Broadcasting

Behind the scenes collection

Get backstage access to some classic shows

The joy of sets

Jazz up your video call backgrounds, with this collection of BBC sets

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Celebrate 42 years of panic-free galactic travel

Monty Python

A veritable shrubbery of archive interviews with the Pythons

Chronicle: Archaeology on Television

Digging the past from the comfort of your armchair.

Archive Pioneers

The founders of the BBC's archive

Seven reasons why Nationwide was great

Teatime telly that featured everything from the workings of the House of Commons to a skateboarding duck

Interludes

Relax with these beautiful fillers, from playful kittens to sandy beaches

1940s

Television is here again, 1946

This demonstration film shows post-war viewers what they can expect from the returning BBC TV service

First-Year Flashbacks, 1946

Highlights of films shown on BBC Television since it reopened in June

1950s

Birth of a newspaper, 1950

"The editorial office is a cobbler's shop"

Margate gets Cable TV, 1951

Cable television came to the Kent town, with a rather spiffing “four programme” set

Holme Moss transmitter, 1951

How the BBC's third television transmitter in West Yorkshire was built

Salute to Alexandra Palace, 1954

A clip from the tribute programme documenting the role Ally Pally played in the birth of British television

Experimental outside broadcast on a plane, 1955

Television Goes Flying was a live experimental outside broadcast

Orson Welles on War of the Worlds, 1955

"Mr and Mrs America, there is no cause for alarm! America has not fallen!"

House of Commons colour TV demo, 1957

"Financially, it's very expensive. Technically, it's very difficult"

How to get stereo sound on BBC Radio, 1958

Charles Brooker demonstrated how BBC listeners could experience the wonders of stereophonic sound

Spike Milligan: Portrait of a Goon, 1959

"To me, the world is screaming out for people with a sense of humour" Monitor spent a day with Spike in Ken Russell's documentary film

1960s

Face to Face - Lord Reith, 1960

"When I leave a thing, Mr Freeman, I leave it"

Kenneth Allsop's 'flash' hair, 1961

"Who does Kenneth Allsop think he is... Adam Faith?"

Points of View - "Well...", 1962

Why does everybody on television say 'Well...'?

Spike Milligan: Monitor, 1962

The great Goon veers so far off-topic that he goes into orbit

The voice of Bill and Ben, 1963

Peter Hawkins, the voice of the Flower Pot Men, found a dream interviewer in "Professor" Stanley Unwin

Morecambe and Wise, 1966

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise faced some "intelligent questions" on Late Night Line-Up

Comedy - A serious discussion, 1966

"You write for yourself. When you start writing for an audience, you're dead"

The creator of the Daleks, 1968

Alan Whicker meets some Daleks, and their creator, Terry Nation

Boxing Day comedy greats, 1968

Denis Norden, Marty Feldman, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan enjoy a Boxing Day lunch

1970s

One Man's Week - Kenny Everett, 1971

Kenny Everett has become a butch rural type since those buffoons at the BBC fired him

Richard Burton, 1971

The Pontrhydyfen born actor discusses Under Milk Wood and his memories of Dylan Thomas

James Cameron interview, 1971

"Skepticism is the finest quality anybody can have"

Looking In, 1972

"It's a potential social menace of the first magnitude" Filmmaker Robert Vas looks back at 35 years of BBC television archive

James Young - comedian, 1973

Nationwide profiled the comedian Northern Ireland comedian James Young, who, in spite of it all, aims to make all of Ulster laugh

Gert and Daisy, 1973

Nationwide catches up with Elsie and Doris Waters, better known as comedy cockney chatterboxes, Gert and Daisy

Shed radio DJ, 1974

Deke Duncan's Radio 77 broadcasts to the smallest audience in the country

Pat Phoenix on Parkinson, 1975

The Coronation Street icon on life as Elsie Tanner

Billy Connolly - Parkinson, 1975

The Big Yin introduces himself to the mainstream in his own inimitable way

Billy Connolly - Nationwide, 1975

A look behind the scenes of the Scottish comedian's life on the road

Rod Hull and Emu, 1976

Rod Hull and Emu terrorise Michael Parkinson

Teletext pioneers, 1976

Ceefax and Oracle are world leaders in teletext technology

Sex and violence on TV, 1977

Are programmes on the old gogglebox chiming with viewers?

Marvellous machine, 1977

Rowland Emett demonstrates his Lunar Cycle in front of three 'mock scientists'

Future of news imagined, 1977

How a news bulletin might look 25 years from now, in the year 2002

Ceefax hits TV screens, 1977

Pebble Mill looks at the newfangled BBC information service, and also play a bit of computer squash and tennis

Telly memories, 1977

Wonderful vox pop of a woman looking back at her favourite TV shows

Miss Piggy, 1978

Miss Piggy was in town and her mind was very much set on Mr Parkinson

Kermit and Fozzie, 1978

Jim Henson, Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear were in London, for a chat with Michael Parkinson

Quentin Crisp, 1979

Writer, raconteur and actor Quentin Crisp made a memorable appearance on Parkinson talking about his remarkable life

Ceefax Valentines, 1979

The most romantic way to show your love is via teletext

The 'test card girl', 1979

Barry Took catches up with Carole Hersee, the face of Test Card F

1980s

British special effects industry, 1982

The innovative British individuals and firms taking special effects to the next level

Dread Broadcasting Corporation, 1982

Tune in if you rankin! Jamaican Patois hits the UK airwaves on pirate radio station

Breakfast Time debut, 1983

Frank Bough, Selina Scott and Nick Ross give a guide to what's on the menu

A female Doctor? - 1983

After Peter Davison leaves Doctor Who, will his replacement be a crotchety old man... or a lady?

The sixth Doctor revealed, 1983

Colin Baker was unveiled as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor back in 1983, replacing Peter Davison

Who's Who?, 1984

Fifth and sixth incarnations Peter Davison and Colin Baker join Russell Harty the week after the former had regenerated into the latter

Sound System Radio, 1984

Ebony meets DJ Des Mitchell, the presenter of Birmingham's popular Sound System radio show.

Max Headroom, 1985

Terry Wogan came face to face with the future of presenting, the World's first "computer-generated" TV host, Max Headroom

Parkinson on Yorkshire, 1985

Michael Parkinson chats to Russell Harty about growing up in Yorkshire.

Hislop and Sherrin on satire, 1986

Ian Hislop, then of Spitting Image, and TW3's Ned Sherrin discuss the state of TV satire with Joan Bakewell

Donald Trump and Dame Edna, 1988

Donald and Ivana Trump join Dame Edna Everage on the Wogan couch

1990s and beyond

Nicolas Cage flips on Wogan, 1990

The high-kicking, somersaulting Hollywood star bares his soul and his chest

Prisoner: Cell Block H stars, 1990

Terry Wogan spoke to the stars of Prisoner: Cell Block H, Val Lehman and Amanda Muggleton about the then unexpected late-night ratings phenomenon

Nationwide revisited, 1991

A celebration of Nationwide, the greatest television programme of all time

More archive things

Arts and entertainment

The world of showbiz, from Shakespeare to Saturday night telly

Children's

See how programmes for younger viewers have changed with the times

Sport

A grandstand view of sport, from grassroots fan culture to the superstars who thrilled us all