Finding Welsh TV gems

A part of my job involves delving into the BBC picture library, which often unearths gems from the history of television.

I've noticed a rich and varied stills collection from BBC Wales and their television programmes from across the decades, including a 1957 show (pictured above), which was a glitzy homecoming concert for Cardiff-born singing superstar Shirley Bassey.

It's always a joy to match the wonderful image with its Genome listing which states that Shirley Comes Home brought the singer back from "the bright lights of Las Vegas and the West End" to Cardiff's Queen Alexandra Dock.

Broadcaster Michael Aspel - best known for presenting This Is Your Life and the Antiques Roadshow - crops up regularly in the Welsh image collection. You may not know (I certainly didn't) that his early career was forged in Cardiff, where he presented the first news bulletins in the late 1950s.

If you search for him in Genome, you discover that in 1956 he read Morning Story on radio's Light Programme, which was produced in Wales.

The database is rich in Welsh language listings, such as long-running current affairs programme Heddiw (Today) which was given a wider airing for many years, including a regular Sunday afternoon slot on BBC One.

However, Genome does not yet have a dedicated stream for BBC Wales programming history, which has been very distinct for many decades. This is one of the many things to think about as the project continues to develop, and you can find more information about the regional versions in the FAQs.

It's amazing where a couple of fantastic archive images can take you...