Centenary day on the blog, with a Magic Rays extract, recounting JLB's 26 Jan '26 public presentation of 'true television', plus links to Don McLean's article at The Conversation, and contemporary reports at Andre Lang's History of Television website. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/centenary-day/

It's like someone at Reform is trying to complete their Panini sticker album of failed Home Office staff.

A shortlived publishing house but some immensely valuable work on the more intriguing corners of lost television drama. They're all worth owning.

Liking the new mix. Less shiny. #NowPlaying

Eight years gone. I once spent a day with Mark E Smith and my liver still quivers at the memory. I've been in a bit of a Fall phase lately. They're still everything you could possibly want from a band, often chaotically all at once. That's why I love them. youtu.be/H2qXWplFByc?...

wow

Listen here to a new episode of HIT THE NORTH, with special guest Mariam Rezaei, a unique turntablist & musical artist. We had a great chat about her life, work & Northern identity, recorded at Northumbria University! open.spotify.com/episode/0HDs...

COYR

More Magic Rays of Light, this time in the form of an article for BFI Online, which is a kind of introduction to the riches and variety of pre-war television. www.bfi.org.uk/features/tel...

That was great. A good example in queer cinema of dragging the mainstream to the culture and not the other way around.

Good lord. 4700 words written today. I'd forgotten how knackering it was.

Definitely a moment during my dental hygienist appointment today where I sort of stroked her thumb with my lower lip. Probably fine. Must happen all the time. I can never go back. (It was while I was taking my coat off, btw.)

They always feel the need to "unleash" something, don't they? Having been pampered by the BBC for years.

Extremely urgent writing from the outstanding Garbage Day newsletter. Please support their work if you can. www.garbageday.email/p/we-re-all-...

Ah, Soundohm mailshots. Where you're never more than a minute away from another "holy grail" reissue in an edition of 100.

With every moment that we struggle with some palaeography, another archivist is attracted to the document. At the current rate, the entire archive sector will be in the office by the end of the day.

tonight! www.vortexjazz.co.uk/event/colema...

It's almost as if Nadhim Zahawi is some dismal old fraud.

Eastley! Bailey! Nicols! Cosey! All the hits. #NowPlaying

Looks interesting. Kicks off on Jan 30. goldsmithscca.art/exhibition/p...

Nuts in May at 50 thelionandunicorn.com/2026/01/10/n...

Last night’s finest heritage-related Nuts in May moment. At Corfe Castle: “What’s that Keith?”, says Candice-Marie, pointing at a bit of ruin. Keith: “It’s number four.”

Nuts in May is based broadly on a stage play which featured Keith and Candice Marie and had a short run in London a few years earlier. The working title for the film was The Plastic Tadpole. Leigh films tended to have similar working titles into the Eighties as a deflection from identifying subject.

Can't wait for Finger's teeth.

Nuts in May sums up the total freedom available to writers + directors at Pebble Mill. Not only 100+ miles from London, but rehearsing, devising and recording many miles from Birmingham too. Whatever you think of Leigh's work, producer David Rose was willing to create a space to do this work for TV.

Look at that!

Treat. That looks like a spanking new transfer of Nuts in May just started on BBC4. "Locate the eyelet!" In the legendary rough cut (screened at NFT in 1993, now lost) the tent erecting scene lasts 20mins not 20secs.

That was magic. Hilarious. #FACup

I will be gabbing on about Penda in Lewes on Wednesday at the Catalyst Club. Ticket availability now at KLAXON levels of low. Buy buy buy www.ticketsource.co.uk/dr-bramwell/...

Astonishingly the first ever repeat of Mike Leigh Making Plays is tomorrow on BBC Four. The legend goes that Mike Leigh was directing this Arena documentary but hit a wall in the editing so handed it over to Alan Yentob. It's a great summary of ML's work up to 1982. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

No, pretty sure that's Plainsong by The Cure.

Holiday lets with televisions in completely barking positions. The first in an occasional series.

Sometimes, in idle moments, I conclude this is the greatest album cover of all time.

Absolutely any excuse to revisit Rubycon. The 50th anniversary edition #NowPlaying. The Rainbow concert is simply glorious.

Very peculiar to find myself in Prospect's top ten films of 2025. If anyone is interested in a screening - we have three already arranged for 2026 - then give me a shout. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/7197...

The Penda's Fen hill in the snow this morning

The Cultures of Early Television First news of an international conference in July, intended to initiate a transnational dialogue about television in the years before World War Two.  www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/the-cultures...

First time I've seen the "whole interview" just run out - in the ep it cuts back and forth with Ollie and co in the flat.

Typical of Bluesky to become an intolerable place to be if you're more than one episode behind with Pluribus. Anyway, done now. Great. And maybe a 2025 soaked in Chantal Akerman has affected my brain, but the slow quotidian horror of it all really pleased me.

"It's not even Pitbull's best song." Yes, we are watching the darts.

now we find out if the rest of the world does anything to stop a rogue state, run by narcissists, rich kids, attorneys & podcasters, treating anything or anyone they want like a piñata - i imagine Starmer is in a meeting now checking with his advisors on best way to avoid upsetting the Daily Mail

In Agadoo did Kubla Khan Push pineapples, shake the tree

Let the annual tradition commence. #NowPlaying

The hit of Hogmanay goodness you need if you're still awake. Rik Mayall! Celia Imrie! And Peter Capaldi, somehow! youtu.be/zOVaThzcn_w?...

The Daily Mail letters page's hot take on the early closedown of television from mid-December 1973. No doubt Mrs Pratap is sick and tired of dealing with hungover shop assistants angry that The Old Grey Whistle Test once again failed to feature a live studio session from Hookfoot.

I have watched an awful lot of darts today.

Looking forward to bringing a new Penda's Fen talk to the good people of Lewes on 14 January as part of a triple bill. Tickets here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/dr-bramwell/...

The secret is out – my authorised biography of Sir Roy Clarke (Last of the Summer Wine, Keeping Up Appearances, Open All Hours) is to be published by Ten Acre Books in 2026. Getting to know Roy over the years has been a joy and it's a honour to be entrusted with telling his story. Watch this space.

Winter draws on!