Episode 1
A look at BBC Two's early years. After a disastrous opening night power cut, series including Playschool to Match of the Day began and the channel was the UK's first to go colour.
Stars and programme-makers look back at the early years of BBC Two in a programme first transmitted in 2004 to commemorate the channel's 40th birthday.
After a disastrous power failure on the opening night, long-running series including Playschool and Match of the Day made their debuts and the channel became the first in the UK to broadcast in colour, with groundbreaking programmes including Kenneth Clark's documentary series Civilisation and the adaptation of Robert Graves's I, Claudius.
Other series shown on the channel in its first decade include The Likely Lads, The Forsyth Saga, Pot Black, The Goodies and The Old Grey Whistle Test.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Lorraine Ashbourne |
| Participant | Michael Peacock |
| Participant | Michael Appleton |
| Participant | Denis Tuohy |
| Participant | Ian La Frenais |
| Participant | Dick Clement |
| Participant | Rodney Bewes |
| Participant | Joan Bakewell |
| Participant | David Attenborough |
| Participant | Joe McGrath |
| Participant | Esther Rantzen |
| Participant | Martin Jarvis |
| Participant | Susan Hampshire |
| Participant | Peter Montagnon |
| Participant | AA Gill |
| Participant | Simon Schama |
| Participant | Ted Lowe |
| Participant | Dennis Taylor |
| Participant | Bob Harris |
| Participant | Sian Phillips |
| Participant | Patrick Stewart |
| Producer | Lucy Kenwright |
| Producer | Claire Finnett |
| Producer | Mark Turnbull |
| Executive Producer | Caroline Wright |
Broadcast
- Wed 16 Apr 201422:00
More about programmes looking back at 50 years of BBC Two
Programmes and archive shows looking back at five unforgettable decades of BBC Two.
