Networked ITV - 1990s and before...

Much the same as the appearance of the static Border Television logo before a programme, until the mid-1980s, meant that you were about to watch either Mr & Mrs or Look Who's Talking. It always used to fascinate me how Derek Batey managed to get some of the biggest showbiz names of the day, including the likes of Kenneth Williams, to come up to Carlisle and appear on Look Who's Talking given Border's limited budget. I do believe though that many of the guests enjoyed appearing on it, as Derek was always of the mind that the featured guests were the star of the show and he was quite content to sit back and let them be themselves.

Or the joke at Thames Television was LWT stood for Let's Watch Thames. I wouldn't say LWT was bad, it just wasn't as good as Thames and it was always beaten by the BBC on Saturday nights in the seventies. However, World of Sport was always good and for my sins I always found On The Buses amusing.

I remember reading ITC Annual Reports around ten years ago which continually stated "regret" that UTV's pitches to the network never got picked up. The only network pitch I'm aware of was a children's version of quiz series "All Mixed Up" - although as that was produced by Belfast-based production company Wild Rover, and given CITV's penchant for credit-cutting, I doubt UTV would have ended up getting on-screen recognition at all.

I'm also sure I remember hearing/reading somewhere in the 1990s they were trying to find a vehicle for a networked show presented by Julian Simmons - possibly a game show - but that also never came to light.

Oh that so would have worked!

OnFriday nights in the early 1990s, think 1992 or 1993, STV showed, at 22:40, Kelly, a talk show by UTV, from Belfast. Think there were a couple of series. Was this fully networked?

Are you sure your not thinking of the ''Art Sutter show'' which come from Grampian? I cant remember Kelly even been seen out side of UTV.

It was definitely shown outside of Northern Ireland for a time (I thought it was Grampian only, and delayed by half an hour or so). UTV also used their "An Ulster Television Production for ITV" endcap for this period, although it wasn't fully networked.

Don't forget Westward bagged the services of Roger Whittaker when he was at his peak for an entertainment show? I doubt many stars now would go near a small ITV region.

Didn't stop Lennie Bennett doing a show for TSW, oh,.. I see what you mean.

The infamous Television Simply Wonderful and its massively OTT camp opening night, suggesting viewers in Devon and Cornwall would have Lew Grade style variety shows every week from TSW. Instead they got Lenny Bennett and That's My Dog.

Then again Southern got this Bernard Manning show networked is anyone guess.....well, format just look bad, I had nothing against Bernard Manning. just look at those titles makes you wonder why the network never listened to smaller station, http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/itvsouth/southern_programmes.html

Granada UM well with the The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-KrzEeh5R4

Southern had a good number of Networked show just before it was killed off in 1982, strange.

Still no sign of kelly out side UTV. does anyone know a pinpoint months?

I don't necessarily agree with the argument above and before that the BBC were " just as bad ". Screen Test started as a summer filler for Blue Peter, Stopwatch!, We're Going Places etc were all " summer " series. Although the BBC was guilty of showing badly dubbed programmes ( Heidi, Silas, Tyke Tyler etc ), their homegrown input far outweighed ITV in the late 70s/ early 80s until the advent of Children's ITV. If you consider the fact that Jackanory ran for the best part of 20 weeks from September every night, Think of A Number, Playhouse, Grandad, Rentaghost, Take Hart the list is endless compared to what ITV were producing before the umbrella brand came in. And like it or not, Blue Peter was being pumped out twice a week from September to July too in those days ( twice a week )

And there is little doubt ( Fred Harris talks about it in the Radio 4 series Trumpton Riots ) that ITV " taking children's programmes far more seriously " from 1983, forced the BBC's hand into updating Play School that September and ultimately getting rid of the afternoon repeat from 1985.