Yesterday I learned that Victoria Wood herself wrote the Radio Times listings for her show As Seen On TV. The first one, which aired on Friday 11th January 1985, reads like this:
‘Chipper’ Patel arrived from New Delhi in 1962 with an artificial leg and five pounds in his pocket. He now controls a multi-million pound vinyl flooring empire. He didn’t want to be filmed. So here’s a tatty old comedy programme with some women in it.
The Radio Times
The listing also directs us to page nine, to read a featured article about the show.
The following week, we get this.
Two years ago a woman from a North Lancashire village forgot to stoke her solid fuel boiler. An award-winning camera crew follow her determined and often heartbreaking attempts to light it.
The Radio Times
The series ends on the 15th February, and is listed thusly:
47: “Managing without Opera”
The Radio Times
It’s the third week of the experiment. How are Hannah and Gavin coping? Why is their sitting room pale green? Why can’t they laugh without showing their gums? What’s on the other side?
The second series moved to BBC One on Thursdays.
Will men ever get pregnant? And if they do, will they opt for shoulder-tie dungarees, or play safe with Peter Pan collar type loose smocks? Whatever they decide, there’s bound to be a documentary about it.
The Radio Times
And possibly a tea towel.
And the series ended on 4th June.
‘Have it your way, Waseem, but if disposable saris don’t catch on, count me out!’
The Radio Times
For cast see Thursday. For fun try getting out more.
