About this season
The often-hilarious stories of the BBC's first 50 years. The corporation's pioneers describe its evolution – which was often by accident rather than design.
Episodes (3)
1. Accident and Opportunity
Aired 22 October 2022 • 89 min
The eyewitnesses and participants in the BBC’s early history recount some of the triumphs and disasters as new frontiers of broadcasting were mapped out – often by accident rather than design.
2. Building the Audience
Aired 29 October 2022 • 89 min
BBC TV’s first female newsreader, Nan Winton, tells the story of how she was sacked, and staff from the BBC’s monitoring service explain the role they played in defusing the Cuban Missile Crisis.
3. Shooting the Rapids
Aired 3 March 2024 • 87 min
The story of how the BBC struggled to be impartial at critical moments in British history and how it handled social changes in Britain after the Second World War.