My latest substack - third and final part of The Question of Ulster, the BBC's Senate style enquiry on the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1972 and the reaction from the media. Will the BBC be punished for defying two governments and going ahead? Link below.

Calling all local history buffs for #Norwich and #Norfolk Launching a new free Substack called Norfolk Boundaries and Borders, exploring stories both macabre or mundane that take place those wonderful and mysterious invisible boundaries that divide Norfolk into pieces. ⬇️

Calling all local history buffs for #Norwich and #Norfolk Launching a new free Substack called Norfolk Boundaries and Borders, exploring stories both macabre or mundane that take place those wonderful and mysterious invisible boundaries that divide Norfolk into pieces. ⬇️

Memory lane!

My latest substack - third and final part of The Question of Ulster, the BBC's Senate style enquiry on the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1972 and the reaction from the media. Will the BBC be punished for defying two governments and going ahead? Link below.

My latest article: BBC PA Douglas Camfield, frustrated at not being offered a place on the director's course, investigated joining the SAS via the TA. Until fate intervened. You will also discover the third time he worked for Waris Hussein... michaelseely.substack.com/p/douglas-ca...

My latest article: BBC PA Douglas Camfield, frustrated at not being offered a place on the director's course, investigated joining the SAS via the TA. Until fate intervened. You will also discover the third time he worked for Waris Hussein... michaelseely.substack.com/p/douglas-ca...

And here’s another bump for the podcast.

MUST READ! In the latest CST blog about the damaging changes going on at the BBC Written Archives Centre, @marklewisohn.bsky.social delivers his cri de cœur squarely at those who came up with or are signing-off on this policy shift. Please read and share widely. cstonline.net/defending-th...

"The BBC has clanged their doors shut on those histories, those stories, those lives and ways of working that are revealed through the joint industry of the historian and the archivist." @helenwheatley.bsky.social on the devastating decision to limit access to BBC archives. tinyurl.com/y4tnyw9a

'Have a pork scratcing says the Lord.' RIP John Woodvine.

On the biography of Barry Cryer by his son @bobbicee.bsky.social, and the radio show Baz worked on with Terrance Dicks between the latter’s stints on Doctor Who: 0tralala.blogspot.com/2025/10/barr...

Blatant promotion. Hear me talk about 'Callan', a series I am very fond of on Vision on Sound, a very good broadcast/podcast on classic TV and nostalgia you can catch up on here: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

Part Two of when BBC1 wanted to see if there could be a future for Ulster in 1972... michaelseely.substack.com/p/this-is-bb...

Part Two of when BBC1 wanted to see if there could be a future for Ulster in 1972... michaelseely.substack.com/p/this-is-bb...

Tomorrow's SMP post is part two of this examination of a piece of TV history when BBC1 cleared the schedules for a controversial and headline grabbing enquiry into the future of Ulster. At this early point in 1972, no one foresaw what event was around the corner. open.substack.com/pub/michaels...

And here's another bump for the video podcast, which the BBC has kindly left up.

My latest Substack takes a look at my favourite Doctor Who William Hartnell guest starring in 'Softly Softly' who makes a surprising confession. With thanks to Z Cars historian David Brunt. michaelseely.substack.com/p/guest-star...

tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com/product/abov... "An immaculately researched tribute" - SFX Magazine "Above The Law is superb - the work put into it is phenomenal and it`s also very well written" - Trevor Cooper Now reprinted and a perfect companion to what is coming next!!!

My latest Substack takes a look at my favourite Doctor Who William Hartnell guest starring in 'Softly Softly' who makes a surprising confession. With thanks to Z Cars historian David Brunt. michaelseely.substack.com/p/guest-star...

Features the episodes of Doomwatch and Survivors when they dealt with rabies before the extraordinary drama The Mad Death.

Last weekend, my Substack reached the finale of The Big Pull, a lost 1962 Saturday night sci-fi thriller. For six weeks or so I've been retelling the story of Quatermass meets A for Andromeda meets The Day The Earth Caught Fire. Subscribe for more larks in the future!

A day late but never mind, read the conclusion of The Big Pull, a lost BBC science fiction serial from 1962. I winder if they really filmed at Jodrell Bank. And if they did, whatever did they think of the script! michaelseely.substack.com/p/the-big-pu...

A day late but never mind, read the conclusion of The Big Pull, a lost BBC science fiction serial from 1962. I winder if they really filmed at Jodrell Bank. And if they did, whatever did they think of the script! michaelseely.substack.com/p/the-big-pu...

We had a great day celebrating the publication of Penda's Fen: Scene by Scene. Thanks to everyone who came along and made it such a memorable event and to the Barbican Cinema for hosting us. "Cherish the flame…" 🔥

Another extended wanging-on about old Doctor Who books, this time Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons by Terrance Dicks, featuring flowing honey, chameleons and repair shops. 0tralala.blogspot.com/2025/09/doct...

OTD in early British television On the morning of Friday 1 September 1939, AP broadcast an edition of Come and Be Televised from Radiolympia. Among Elizabeth Cowell’s guests were Mr J. McIntyre giving ‘impressions of English life as a West Indian’... www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

Part Five of The Big Pull is now up on michaelseely.substack.com The final part of this lost BBC science fiction serial will be published next Saturday.

Absolutely delighted that Dan Briggs, son of the BBC's first official historian Asa Briggs, has written to The Observer supporting the need for on-request vetting to re-instated at the BBC Written Archives Centre (p.29; not I think online). Letter's wording is in the .alt element. #waccampaign

Part Five of The Big Pull is now up on michaelseely.substack.com The final part of this lost BBC science fiction serial will be published next Saturday.

And for your holiday reading - unless you work on a bank holiday of course - here is The Big Pull Part Four. Discover the purpose of Jotus and Nebla! How many more technicians die this week? michaelseely.substack.com

Thank you to @theobserveruk.bsky.social for giving attention today to the campaign for independent access to the BBC Written Archives. The Corporation is still yet to engage with our argument and properly defend the policy shift. That is because it is indefensible. observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

‘… social historian David Kynaston, told The Observer he suspects “a serious scandal is unfolding” John Wyver, Ian Greaves, Erica Wagner and others on the growing battle to prevent damaging changes to the BBC’s priceless behind-the-scenes archives:

First of two posts this bank holiday weekend. Discover how BBC1 put together a live debate on the future of Ulster in January 1972 inspite of hostile press (and others) reaction. michaelseely.substack.com

First of two posts this bank holiday weekend. Discover how BBC1 put together a live debate on the future of Ulster in January 1972 inspite of hostile press (and others) reaction. michaelseely.substack.com

From the weekend, part three of the lost BBC science fiction serial The Big Pull! On my substack with lots of other TV ephemera. michaelseely.substack.com

A number of very kind people have asked to directly share the document. It is however locked, solely in order that we can keep track of additional names and add you to the mailing list. If you would like to be added to the letter, please follow the email instructions at the top of the page. Thanks!

I endorse this post! WAC is a treasure trove, so much more to discover.

Well! Saturday Morning Press is very happy with BBC Archive on You Tube. R.3 co-creator Stephen Black interviews A for Andromeda's ideas fountain Fred Hoyle in Meet the Cosmologists. Books exploring both programmes still cheaply priced from link under. www.youtube.com/watch?v=peUy...

Today's instalment of The Big Pull is up on Substack. Can they prevent more deaths at Jodrell Bank - or will the contagion from space spread throughout the country? Where are the missing men? And if they did film at Jodrell, did anyone vet the script! michaelseely.substack.com

Today's instalment of The Big Pull is up on Substack. Can they prevent more deaths at Jodrell Bank - or will the contagion from space spread throughout the country? Where are the missing men? And if they did film at Jodrell, did anyone vet the script! michaelseely.substack.com

Legendary Blue Peter producer Biddy Baxter passed away last weekend; there is no better tribute to her life and work than Richard Marson's excellent biography published by @tenacrefilms.bsky.social, as reviewed here in 2023 by our very own @hannahcooper.bsky.social : wearecult.rocks/biddy-baxter...

From the weekend...

Been watching the finale to Blake's 7 this week, so just for the crack of doom, here's something I wrote about the final series a few years ago for @wearecultonline.bsky.social wearecult.rocks/blakes-7-sea...

Been watching the finale to Blake's 7 this week, so just for the crack of doom, here's something I wrote about the final series a few years ago for @wearecultonline.bsky.social wearecult.rocks/blakes-7-sea...

Yesterday, you can now find out just what the lost BBC serial The Big Pull was all about. Part Quatermass, part Fred Hoyle, and part The Day the Earth Caught Fire. Part 2 next week!

Todays Substack is on Part One of The Big Pull, a lost 1962 BBC sci-fi serial, one of those which is in the shadow of Quatermass, but on the road to Doctor Who. It even went out Saturday nights at 6.30pm. michaelseely.substack.com/p/the-big-pu...

Earlier... How a tenth birthday episode for TV coppers Barlow and Watt had a Doomwatch flavour to it. And a big explosion at the end... But did anyone die? Linky below...