About this season
Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast mainly on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The programme was the successor to the long-running arts-based series 'Monitor'. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 Bafta awards. Among the series' best remembered documentaries are Cracked Actor, a profile of David Bowie, and Rene Magritte, a graduate film by David Wheatley, 'Madonna: Behind the American dream', a film produced by Nadia Hagger, and a profile of the British film director Ridley Scott. For a season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. The series was replaced by 'Imagine' hosted by Alan Yentob.
Episodes (15)
1. Douglas Adams: The Man Who Blew Up the World
Aired 4 August 2001
2. David Hockney: A Secret Knowledge
Aired 13 October 2001
3. Empire of the Nude
Aired 27 October 2001
4. Joan Plowright: When Larry Met Joan
Aired 3 November 2001
5. The 'Billy Elliot' Boy
Aired 6 November 2001
Recording Jamie Bell's progress from unknown schoolboy to award-winning star of "Billy Elliot".
6. Frank Auerbach
Aired 10 November 2001
7. Anthony Trollope
Aired 13 November 2001
8. Chuck Jones: Mr Bugs Bunny
Aired 17 November 2001
A UK broadcast of Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation (2000).
9. Lucille Ball Queen of Comedy
Aired 20 November 2001
10. Syd Barrett: Crazy Diamond
Aired 24 November 2001
"The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story" (video release title) tells the full bizarre, tragic, but also celebratory story of Syd Barrett, the co-founder of Pink Floyd. With contributions from friends, managers, lovers and of course the members of Pink Floyd themselves. The film includes rare early television appearances of Pink Floyd and home movies too.
11. Tolkien: The Master of Middle Earth
Aired 22 December 2001
12. J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and Me
Aired 28 December 2001
For the first time J.K. Rowling tells in her own words the story of how the bestselling books of Harry Potter came to life.
13. Mario Testino: Diana's Favourite Photographer
Aired 30 January 2002
14. Robert Altman in England
Aired 2 February 2002
15. Sir Nigel Hawthorne: Remembered
Aired 3 February 2002