Family Favourites 1 August 1945

As the Second World War drew to a close the BBC looked to the peace and replaced the General Forces Programme with the Light Programme. The popular request show Forces Favourites gave way to Family Favourites, which first aired on the new channel on Wednesday 1 August 1945. It was a joint BBC and British Forces Network production, offering: “From London, the tunes you asked us to play. From Germany, the tunes that make them think of you.” It soon moved to the weekend and, for many nostalgic listeners today, the theme tune With a Song in My Heart conjures memories of Sunday lunchtime.

The presenter most associated with Family Favourites is Jean Metcalfe, who started on Forces Favourites. She met her future husband - Cliff Michelmore - while they were both working on the show. Other well-known presenters were Judith Chalmers, Michael Aspel and Sarah Kennedy. In 1955 the programme became Two Way Family Favourites. Because of the nature of the showsongs about home, enduring love and separation were always popular.

Two Way Family Favourites outlasted the Light Programme on which it started, but ended in 1980, with a final edition presented by Jean Challis. Today the interconnected nature of the world means that such a programme is no longer seen as a vital lifeline for service personnel abroad, but radio listeners are always gratified to hear a request or dedication read out.