Sunday Night is Music Night

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BBC Radio 2 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Light Programme.

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Music: Easy Listening, Soundtracks & Musicals

The world's longest-running live orchestral programme featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra

The world's longest-running live orchestral music programme on radio, featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and broadcast from locations throughout the UK

Sunday Night is Music Night: 80th anniversary of TV service

80th anniversary of TV service

BBC Radio 2 - Sunday Night is Music Night, 80th anniversary of TV service

John Humphrys presents a special concert to celebrate 80 years of British television.

John Humphrys presents a special concert to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first regular television service, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Gavin Sutherland.

As the BBC celebrates its centenary and reflects on 100 years of broadcasting, another chance to hear John Humphrys present a special concert first broadcast to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first regular television service in 2016.

'Your Name: John Humphrys
Occupation: Journalist and broadcaster
And your specialist subject: 80 years of British television...1936 to the present day'

It all started on 2nd November 1936 from a make-shift studio in the south east wing of Alexandra Palace in North London. Ally Pally as it was and still is known today. It wasn't a new invention by any means - experiments had been on going around the world since the 1850s to perfect and broadcast television pictures. In this country, the work of John Logie Baird pushed the way forward and this November day was momentous as it marked the start of the world's first regular television service and it was called BBC Television. This title was to last until the arrival of the BBC's second television channel in 1964 and this first channel was re-named - BBC One. 

Since then, of course, there's been a media revolution - you can catch up; download and watch online. But the last 80 years produced a wealth of comedy, drama, music, documentary, sport, natural history and news programmes.

Tonight's concert includes musical themes from 'Quatermass', 'Monitor', 'Poldark', 'Mastermind', 'Vision On', 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' and 'Blue Planet', performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Gavin Sutherland. 

And casting an inquisitive eye and ear over the proceedings, and no doubt adding the occasional pithy comment, is John Humphrys.

During the interval we revisit Alexandra Palace to discover some more television history.

First broadcast in 2016.

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

Radio 2: Amazing music. Played by an amazing line-up. The home of great music, entertainment and documentaries

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