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Archive on 4: A Night to Remember

A Night to Remember

17/04/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, A Night to Remember

Anthony Howard celebrates 60 years of election results broadcasting on TV.

Veteran political journalist Anthony Howard celebrates 60 years of election results broadcasting on TV with a light-hearted look back at the drama, characters and cock-ups.

Election nights have always been full of high drama but it wasn't until 1950 that we began to see in all its brutal glory, exactly what effect our verdict can really have on our politicians.

60 years ago, the BBC tentatively embarked upon its very first televised coverage of British General Election results. It helped to shine a light on the personalities of the powerful and made major stars of some quite unlikely political anoraks, academics and journalists.

Political commentator Anthony Howard reflects on the highs and lows of election nights over the years as he replays some magic moments and finds out from some of the major players what it was like to be at the centre of history in the making. 

Archive of legendary presenters like Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day and Alistair Burnett is mixed with classic excerpts of some of the great political characters of election nights past. 

Anthony Howard himself has been appearing on TV election night specials for more than four decades and he reflects on his first appearance alongside a very young Nigel Lawson (then a journalist himself) in 1964.

A Night to Remember looks at how each election would bring ever more dramatic theme tunes and more and more sophisticated graphics. Peter Snow looks at how the swingometer became a regular feature while Sue Lawley reveals how she was once accused of stealing it! 

And then there's the cock ups and quirky moments, from Richard Dimbleby being forced to prove he's not wearing pyjamas to the break in proceedings in the mid 60s for the all-male BBC team to admire the young ladies in the studio.

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