#OnThisDay 12 April 1977 The pilot episode of #JohnSullivan's CITIZEN SMITH aired on BBC1 as part of their 'Comedy Special' strand. It starred #RobertLindsay as Walter Henry "Wolfie" Smith, a young Marxist "urban guerrilla" in Tooting. A full series followed later in the year.

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 34 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 12 April 1992 1. #CoronationStreet 19.23m 2. #EastEnders 18.67 3. #Neighbours 17.46 4. Inspector Morse 15.69 5. #HomeAndAway 14.81 6. #TheBill 14.08 7. A Question of Sport 12.73 8. In Suspicious Circumstances 12.65

#OnThisDay 12 April 1988 DOCTOR! IT'S THE DALEKS AGAIN Look out #DoctorWho - your enemies the Daleks are back! BBC telly chiefs have relented after deciding two years ago to exterminate the metal monsters. They are wheeling out the tiny tyrants to do battle this autumn . . .

#OnThisDay 12 April 1986 KNOCK, KNOCK - DR WHO'S THERE Rough Stuff Out As The Time Lord Is Told To Play For Laughs - #DrWho made his long awaited return this week. But there will be changes. Violence will be toned down and humour played up . . .

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 27 years ago 📺TV Ratings for BBC2/C4 for w.e. 11 April 1999 1. Never Mind the Buzzcocks 5.17m 2. Merlin 5.10 3. #Brookside 4.95 4. Gardener's World 4.64 5. Food and Drink 3.99 6. Frasier 3.68 6. Face 3.68 8. Countdown 3.61 9. #FatherTed 3.51

#OnThisDay 11 April 1990 - FAST FORWARD It's Ian Beale and Ricky Butcher, but not as we know them, in the very first of the #EastEnders cartoons. The knobs! The knobs! It's the final part of 'Allo 'Allo. Football brawls and broken legs in #GrangeHill. Plus, The Proggy Pages.

#OnThisDay 11 April 1990 - FAST FORWARD EASTER EDD AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY! Edd the Duck makes Easter eggs. SKOOL REPORT - Christian from Halo James hated doing sports! CLOWING AROUND with #FrenchAndSaunders. ME AND MY MATE HENRY! by Mark Stevens from #Neighbours.

#OnThisDay 11 April 1994 The first regular Monday episode of #EastEnders was broadcast at 8.00pm, with the series going to three episodes a week from this date. It also marked the end of the short-lived jazzy theme music and a return to the more familiar tune.

#OnThisDay 11 April 1973 It's the turn of #SpikeMilligan to receive the Big Red Book from Eamonn Andrews in This Is Your Life. Amongst those paying 'tribute' is #PeterSellers.

#OnThisDay 11 April 1990 SETH'S SECRET HEARTACHE To millions of #Emmerdale viewers he was the same old Seth Armstrong, the jovial gamekeeper and joker down at the Woolpack bar. Only his closest friends knew the trauma former stand-up comic Stan Richards was going through . . .

#OnThisDay 11 April 1987 ROVER RETURNS - WITH BABY! Cheers, lads! #CoronationStreet barmaid Gloria Todd is back pulling pints at the Rovers Return. And she's toting the reason for her long 'holiday' - 12-week-old daughter Emily. Actress #SueJenkins and husband David Fleeshman...

#OnThisDay 11 April 1981 THE STREET IS ALL SET TO BE PULLED DOWN There is a plan to pull down #CoronationStreet. But fans of the serial need not be alarmed. The plan also provides for an exact lookalike to be built . . .

#OnThisDay 11 April 1980 WAIT FOR IT! BEEB PUTS OFF J.R. SHOOTING Sorry viewers but you won't see #Dallas villain J.R. Ewing getting what's coming to him just yet. The treacherous tycoon was due to be gunned down next week but BBC bosses have shelved the episode until next month.

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 43 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 10 April 1983 1. #CoronationStreet 16.00m 2. This Is Your Life 14.90 3. 3-2-1 14-30 4. Family Fortunes 13.30 5. #Crossroads 13.25 6. T.J. Hooker 13.00 7. The Grand National 12.95 8. Only When I Laugh 12.90

#OnThisDay 10 April 1992 GUESS WHAT - HE'S NOW A COPPER #NickBerry is PC Nick Rowan in HEARTBEAT ITV's major new Friday drama series starts tonight at 9.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1971 The Evening Standard looks forward to THE TWO RONNIES on BBC1 at 8.15.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1991 - FAST FORWARD They're crawling through the ceiling vents in #GrangeHill. Mr Griffiths is not best pleased. And in #EastEnders the cartoon, a load of hens have been delivered to the Queen Vic. What ever will Eddie Royle do?

#OnThisDay 10 April 1991 - FAST FORWARD Going ... Going ... Gone! - the Going Live! gang say goodbye. It's a Knockout! Questions for #BrunoBrookes and #LizKershaw. Roger Report - #Newsround's Roger Finn packs his bags and waves farewell.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1993 Following the axing of #Eldorado, BBC1 has a lot riding on its new drama series WESTBEACH. Despite acclaimed dramatist Tony Marchant, Coronation Street producer Susi Hush, and actors like Deborah Grant behind it, it flops and ends after 10 episodes.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1992 "This is the programme I've been waiting 20 years to do," says #BruceForsyth as BRUCE'S GUEST NIGHT begins at 8.00 on BBC1. Guests in the first show include #CliffRichard and #PatCash.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1991 Richard Thorp and the cast of #Emmerdale help #MichaelAspel to present the Big Red Book to actor and comedian #StanRichards in This Is Your Life. #MartiCaine and #LynnePerrie are among those paying tribute.

#OnThisDay 10 April 1984 AFTER 16 YEARS AWAY ANNE IS BACK IN THE STREET #CoronationStreet is bringing back Elsie Tanner's daughter Linda in a bid to soften the blow of losing so many big-name regulars . . .

#OnThisDay 10 April 1983 LAST OF THE COMPO LINE It's enough to send poor old Nora Batty mad! There is no mistaking the real Compo, scruffy star of TV's Last of the Summer Wine - but who are the others?

#OnThisDay 10 April 1981 Hurry yourself along to Runcorn where Runcorn Shopping City plays hosts to Coronation Street stars! Meet Betty Turpin (#BettyDriver) and Gail Tilsley (#HelenWorth), two of #CoronationStreet's well-loved characters. It's your chance to get an autograph!

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 31 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 9 April 1995 1. #CoronationStreet 19.52m 2. #EastEnders 18.82 3. Band of Gold 15.48 4. National Lottery Live 14.60 5. Peak Practice 13.93 6. #Neighbours 13.46 7. #TheBill 13.24 8. Goodnight Sweetheart 13.04

#OnThisDay 9 April 1994 #Lulu joins #ChrisEvans on Channel 4's DON'T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH to find out who knows more about her - herself or superfan Gareth?

#OnThisDay 9 April 1997 in #CoronationStreet - "Mavis learns the earth-shattering news that Derek has gone to the big allotment in the sky." This article confirms that the decision was outgoing producer Carolyn Reynolds, rather than "axe man" Brian Park's.

#OnThisDay 9 April 1989 Susan Barlow blows gaffe on nasty neighbours of #CoronationStreet - Penny pinching Johnny Briggs used a cut price publicity trip for his Caribbean fling; 'Lesbian' Bet was so upset; and Cock-Roache!

#OnThisDay 9 April 1989 CUPPASOAP - Tea's the key to Street comeback, says Ken - #CoronationStreet's longest serving star knows why the Street has eclipsed #EastEnders in the ratings now Britain's two big soaps are fighting on equal terms . . .

#OnThisDay 9 April 1965 It's Egg Week - so Enjoy Yourselves Hurry yourself along to Leicester's Lee Circle Tesco or the High Street Co-op, where Philip Lowrie (Dennis Tanner of #CoronationStreet) will be signing free Egg Recipe Leaflets. Do go along and meet him - enjoy yourself!

We've just been doing a stock take and found a couple of author-signed copies of The Blue Peter Diaries, Richard Marson's insider account of working on the long-running BBC children's show. Order now from tenacrebooks.co.uk

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 36 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 8 April 1990 1. #EastEnders 19.78m 2. #CoronationStreet 19.45 3. #Neighbours 18.20 4. Wish You Were Here 13.77 5. #HomeAndAway 13.45 6. This Is Your Life 12.75 7. Strike It Lucky 12.67 7. Inspector Morse 12.67

#OnThisDay - 8 April 1992 - BIG! magazine Gotcha! Everything you need to know about #LukePerry. "I Quit!" - Billy Warlock from #Baywatch reveals all! #ChristianSlater - "I'll never work with a dog again!"

#OnThisDay 8 April 1989 in #CoronationStreet CORONATION MUGS It's a bit early for the Curly Shirley hurly-burly to go into a downward whirley . . .

#OnThisDay 8 April 1994 Following a successful pilot at the end of the previous year, the first episode of #JoBrand stand-up and sketch comedy series THROUGH THE CAKEHOLE was broadcast on Channel 4.

#OnThisDay 8 April 1985 #DaveAllen has a one-hour special on BBC1. Here he is musing on the subject of alcohol.

#OnThisDay 8 April 1982 The famous theme tune Maybe Tomorrow is heard for the first time in the UK when the 1970s incarnation of THE LITTLEST HOBO is broadcast at 16.40 on BBC1.

#OnThisDay 8 April 1970 in #CoronationStreet - Ken Barlow's brother David dies in a car crash in Australia. In this video, see Alan Rothwell's last appearance in the role on 10 April 1968, followed by the announcement of the crash, his death, and then the death of his son in 1970

#OnThisDay 7 April 1997 Peter Baldwin makes the last of 726 appearances as Derek Wilton in #CoronationStreet, with the character dying from a heart attack. The closing theme music of this episode was replaced by a tune playing from the car radio.

#OnThisDay 7 April 1991 #HelenMirren stars as DCI Jane Tennison in the first episode of #LyndaLaPlante's groundbreaking drama PRIME SUSPECT.

#OnThisDay 7 April 1991 The first episode of THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY is broadcast at 7.45 on ITV. Set in rural 1950s Kent, it follows the 'perfick' life of the Larkin family and stars #DavidJason and #PamFerris, alongside #CatherineZetaJones in her breakthrough role.

#OnThisDay 7 April 1980 There's an Easter special of The Generation Game on BBC1. Hosted by #LarryGrayson, there's talk of pitching a tent, meeting Slack Alice, and a spot of country dancing.

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 30 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 7 April 1996 1. #EastEnders 18.46m 2. #CoronationStreet 17.52 3. #Emmerdale 13.07 4. Peak Practice 12.85 5. National Lottery Live 12.56 6. Taggart 11.78 7. #Neighbours 11.74 8. Band of Gold 11.71 9. #TheBill 11.61

#OnThisDay 7 April 1999 - MORE! magazine #MartineMcCutcheon - Shaken but not stirred. Whatever happened to . . . #JordanKnight of #NKOTB? TV's biggest Turn-Ons - meet #JoeMcFadden.

#OnThisDay 7 April 1987 MOTEL UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT - Has #Crossroads been taken over by Ambridge folk, asks the Telegraph . . . New producer William Smethurst swiftly decided there were only three things wrong with the serial: the characters, the dialogue and the storylines . . .

#OnThisDay 7 April 1986 NIGEL PIVARO Hunky #CoronationStreet star Nigel Pivaro gets loads of fanmail from adoring women who say they'd like to get him into bed! It's all because Terry Duckworth has this macho image of booze and birds, but in real life Nigel is quiet and shy . . .

#OnThisDay 7 April 1985 SOAP WARS A fierce battle of the soaps is being fought by Britain's TV networks - matching anything waged between American series rivals. Granada is preparing a new show called Albion Market t take on #EastEnders and even its own #CoronationStreet . . .

#OnThisDay 7 April 1985 BEAT THE STREET'S QUIZ KID Soap mastermind #DaranLittle thinks he's streets ahead when it comes to TV's top series. Daran, 18, reckons he knows everything about #CoronationStreet. Would you have remembered who gave Elsie Tanner her first screen kiss . . .

#OnThisDay 7 April 1967 NEIL SPORTS A TOUCH OF THE ENA SHARPLES Well, that's a turn up for Ena . . . here was #VioletCarson, better known as Ena Sharples of #CoronationStreet, when she met 7-year-old Neil White wearing a hair net . . .

#WhatWeWereWatching #OTD 40 years ago 📺TV Ratings for w.e. 6 April 1986 1. #EastEnders 22.10m 2. #CoronationStreet 16.55 3. Grand National 15.45 4. Auf Wiedersehen, Pet 15.05 5. The Medusa Touch 14.90 6. The #BennyHill Show 13.55 7. This Is Your Life 13.20 8. Antiques Roadshow