition of Crossroads though it fell on Christmas Day, it was to be just part of an ordinary weekday schedule. Compared to modern standards, which have three or possible four soaps on Christmas Day concentrating on the darker aspects of story-lines, this edition was seemingly straightforward and harmless but with BBC with no soaps and going for a more entertainment based schedule decided to show Holiday on Ice, as popular as Billy Smart's Circus was at that time, this special show of glacial dexterity was the perfect start to the afternoon's schedule with radio presenter Brian Matthew on duty linking the programme together, it is important to remember that in 1978 through John Curry's success at the 1976 Winter Olympics that Britain had taken to its culture the sport and performance of ice dance, so seeing a lavish production wasn't surprising at all. BBC 2 on the other hand, went for an even more cultural approach with Sounds of Christmas from the Royal Albert Hall followed by a production of The Snow Queen. Their remit to do this was ideal to offer an alternative to BBC 1 and the ITV regions, even their main film of the day Derzu Uzala at 4.20pm was a Russian Film with English Subtitles.

For all this meanwhile in the Yorkshire Television region, they were on strike as well. Leading to the strange situation of none of the their productions being seen in their own region, but on the rest of the network with 3-2-1 being broadcast to the other companies. With the possibility of with the BBC strike not being resolved by Christmas of no television during the Christmas period in the Yorkshire area. But this was the least of ITV's troubles, with a printers strike ongoing, this meant not a full run of editions of the Christmas TV Times could not put out. So editions appeared sporadically in newsagents all over the country for their own regions, however an emergency edition was published and where a specific regional edition could be printed, that these emergency editions filled in for the usual editions over the Christmas period. With BBC and ITV seemingly settled in front of the camera, the behind the scenes activities were almost hidden secretly away.

Morecambe and Wise's move to Thames wasn't as straightforward as everyone thought, their main scriptwriter Eddie Braben was still contracted to the BBC until 1980 which mean when the duo moved to ITV that both Barry Cryer and John Junkin were charged with writing their first show for Christmas, competent writers both the actual Christmas special didn't feel that it was good as the last BBC show. But when put in a impossible position with the Christmas show of 1977, through the quality of the material and also the high ratings, anything less than Eric and Ernie had down before at the corporation would have been seen as a step down from where they had been.

Where as Mike Yarwood was the big star of the day with a festive edition of 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em' earlier in the schedule, Michael Crawford could be said with his broad comedy had appealed the most to the audience, matched with Michael Parkinson and his guests doing seasonal bit of business as characters from pantomimes it could have said that the BBC were pleased, but they couldn't even put as big a movie première as ITV had done with Diamonds Are Forever. BBC1 came up with a TV movie of True Grit : A Further Adventure as their main film of the day, it seemed like the corporation had to put a movie of any kind to match ITV, but knowing they could not beat the opposition, they used a movie which would appeal to their audience but to fill a slot.

However in the spread of Christmas, movies were put on to appeal almost weekday evenings with The Wizard of Oz making another appearance as well on the 27^th of December as well Carry On Girls later on that day. Though Boxing Day, if Christmas Day had been targeted, then that day on the 26^th was to be purely entertaining. The BBC's mixture of intelligent entertainment and also mass appeal, the usual Grandstand appearance, Disney Time, Its A Christmas Knockout and Jim'll Fix It were enough to keep the viewers in the afternoon and the early evening and later The final of Mastermind 1978 plus The French Connection with Gene Hackman showed the BBC were in for the long run over Christmas.

Meanwhile ITV decided to hit as hard as they could by engaging their viewers with programmes and films they wanted to see, Holiday on the Buses, Christmas Star Games and Sale of the Century were perfect ITV viewing with the ever popular Charlie's Angels and Benny Hill as well topped off with The Day of the Jackal providing the template for many ITV Boxing Days to come.

Looking back over this Christmas itself, the whole look for Christmas was to change for the next thirty five years, however taking out the soaps from the schedules it is interesting but not surprising that the 2013 rating battle was won by a broad comedy in the form of Mrs Brown's Boys where as in 1978 Frank Spencer was one of the winners of that Christmas and that the schedule have been straightforward in the past couple of years, ever day has had movies and entertainment instead of just giving up after Boxing Day, it might seem that the schedule wasn't the strongest but the spirit of Christmas past is still there. If it wasn't important to both channels in the past few years, the remarkable thing is that there is competition again. Where as ITV would have given up, the fight is back there and the BBC has thought they need to up their game.

It'll be interesting to see what Christmas 2014 will bring to all channels, but one thing is certain there will be a winner come Boxing Day, the Christmas Day crown is there for the taking.

(Update)

One year on from this post, it is even more interesting with thinking that ITV had signed up so much talent in 1978 from the BBC directly that still the Corporation seemingly had a stranglehold over the festive schedule. But however with the all out assault put up by the commercial channel throughout this year, which had seen the BBC and ITV go into battle over rights to the Football League, meant that the Beeb had to strike back hard. 

Though seemingly its line-up especially on the early part of Christmas Day is almost like visual wallpaper with The Spinners at Christmas and Clambake, but The Spinners feels more like a Christmas Eve programme however with Christmas Eve being on a Sunday it follows a Sunday pattern with Songs of Praise and All Creatures Great and Small appearing in the schedule. In later years, Val Doonican's programme would appear on the eve of Christmas. So The Spinners would have been perfect viewing for that night, so slipping it on Christmas morning seems like a climbdown.

An Elvis film is a welcome edition to the big day's schedule, however one about about Powerboat racing in Florida is not very festive at all. Though this is a mild diversion for unwrapping presents or preparing the Christmas lunch, but part of having Christmas television is something which can be watched or on in the background. The major shows which are shown at time when the vast majority of people are sitting down to lunch or at teatime, however scheduling can have somewhat of a positive effect but also negative as well. 

However when Christmas is reflected now with their big shows, the feeling is now that some of the traditions have become a bit tired. With Top of the Pops limping along and with music which would have been recognisable to the vast majority even ten years ago, now the programme doesn't bear any relation to what it was even with Reggie Yates and Fearne Cotton, who are still hosting this year's edition. But with the repeats of past editions of the programme on BBC Four, even with their age they feel more fresh than what the current yearly shindig is.

This might be problem with the Christmas schedule especially on BBC One as we've had it for the past number of years, that it has not evolved at all. Like clockwork the programme which are on Christmas day can almost be timed by clockwork. Dr Who, Strictly and Call The Midwife with Eastenders having some sort of murder or disaster with in it, afraid is the word for schedulers now. Their fear in trying something new by being pillared by the press and on social media have brought a paranoid state in their minds with not trying anything different. If they do, then it is shoved to the other side of the late evening news. But how many specials can people take with 'national treasures'? 

It is yet to be seen if this is finally the Christmas where everything changes or will we be in the same position with the same programmes next year wondering where it all went wrong.