Hancock's Half Hour - The Poetry Society was on 4 Extra again today. Galton and Simpson ruthlessly skewering the 50's rope-sandal brigade. Life Is Mauve - I Am Orange. Hic Hac Hock. Genius at work, available to listen here www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b...

Through the Square Window episode six is out now! This month, @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @gkw.bsky.social look at shows from February 1969, namely: Do Not Adjust Your Set, Civilisation, Saturday Night Theatre (with Sean Connery) and Department S. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

A very interesting day at Caversham today, and a reminder of the value of dedicated archivists - much of the most interesting material came from a file I hadn't thought to ask for, but which they knew would very probably be useful. I'm looking forward to bringing this story to you in early April!

There's a welcome repeat of Michael Palin's Number 27 tomorrow night on BBC Four. Madly, this is its first screening since 1988. Newly shot intro by the man himself. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Next Wednesday, @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @gkw.bsky.social return with a new episode of Through the Square Window (wherever you get your podcasts) looking at shows from February 1969. First up is...

The Sunday dozen Jesus of Nazareth, Orson Welles and Walt Disney; Jean Cocteau, Andrzej Wajda and Margaret Calvert; Daniel Defoe, Igor Levit, Morton Feldman, and more. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/the-sunday-d...

It is also, utterly delightful. Exhibit A, this detail about an early “themed” TV broadcast in 1931. The Televisor, by the way, was an early TV receiver which showed images in portrait format. I’m imagining early TV as a century-old version of TikTok.

Very grateful to @andrewmale.bsky.social for highlighting some of the early 30-line television content featured in 'Magic Rays of Light: The Early Years of Television in Britain', and so pleased at the interest (and even sales!) this is stirring up.

John Wyver on the absolutely perplexing disconnect between restored archive treasures on iplayer and the total lack of supporting publicity, or even explanation.

Dear BBC Archives... A letter to thank you for Mañana, the Ibsen collection and more, to express my disappointment at how in certain ways you fail to treat these precious fragments with proper respect, and to suggest how you could do things better. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/dear-bbc-arc...

As Frank was born on this day in 1920, an opportune moment to link to this, a highlight of the last series of #FirstLastAnything. Thank you to @jamiembrixton.bsky.social for his time, his memories and his own remarkable TV career.

The Sunday dozen for Monday Listen to Bruce (twice), read Fintan O'Toole and Adam Shatz on America, watch Blue Lights and Ryan Coogler, and Andy Warhol and Frederick Wiserman... www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/the-sunday-d...

We went to see Hamnet this afternoon, and now we're watching Call the Midwife. Is it possible to watch too many traumatic births in one day? I'm about to find out.

Read about Doctor Who's conception, from first ideas to its troubled early months of production, in Pull to Open, an immersive history by @paul-hayes.bsky.social, available now from tenacrebooks.co.uk.

Oh no, that's a shame, I used to love The Organist Entertains, I even had a request played on it when I was 14. There's a great episode of Granada's This England where three chaps have a disused theatre organ installed at their house in Manchester, and one of them is a young Nigel Ogden.

🎶 we got a snow drift, Danny’s gift and plasma from the bloody lifts axed doors, maze tours and creepy twins you can’t ignore, red rum, scared mum, barman chum and you must say when he’s typing all the day it’s all work and never play play, play, play, play, play, play, play, play. 🎶

I've just sprinkled some Chinese peptides over my Frosties. Can recommend.

Things you can do instead of the government's Free AI training #1. Watch part four of "Meglos".

Happy birthday to the incomparable Roy Clarke, 96 today. Look out for his authorised biography, Writing All Hours, which we'll be publishing later this year.

Sir Roy Clarke turns 96 today and, having considered himself retired on several occasions, will have works premiering on television this year. I'm still in the midst of writing his biography – a colossal, but infinitely rewarding undertaking. Some thoughts follow...

My book on all of this and more will be published by Ten Acre Books later in the year. If you'd like to be kept posted visit: www.summerwinos.co.uk/biography

Television began on this day in 1926. Shortly after that, Doctor Who fans started a campaign to get rid of the current producer.

Juliette provides a terrific transcription service - speedy, accurate, and at a really reasonable price. You need never again suffer the existential horror of listening to, and transcribing, your own stupid voice.

If anyone needs audio to text transcription, please let me know. I've had 10 years' experience in this biz. and I've worked with various subjects - academic, healthcare, television, music and aviation. Reasonable rates, real accuracy and done with a quickness. References available on request.

We've had January off, but the podcast returns next month with UFO. In the meantime, here's our back catalogue.

World of Telly returns next month. If you missed anything from season one, I've put together a YouTube playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

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/

Get in quick and order these excellent books if you haven't already.

The Saturday Morning Press shop will be closing at the end of the month and the associated email address will also eventually disappear. The Substack will continue - I'm in the middle of The Monsters, another lost BBC serial. A monster may turn up - eventually. shop.saturdaymorningpress.co.uk

The Sunday dozen Laurel and Hardy, Errol Flynn and Ealing, action scenes and 'Happy Feet', Dolly Parton and the Boss, Jacques-Louis David and modern Gothic, Mark Carney and John Carey and more... www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/the-sunday-d...

Big day today! Nico is eight! Happy birthday to the loveliest dog in the world.

The #Blakes7 Production Diary Series C will be published on 31st March, 46 years to the day since the broadcast of ‘Terminal’. Cost/ordering details will be posted on the day. No need to pre-order as it's a print-to-order book. Keep an eye out for more updates. www.cultedge.art

We'll be revealing the publication date for the #Blakes7 Production Diary Series C at 7.15pm this evening.

When they recorded one of these at Pebble Mill in the late 90s, the cast popped in to the BBC Social Club where the barman (me) served them a few rounds. Delightfully, they each chose a drink perfect for their characters (Servalan: white wine, Avon; G&T, Tarrant: pint of Fosters, etc)

The Sunday dozen, just as good on a Monday www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/the-sunday-d...

What a goal!

I've just switched over to this and witnessed the penalty finally being taken 25 mins into injury time and it was like watching a nervous breakdown. And now extra time!

This is comedy #snooker. They’d be better off smacking each other into unconsciousness with the cues.

THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT!

This #snooker is drifting into “one for the purists” territory.

Just watching an old ep of “Man About the House”, really enjoying their scrabble board

Morning all. I'm sitting in Long Eaton Costa, staring at the rain, and contemplating the episode of UFO I watched in my hotel room this morning.

Here I am again in the impossibly glamorous surroundings of the Novotel just off Junction 25 of the M1 where the white wine flows like water.* *I am availing myself of the tea and coffee making facilities.

I've missed 6-2. Nice to have it back again. #snooker

*nips to the bookies to place a bet on all the quarter-finals finishing 6-5* #snooker

6-2. Bonkers. #snooker

Hang on? Is a freak comeback occurring? #snooker

The 6-2 first round clean sweep is still on. #snooker

Another 6-2? #snooker

Episode five of our podcast is out now! This month, @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and @gkw.bsky.social look at the TV shows that greeted the new millennium: Blue Peter, Coronation Street, Trigger Happy TV and Castaway 2000. Available wherever you get your podcasts.