BBC Breakfast

That's right, BBC Breakfast News started two weeks later than planned. They did a preview of the new look on what should have been the last Friday of Breakfast Time, and then I switched on on Monday morning to find, to my surprise and disappointment, that Breakfast Time was still there!

Couple of other questions of my own for those with long memories - at what point did Francis Wilson leave? I know he was the last remaining member of the original Breakfast Time, however I had it in my head that he went during the Breakfast Time Mk2 era. But one of the clips shown this morning showed that he was still there after it had become BBC Breakfast News. And did it take until the virtual era for the programme to adopt the standard BBC weather graphics? - I suspect it was.

And this is a long shot - does anyone who was watching in the South East in the early 80s recognise this chap?

http://www.tvradiobits.co.uk/BTSouthEast.jpg

He read the South East news every morning from the beginning of Breakfast Time, and stayed for quite a long time, but after he left he never seemed to pop up again anywhere else. He had no association with South East at Six/London Plus etc, and I cannot for the life of me remember his name - though it is a very long time ago...

There was a feature on Look North Leeds this evening about Breakfast News at 25. It briefly showed Business Breakfast during the virtual era, opting out to the regions. I'm guessing it is from 1995.

Watch the report here (Click "Breakfast TV turns 25!").

That's a nice package actually on the 25th Anniversary. DId any other region do anything on it? BBC South certainly didn't...

Looks a bit like Bill Turnbull but I don't suppose it is. Surely if it was, Breakfast would have mentioned it this morning...

That picture isn't Bill, but they did show part of his first Report he did for Breakfast Time about Flowers and plants (for whatever reason) and he said that it was from 1988.

It was quite a good show from 8.30am this morning, very nostalgic, nice to see Selina back and the old Breakfast Time theme going into the Regional News.

I'm guessing it was to do with the set decoration?

There was a clip on YouTube although I'm not sure if it's still there, but it featured Frances' last Weather and it was from Breakfast News in Early 1992, where they mentioned he'd be leaving for Satellite.

Nice that Sky allowed Frances to come back to the BBC for today, although it's a shame he didn't present the Weather.

I have the whole programme on Sky+ if anyone wants me to send it them on DVD (with Spotlight opt-outs unfortunately - I should've set it for BBC1 London!).

My TV Capture/editing facility is currently disabled (until I buy a new version for Vista) otherwise I could've provided a nice cut-down version. I haven't even watched the nostalgic bits yet, but they seem to be good from the posts above.

Your memory is failing you then. Sue Cook was one of the early presenters during the Lime Grove era.

Not sure of the exact staffing - but you can't remotely light or operate the cameras between the two studios, and running separate camera and mic feeds would be a recipe for disaster, as well as ensuring floor talkback and camera talkback worked etc.

Suspect the Breakfast Time tribute studio / gallery was crewed for live - but the VTs may have been played from the normal Breakfast gallery. Not much odds really - as the director plays in the VTs in both galleries these days. (Just means making sure the right bits are on the right servers)



ISTR that was to do with the move from Lime Grove to TC2 at TV Centre. There were union issues relating to the staffing that delayed the move to TV Centre AIUI.

But then ISTR that Breakfast Time moved from Lime Grove to TC2 before the Breakfast News relaunch? Could it be the delay was between the soft and fluffy Breakfast Time and the brief hard news Breakfast Time. Thinking about it - Breakfast Time did move to TV Centre - as ISTR that Jeremy Paxman talked about cycling to TV Centre to present it, with Kirsty, in the book of the 1987 "Day in the life of Television"?

Or maybe I'm confusing moves and relaunches... Was a long time ago.

(I can remember getting up extra early to watch the first Breakfast Time go on-air though.)

I think you are correct, Noggin. I also remember the Day in the Life of Television being aired back in the 80's, and Paxman indeed did appear alongside Kirsty.

I vividly recall that they lost several items on VT that particular morning, and we were treated to an offside camera view (for the documentary) of Kirsty looking on laughing at Paxo as he ad-libbed for what seemed like hours!! She was looking on in admiration, IIRC!!

Like many others, I am disappointed that the Virtual era didn't feature so much. It was actually my favourite era after the Jeremy/Sophie/Tanya season.

The move to Television Centre was apparently in 1988; the set was altered that year - the backdrop became a deeper shade of blue - so I'm guessing that coincided with the move from Lime Grove. (Incidentally the Day in the Life of Television book covered 1st November 1988, not 1987, so that would also fit in).

I've no idea what caused the Breakfast News hold-up in 1989, but whatever it was, it must have been a last minute thing.


Definitely isn't Bill Turnbull!


Surprised it's as late as 1992, I didn't think he hung around as long as that, but fading memories and all that.