Remembers… Season 3, Episode 4: Alan Yentob Remembers... Orson Welles

Dame Darcey Bussell on... The Magic of Dance

Renowned ballet dancer Dame Darcey Bussell introduces us to a gem from the BBC’s dance archives, The Magic of Dance, which was first transmitted in 1979 to great acclaim and is presented by celebrated ballet dancer, the unforgettable Margot Fonteyn. Darcey describes her favourite moments of the series, including a tap masterclass with the ever-cool Sammy Davis Jr, a beautiful routine by celebrated Latvian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and a glimpse of pioneer of modern dance Isadora Duncan.

Penelope Keith Remembers... To the Manor Born

Penelope Keith casts an affectionate eye back on the much-loved sitcom To the Manor Born and her role as upper-class Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, who finds herself down on her luck and forced to change her circumstances and home after the death of her husband. Penelope tells the story behind how the comedy came into being, what it was like working with fellow cast members Angela Thorne and Peter Bowles, and the challenges she faced taking on a new role after the huge success she’d enjoyed playing Margo in The Good Life.

Andrew Davies Remembers... Pride and Prejudice

Andrew Davies looks back on Pride and Prejudice (1995) and talks about how he adapted the story from Jane Austen's classic novel.

Waris Hussein Remembers... A Passage to India

In 1965, a young Waris Hussein was perhaps the only experienced Indian director working in British television and was horrified when he discovered that the BBC was planning a TV adaptation of EM Forster’s A Passage to India without him at the helm. As luck would have it, a twist of fate meant he did end up in the director’s chair. Waris shares fond memories of his experiences, describing the filming challenges involved in portraying a true sense of India, recalling what it was like working with a stellar cast that included the likes of Dame Sybil Thorndike, Cyril Cusak and Virginia McKenna, and outlining the pressure to do full justice to one of the great novels of the 20th century.

Mel Brooks and Me - by Alan Yentob

As BBC Four marks the 50th anniversary of the classic film comedy ‘Blazing Saddles’, Alan Yentob looks back on his experiences working with the great Mel Brooks, recently presented with an Honorary Oscar in recognition of a boundary-breaking career that shocked audiences, but always left them laughing too. Here Alan reflects on what it was like being a producer encountering the comic genius who created ‘The Producers’ and how his and Mel’s working relationship quickly developed into something that one newspaper critic once described as nothing less than a love story.

6 min

Claire Bloom Remembers… Anna Karenina

Claire Bloom introduces a rare screening of the BBC’s 1961 adaptation of Anna Karenina, in which she delivers one of her own personal favourite performances, playing Tolstoy’s tragic heroine. Claire recalls the challenges involved in bringing 'the world’s greatest novel' to the small screen, assesses how successfully the drama captured Anna’s tale and shares her memories of acting opposite a relatively unknown co-star called Sean Connery, who was cast as Anna’s charismatic lover, Vronsky, not long before James Bond turned him into an international superstar.

13 min

Miriam Margolyes Remembers… Cold Comfort Farm

National treasure Miriam Margolyes looks back on her role in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of one of the much-loved jewels of 20th-century British literature, Stella Gibbons’s 1930s comic classic, Cold Comfort Farm. Directed by John Schlesinger, who won an Oscar for Midnight Cowboy, the drama brought together an impressive ensemble cast that included Ian McKellen, Eileen Atkins, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry and two up-and-coming stars, Kate Beckinsale and Rufus Sewell. Having only watched the drama for the first time recently, Miriam delivers a typically forthright assessment on how she thinks it turned out, critiques the performances of her fellow cast members and shares some fond memories of the overall filming experience.

14 min

Alan Yentob Remembers… Ella Fitzgerald

Alan Yentob shares the fascinating story of how the 1974 broadcast of the great Ella Fitzgerald singing in Ronnie Scott’s nightclub came about. In a tale of tenacity combined with new camera technology, Alan recounts how, as a young TV producer, he managed to persuade Ella’s manager to let the BBC film Ella in full flight at London’s home of jazz, capturing forever what is now considered to be a performance of true musical significance.

7 min

William Gaunt and Marcia Warren Remember… No Place Like Home

Actors William Gaunt and Marcia Warren reunite for a look back at No Place Like Home, the BBC sitcom that ran from 1983 to 1987, and which made them two of the most popular TV stars of the day. William played Arthur Crabtree, a father of four who is looking forward to the freedom of having his children finally leave home, now struggling to come to terms with the realisation that their fleeing the nest seems increasingly unlikely to ever happen. Marcia was the Crabtree’s nosey, noisy and animal-obsessed neighbour Vera Botting – another fly in Arthur’s ointment. Off screen, William and Marcia were firm friends, who now come together to remember their experiences of making the series and share some fond memories of life behind the scenes on a hit TV comedy.

11 min

Paul Abbott Remembers… Clocking Off

Acclaimed screenwriter Paul Abbott tells the story behind the creation of his 2000 Bafta-winning drama series Clocking Off, which ran for four series until 2003. Set in a Manchester textile factory, each episode focused on the home life, relationships and struggles of a different individual character. The series was notable for its incredible casting, featuring an ensemble of some of the biggest stars of the day and an impressive selection of young actors who would go on to become some of television’s most recognisable faces. Among a long list of acting talent were the likes of Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, Christopher Eccleston, John Simm, Philip Glenister, Maxine Peake, Diane Parish, Lesley Sharp and Sophie Okonedo. Paul looks back on how he and the team managed to bring them together with a collection of stories that captured the experiences of the north of England at the turn of the century, and made for truly compelling viewing.

14 min

Siân Phillips, Waris Hussein and Moira Armstrong Remember… Shoulder to Shoulder

Siân Phillips is joined by directors Moira Armstrong and Waris Hussein to look back on the 1974 drama series Shoulder to Shoulder, which told the story of the Pankhurst family and the birth of the women’s suffrage movement. Over six episodes, the series followed the challenges that faced the Pankhursts as they launched the fight for women's right to vote. Siân took on the key role of matriarch Emmeline Pankhurst, while Moira and Waris shared directing responsibilities. The trio recall the challenges they themselves faced bringing this crucial slice of British history to life and doing justice to the story of the struggle. They also share fond memories of working with one of the key figures behind the series’ success, acclaimed BBC producer Verity Lambert.

19 min

Mary Beard Remembers… Civilisation

Mary Beard delivers a personal introduction to Kenneth Clark’s landmark 1969 series, Civilisation, which became one of the most acclaimed and influential programmes ever made, bringing art history to the audiences of millions both in the UK and, notably, in America too. Here, Mary describes the programme’s influence on her as a young girl and how it helped set her on the journey that led to her own highly successful career. She also considers the series from a 21st-century perspective, highlighting the changes that have occurred in the world of academic history since it was first transmitted and revealing how Clark’s conclusions - and even his much-praised performances in front of the camera - can still divide critics and historians to this day.

10 min

Peter Egan Remembers… A Perfect Spy

Peter Egan looks back on the BBC’s 1987 adaptation of John le Carre’s A Perfect Spy, one of the writer’s most acclaimed novels, dramatised a year after the book’s publication. Egan starred as British intelligence officer and double agent Magnus Pym, in a role that was a departure from the comedies he was best known for. Here, he talks about the making of A Perfect Spy, the challenges that came with adapting the work of such an acclaimed writer and what he hopes viewers coming to the drama for the first time will take from their viewing experience today.

14 min

Helen Mirren Remembers… Blue Remembered Hills

Dame Helen Mirren looks back on her role in Dennis Potter’s seminal 1979 TV drama Blue Remembered Hills, one of the best-known episodes of the BBC’s much-admired Play for Today series. The drama famously featured adult actors taking on the roles of seven-year-old children as they explore, play and fight during a day of adventure in the Forest of Dean, where Potter himself spent time as a boy. The unusual casting was a deliberate choice of Potter’s that aimed to challenge conventional ideas around the innocence of childhood, and here Dame Helen describes how they prepared for the roles, the effect that playing children had on the group and why it still remains one of the productions that she is most proud of.

14 min

Wendy Craig Remembers… Butterflies

Carla Lane’s Butterflies was one of the best-loved sitcoms of the 1970s, following the life of frustrated housewife Ria, living in a male-dominated household with her husband Ben and two sons, Adam and Russell, and tempted by the potential excitement of an affair with successful businessman Leonard. Wendy Craig starred as Ria, and here she looks back fondly on her experiences working with Carla Lane and the cast, the response from male viewers to the possibility that Ria might commit adultery, and how she became television’s most notoriously dreadful cook, yet still managed to publish a best-selling cookbook.

13 min

Roy Clarke Remembers… A Foreign Field

Writer Roy Clarke is the man responsible for some of the BBC’s longest running and most popular sitcoms: Open All Hours, Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine. Despite the success of those series, the piece he’s proudest of is A Foreign Field, a one-off drama telling the story of war veterans returning to the beaches of France, remembering not just fallen comrades, but also their romantic escapades back in the day. Here Roy tells the story of how A Foreign Field came to life, the role that the great Sir Alec Guinness played in getting the drama off the ground and his feelings on seeing one of his scripts being performed by a cast of film icons - not just Sir Alec, but also French screen legend Jeanne Moreau and one of the greats of Hollywood’s golden age, Lauren Bacall.

12 min

Renny Rye Remembers… Karaoke

Director Renny Rye looks back on the part he played in Karaoke, one of television’s most unusual commissions – a unique collaboration between the BBC and Channel 4, engineered by the writing force that was the late Dennis Potter. Karaoke, along with its sister piece, Cold Lazarus, was broadcast in 1996 on both channels as a tribute to Potter – the man behind someone of British television’s most celebrated and groundbreaking moments – who had written both dramas in the knowledge that he was soon to die of cancer. Here, Renny Rye discusses how Karaoke fits alongside Potter’s other celebrated screenplays, looks back on the pressures that he faced in bringing Potter’s final works to reality and recalls his experiences working with an extraordinary cast, made up of some of the best of British acting talent, including Albert Finney, Keeley Hawes, Richard E Grant, Julie Christie, Anna Chancellor and Saffron Burrows.

16 min

Don Warrington and Tony Jordan Remember… Death in Paradise

For over ten years and more than 100 episodes, Death in Paradise has delivered fans an irresistible cocktail of sun, sea and sin - demonstrating through a succession of murder mysteries that the ugly side of human nature is ever present, even in the beautiful setting of the Caribbean. Watching over events from the very start and overseeing the activities of the show’s changing cast of leading detective inspectors has been Police Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, played by the much-loved actor Don Warrington. Here, Don joins forces with acclaimed TV writer and producer of Death in Paradise Tony Jordan to look back on the show’s origins, share some stories from behind the scenes and discuss what it is - beside the beaches and blue skies - that has made the series such an enduring hit.

18 min

Eileen Atkins Remembers… She Fell Among Thieves

Dame Eileen Atkins takes us back to 1920s France and a fantastic world of foul play, chateaus, dungeons and fast cars in Tom Sharpe’s 1978 adaptation of Dornford Yates's She Fell Among Thieves. Atkins’s performance as the villainous Vanity Fair, where she starred alongside Malcolm McDowell, was among the most sinister and scene-chewing of her career. Here, she recalls how this tale of mystery and murder was brought to life by the deadly femme fatale who always had her claws out and her tongue wedged firmly in her cheek.

10 min

Remembering… The Cops

In 1998, the BBC unveiled its latest look at the world of crime and policing, a new series called The Cops. Set in an unnamed northern town, it was gritty, hard-hitting and uncompromising, capturing a world where the line between criminal and crime-fighter is thin as well as blue. Many viewers were at first unsure if they had sat through a drama or a documentary, thanks in no small part to the talents of the cast of actors playing a team of police officers under pressure. Here, two members of that cast, Katy Cavanagh-Jupe and John Henshaw, look back on their experiences on the show – Katy on her role as party-loving new recruit Mel, and John on his time as Roy, the hard-faced old-timer who likes helping justice along with a clip around the ear. Together, Katy and John discuss the joys of improvisation for an actor, the personal touches they brought to their characters and the pride that came with being part of a show that won instant acclaim from critics and audiences alike.

15 min

Eileen Atkins Remembers… Mrs Dalloway

In 1997, the film version of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway was released in cinemas, based on a screenplay by Dame Eileen Atkins and with her friend Vanessa Redgrave playing the title role, a party-throwing socialite remembering the freedoms of her younger life. Here, we join Eileen Atkins looking back just as her heroine does – telling the story of her lifelong fascination with Woolf and recalling how she took on the challenge of adapting of one of the 20th century’s great novels for the big screen, and ended up winning the praise of the critics of the day, who called the resulting film ‘sensitive’, ‘delicate’ and ‘compelling’.

13 min

Gloria Hunniford Remembers… Doris Day

In the 1950s and 60s, Doris Day ranked amongst cinema’s biggest box office stars, thanks to roles in films such as musical Calamity Jane, Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much, and especially a string of hit romantic comedies, including the classic Pillow Talk. Amongst the movie icon’s millions of fans across the world was a young Gloria Hunniford, who in 1995, years after Doris had unexpectedly stepped back from Hollywood and swapped fame for anonymity, was invited to Doris’s home in Carmel, USA, for an exclusive opportunity to interview her heroine. Here, ahead of a special screening of that rare interview, Gloria draws back the curtain on her encounter with one of cinema’s great female idols and shares her memories of how the meeting came together, and the special behind-the-scenes moments that TV viewers of the day never got to see.

15 min

Trevor Eve Remembers… Waking the Dead

From its first appearance on our screens in 2000, Waking the Dead had viewers gripped by the activities of Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd and the ‘cold case’ unit he led, investigating unsolved murders from the past with the help of the forensics and psychological profiling experts within his team. Playing DS Boyd over nine series and for eleven years was actor Trevor Eve, who here casts his own forensic eye over the past - looking back on how the series came together, explaining the psychology needed to stay fresh in a high profile role for such a sustained period of time, and analysing what it was like to be part of a series that was such a hit with audiences in the UK and across the world for so long.

13 min

GF Newman Remembers… Law and Order

In 1978, the BBC crime drama Law and Order so shocked the nation with its realistic depiction of a police force riddled with corruption that questions were asked in the House of Commons, the BBC’s director general was summoned by ministers to explain himself, and the programme was effectively banned from being broadcast again for 30 years. The man who helped television escape the dramatic handcuffs of shows like Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars was Law and Order’s writer and creator GF Newman, who here looks back on both the series and the controversy. Newman recounts how secrecy and intrigue played a part in getting the drama onto our screens, explains where he found the inspiration for his groundbreaking storylines and characters, reveals how real police officers responded to the show and concludes why he believes the themes of Law and Order remain relevant to this day.

13 min

David Olusoga Remembers… Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners

Historian, author and presenter David Olusoga looks back on how his 2015 documentary Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners helped shine a light on the extent of Britain's involvement in the slave trade and the repercussions that has had on our country right up to modern day. David looks at how research undertaken by a team at University College London revealed the true extent of the number of people in Britain who owned enslaved people, and how it was actually far more widespread than anyone had previously realised. He also emphasises that many people were unaware that the compensation paid at the end of slavery was not to the slaves themselves, but to their owners. David discusses how the documentary acted as a precursor to the toppling of statues of slave owners around the UK and how it helped facilitate a wider dialogue about how we should look more critically and openly as a nation at our past in order to move forward.

14 min

Richard Harrington Remembers… Hinterland

Actor Richard Harrington looks back on his role as DCI Tom Mathias in Hinterland, the acclaimed crime drama set in Aberystwyth that took a groundbreaking approach to language barriers and inclusivity by filming the entire series in both English and Welsh. Richard outlines the challenges that presented for him and recalls how Hinterland’s gorgeous cinematography and scenes, filmed in some of Wales’s most extraordinary landscapes, elevated the series into something truly special. He also recalls the show’s dramatic impact on his own personal circumstances - helping to inspire his love of cross-country running at a time when it helped him deal with a family tragedy, and as the setting for meeting the fellow cast member who would eventually become his partner and soulmate.

17 min

Roy Clarke Remembers… Keeping Up Appearances

Acclaimed comedy writer Roy Clarke has an extraordinary legacy when it comes to popular British sitcoms - creating Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and the classic comedy that he looks back on here, Keeping Up Appearances – the series that introduced the world to the extraordinary Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced, of course, ‘Bouquet’). Roy speaks of the relief he felt when learning that the acting force of nature that is Patricia Routledge had agreed to play the part of Hyacinth, and how having her onboard fed into the character’s development over the series. He also celebrates the crucial role played by the supporting cast, explains why the series eventually had to come to an end and shares a personal view of his famous creation – Mrs Bucket may be a nightmare, but Roy really rather likes her.

14 min

Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong and James Bolam Remember… New Tricks

Amanda Redman, James Bolam and Alun Armstrong, who formed the first incarnation of UCOS (Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad), look back on police comedy drama series New Tricks.

16 min

Richard Eyre Remembers… Country

Celebrated theatre, film and television director Richard Eyre has forged links with some of Britain’s finest writers - one of the most notable being Trevor Griffiths, whose landmark piece, Comedians, he directed, as well as this prescient and still relevant production, Country. Set on the night of the Labour Party’s momentous election victory in 1945, Country contains the rage and compassion for which Griffiths was well known. Richard takes us through the genesis of the project and recalls how persuading Leo McKern to play the part of Sir Frederick Carlion unlocked the door to the stellar cast that followed. He talks of Griffiths’s belief in the power of television to make arguments and tells us about the surprising links between Country and The Godfather!

14 min

Peter Davison Remembers… Campion

British screen legend Peter Davison sits down to give us an invaluable insight into the iconic 1989-1990 mystery drama series Campion, the BBC’s second adaptation of Margery Allingham’s highly celebrated set of detective novels. In a string of mysteries that call for a Lagonda-fuelled romp through 1930s England, Campion captivated audiences with its imaginative storytelling and string of inspired characters. Davison reveals how he embodied Campion’s gleaming eccentricities, what the preparation was like for his third leading role in a major BBC series, following on from his successes in Doctor Who and A Very Peculiar Practice, and what it was like to be immersed in the world of one of Britain’s most-loved authors from the golden age of detective fiction.

13 min

Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small Remember… The Inspector Lynley Mysteries

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries first appeared on our screens in 2001 and had viewers instantly hooked by the combination of puzzling crimes and murder investigations, spiced up with the added clash-of-class relationship between its two main cast members: Nathaniel Parker, as DI Thomas Linley, 8th Earl of Asherton, and Sharon Small, as his far less sophisticated Detective Sergeant, Barbara Havers. We join Nathaniel and Sharon as they look back on the series, their roles and those of some very familiar guest stars, and the unique chemistry the pair managed to create over the years that helped make the show a favourite with fans of crime drama over six impressive series.

18 min

Dame Maureen Lipman Remembers… The Evacuees

Dame Maureen Lipman shares her experiences of playing her own mother-in-law in the TV film The Evacuees, an autobiographical account written by her late husband Jack Rosenthal of his experiences as a young evacuee in wartime. Lipman discusses the depths of Rosenthal's touching, funny and political play, which documents the experiences of two young Jewish brothers as they navigate life in the cold, unfeeling home of Mr and Mrs Graham. Directed by Alan Parker as one of his first full length features, Maureen talks about working with the then up-and-coming director, and how his filmic touch made this Play for Today something truly special. A moving account of Jewish working class life during wartime, The Evacuees won an International Emmy and a Bafta on its release, and Lipman explores how its themes are still relevant today.

15 min

Dame Patricia Routledge Remembers… Keeping Up Appearances

Dame Patricia Routledge recalls how the character of Hyacinth Bucket first entered her life and looks back on the part she played in bringing to life one of TV’s most formidable comedy characters. She describes the pleasures of working with her fellow cast members, shares her thoughts on why Hyacinth’s husband Richard endured all the years with his social-climbing wife, and explains why – despite her fondness for every element of the programme – it was she who eventually decided to call time on the show, when all others would have loved for it to continue.

15 min

Dame Patricia Routledge Remembers… Miss Pym's Day Out

Miss Pym's Day Out saw Dame Patricia Routledge portray legendary author Barbara Pym in an RTS Award-winning episode of Bookmark, set on the day of the 1977 Booker Prize Awards, of which Pym’s Quartet in Autumn was nominated. The novel marked a huge revival and interest in Pym’s work after 16 years, and in this introduction, Patricia gives us a sense of what it was like to tell this incredible story, from the encounters with Pym’s family that were involved in the project, to reading the diary entries and letters included in the script.

4 min

Dame Patricia Routledge Remembers… Hetty Wainthropp Investigates

Dame Patricia explains what attracted her to playing the woman who discovers an extraordinary talent for sleuthing in her sixties, cracking the case where all else fail, and why such roles are so vital in an industry that places a focus on youth over experience. The contrasts between Hetty and Hyacinth Bucket were a huge part of the appeal, and Patricia shares her thoughts on why the sort of variety the series presented is so important to her as an actor. She also shares her affection for her fellow cast members and her disdain for the BBC bosses who presented her and Hetty with a case they never managed to solve – the mystery around why the programme was cancelled in its prime, and how they managed to break the news to her quite so incompetently.

9 min

Dame Patricia Routledge Remembers… Talking Heads

Talking Heads was Alan Bennett’s acclaimed series of one-off tele-plays, written specifically for a selection of some of his favourite actors, including the great Dame Patricia Routledge. Here, Patricia recalls what it was like to receive the scripts that were so perfectly suited to her comic abilities: A Woman of No Importance, A Lady of Letters and Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet. She describes the challenges of bringing three unique characters to life for television, reveals which of her three episodes was her least favourite, and shares the feelings of delight that Bennett’s writing gave her, and her appreciation of his mastery of language – a quality that has always been of utmost importance throughout her career.

9 min

Jed Mercurio and Martin Compston Remember… Line of Duty

Line of Duty creator, writer and showrunner, Jed Mercurio, and leading cast member Martin Compston, aka DI Steve Arnott, enter the interrogation room, press the record button, and once the famous beep has signalled, it is time to begin as they grill each other on their personal memories and experiences of being assigned to the BBC’s record-breaking cop corruption series. How did Martin get cast in the first place? What is Jed’s approach to the writing of each series? What are their thoughts on the show’s phenomenal success? And is the work of AC-12 really over, or will Martin ever need to be fitted for a new waistcoat, worthy of a return for a potential new series?

29 min

Sally Wainwright Remembers… Happy Valley

Writer Sally Wainwright looks back on the origins of her Bafta-winning drama Happy Valley, which first appeared on the nation’s TV screens in 2014, and instantly established itself as one of the great television experiences of recent years. With a cast led by Sarah Lancashire, James Norton and Siobhan Finneran, it was a case of characters, crime and countryside all combining beautifully to create unmissable television, that has continued to hook millions of viewers. Here, Sally reveals just how happy those early days of Happy Valley really were - sharing the inside story of how the show first came together, the challenges faced in those early days and the pressures of living up to expectations once the series had established itself as an acclaimed success.

19 min

Peter Kosminsky Remembers… The Project

As a new Labour government settles into power with a huge majority under Keir Starmer, director Peter Kosminsky considers this an ideal time to revisit and reflect on the lessons to be learned from his 2002 BBC drama The Project. The two-part series told the fictional story of the MPs and activists behind Tony Blair’s election victory in 1997 and focused on their challenges, love affairs and personality clashes that were all a vital part of the Labour Party’s success at the ballot boxes after years stuck in opposition. The Project featured an exciting young cast that included future stars like Matthew Macfadyen and Naomie Harris, and here Peter looks back on casting them as well as exploring why this was the particular story that he chose to tell and the importance of the show’s much-missed screenwriter, the late Leigh Jackson.

19 min

Alison O'Donnell Remembers… Shetland

As fans prepare for the arrival of series nine of the BBC’s long-running crime drama Shetland, actor Alison O’Donnell, who plays the much-loved character Tosh, takes an affectionate look back on the series. She recalls how she got the part and her experiences of working on the show – from the instant rapport she struck up with leading man Douglas Henshall to fake-vomiting in episode one with mouthfuls of cold potato soup, courtesy of the props department. Alison also talks about the challenges that came when cast and crew all thought Shetland was coming to an end in series seven and the experience of swapping Douglas for new leading lady Ashley Jensen when the news came that the show would be running well into next year… and beyond?

19 min

Philip Glenister and Matthew Graham Remember… Life on Mars

Philip Glenister fires up the Cortina GXL one more time and takes a trip back in time to reflect on the hugely popular 1970s-set drama series Life on Mars, with writer and creator Matthew Graham joining him for the ride. Together, they discuss the challenges of recreating the 70s, analyse why Life on Mars seemed to grab the public’s imagination from the very beginning, and share their memories of creating and playing one of television’s greatest unreconstructed tough men: hard-drinking, chain-smoking, skull-cracking DCI Gene Hunt.

29 min

Edward Mirzoeff Remembers… 40 Minutes

Edward Mirzoeff, former BBC executive documentary producer and series editor of flagship series 40 Minutes, looks back on his time at the helm of one of the most innovative and exciting strands of documentary-making ever to appear on British television. Mirzoeff recollects how the series came into being and how the format grew from observational storytelling into an important time capsule, capturing and documenting the everyday lives of ordinary British citizens like never before. He talks specifically about some of the standout films from the series, and the impact they had on him, the viewers and documentary film-making for years to come.

14 min

Simon Schama Remembers… Landscape and Memory

Sir Simon Schama’s first foray into TV presenting, Landscape and Memory, presented a unique take on the links between nature and art. The series was based on his 1995 book, about which he had said, 'If ever there was a book that was impossible to televise, this would be it.' He tells us how he was persuaded otherwise. Simon explains the background to this thought-provoking series, in which each episode had an aspect of nature - forests, seas, rivers and mountains - as its theme. We discover how it came to combine the imaginative use of a studio, stunning landscape shots and fascinating archive. Join us as we learn how a baby crocodile and some Nile toads helped explain why a mosaic of the flooded Nile ended up in Rome, how Simon discovered Tom Waits and how his love of film helped inspire some of the series’ standout moments.

19 min

Mick Jackson Remembers… Threads

Ahead of a rare rescreening of the BBC’s apocalyptic drama Threads, director and producer Mick Jackson looks back to 1984 and shares the story behind the creation of this acclaimed vision of Britain suffering the effects of nuclear war. Taking Sheffield as the focal point for the aftermath, the film was highly praised for its examination of the social, economic and environmental damage that such a war would bring and has been described as one of the most haunting and unforgettable dramas of the 1980s.

19 min

Angela Rippon Remembers… Top Gear

Angela Rippon buckles up for a trip down memory lane and checks the rear-view mirror before sharing her memories of working on the very first series of Top Gear. This was years before it became, in her eyes, all about the 'boys and their toys', yet she still offers a glimpse of the fun she had working on the show as an avowed car lover, and also how the experience she gained from one particular filming trip ended up saving her life.

4 min

Angela Rippon Remembers… Come Dancing

Angela Rippon’s love of dancing dates back to the ballet lessons she took as a young girl, and here – as she celebrates her 80th birthday – she looks back on the days when her profession and her passion came together perfectly, through her hosting role on the BBC’s long-running dance series Come Dancing. Angela shares memories of the joy she experienced working on the original Come Dancing series, how it would open the door to her collaborating with some of her great dance heroes and what it was like years later to re-ignite her love affair with dance, thanks to Strictly Come Dancing.

10 min

Christopher Timothy and Peter Davison Remember… All Creatures Great and Small

Actors Christopher Timothy and Peter Davison share their memories of working on the popular BBC drama series All Creatures Great and Small.

19 min

Joan Bakewell Remembers… Nelson Mandela in Heart of the Matter

Joan Bakewell looks back on what she describes as the greatest moment of her career, her scoop interview with Nelson Mandela as he left prison in 1990. She explains how the interview came about and how they beat news crews to the story - proving that, in this industry, contacts are everything. She describes meeting the man, imprisoned and silenced for 27 years, and how he relished the opportunity to send his message to the world.

8 min

Joan Bakewell Remembers… Marcel Duchamp in Late Night Line-Up

Joan Bakewell remembers her interview with legendary French artist and sculptor Marcel Duchamp, just months before his death in 1968. At a time when artists were unlikely talk show guests, Marcel came to Television Centre, armed with a couple of his sculptures, and proceeded to talk to Bakewell about his anarchic views on art and his influence on Cubism and the Dada movements, all through vast clouds of cigar smoke.

9 min

Peter McDougall Remembers… The Elephants' Graveyard

Playwright Peter McDougall looks back at his bittersweet Play for Today from 1976, which starred Billy Connolly.

11 min

Joan Bakewell Remembers… Bette Davis at the NFT

Joan Bakewell looks back fondly on her evening spent with the legendary screen actor Bette Davis in 1972. Joan was in awe of such an icon of the golden age of cinema but was careful not to let that put her off the job at hand. She talks about how they bonded backstage, and how Bette made a wonderful interviewee - kind, warm, interesting and totally delighted to speak to an audience of her fans.

9 min

Gemma Arterton Remembers… Tess of the D'Urbervilles

David Nicholls's 2008 adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles provided Gemma Arterton with her first lead role on television. She joined a cast of young talent, including Eddie Redmayne and Jodie Whitaker, as well as established names like Anna Massey and Kenneth Cranham. Gemma tells us how she got the part, the research she did for it and the skills she had to learn, such as riding a horse and milking a cow. She talks about her favourite scenes and the day Eddie Redmayne had to repeatedly carry four women across a flooded path. She discusses Nicholls’s adaptation, written before he made his name with novels like One Day and Us, and the book’s central themes: class, faith and misogyny, subjects which still hold relevance to this day.

14 min

Christopher Eccleston Remembers… Jude

Thomas Hardy’s classic story of class, love and familial heartbreak was so shocking at the time of its release that Hardy never wrote another novel. Christopher Eccleston looks back on the 1996 film version of Jude and how this tale from 1895 remains as relevant today as it was then. Jude’s struggle to pull himself out of his working class roots to gain a higher education holds real resonance with Christopher as he looks back on his own journey as an actor and reflects on how hard it is for those entering the industry today. Christopher fondly remembers his time working with actress Kate Winslet, at the very cusp of her rise to superstardom, and how director Michael Winterbottom saw the light and shade in this tale of grief and hardship.

19 min

Mary Beard Remembers… Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit

Professor Mary Beard is known for her explorations of the ancient world, but here looks back on her more recent past, and the making of her acclaimed four-part 2016 series Ultimate Rome. She explains how the series wasn’t just an education for her in regard to the Roman Empire, but also provided her with some valuable lessons in the art of film-making, and reveals some behind-the-scenes stories that will add new context for viewers of the main episodes – including the importance of pizza, and how her claim to be the first to wear an antique Roman helmet was way off the mark.

15 min

David Nicholls Remembers… Far from the Madding Crowd

Acclaimed novelist David Nicholls, perhaps best known for the best-selling One Day, looks back on the 2015 film of Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, starring Carey Mulligan as the headstrong heroine Bathsheba Everdene. As a huge Hardy fan, Nicholls outlines the challenges he faced adapting the novel into a modern screenplay, how he wrestled with decisions about what to leave out and whether that would upset fellow fans, and how John Schlesinger’s celebrated 1967 film, starring Julie Christie, impacted on his own approach to the story.

14 min

Don Cupitt Remembers… The Sea of Faith

Don Cupitt, one of Britain’s leading Christian philosophers, once described by the Church Times as 'an ecclesiastical version of Tony Benn', marks 40 years since the broadcasting of his seminal 1984 series, The Sea of Faith. Cupitt’s thought-provoking and challenging approach invited everyday viewers, as well as members of the Anglican clergy itself, to confront the reality of falling church attendances in the UK and to explore why and how attitudes to religion had changed over the years. Here, Cupitt recalls the impact of the series at a time when a programme dealing with major issues could still make the front cover of the Radio Times and considers where such debate is taking place today.

9 min

Martin Scorsese Remembers… Powell and Pressburger

Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese introduces the BBC’s much-anticipated season of films by the legendary team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Scorsese reveals why they resonate so strongly with him and are on his recommended list of essential viewing for any fan of cinema. The season features I Know Where I’m Going, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Red Shoes and A Matter of Life and Death - all seemingly a world away from what most movie-goers would associate with the director of Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas. But Powell and Pressburger rank amongst the biggest influences on Scorsese’s career, and here, he kicks off the season with a special explanation of why it’s so important for him to celebrate their work.

9 min

Renny Rye Remembers… The Box of Delights

Director Renny Rye looks back on the BBC TV adaptation of John Masefield's 1935 fantasy children's novel.

9 min

Timothy Spall Remembers… Benjamin Zephaniah

Actor Timothy Spall shares his memories of working alongside Benjamin on the 1992 comedy drama Dread Poets Society. This one-off production was inspired by the real-life outrage that followed Benjamin’s nomination to become an Oxford don and featured a cast that included Alan Cumming, Alex Jennings, Dexter Fletcher and Emma Fielding as the ghosts of Byron, Keats and Percy and Mary Shelley – while Benjamin was given the easier task of playing himself.

12 min

Dame Judi Dench Remembers… Talking to a Stranger

Dame Judi Dench shares her memories of Talking to a Stranger, the groundbreaking 1960s drama by celebrated Z-Cars creator John Hopkins. The four-part piece followed four members of an outwardly everyday suburban family that is hit by tragedy one weekend, with each episode focusing on the individual family members' perspective on events as they unfold. Amongst several stellar performances, Judi’s portrayal of Terry, the family’s troubled daughter, was the stand-out, earning her the first of her BAFTA awards and establishing her as an exciting new talent to watch for the future.

9 min

Dame Judi Dench Remembers… Mr and Mrs Edgehill

Dame Judi Dench looks back on her role in 1985s Mr and Mrs Edgehill, a one-off drama based on a Noel Coward short story, which saw her and Sir Ian Holm playing husband and wife Eustace and Dorrie Edgehill. Set around the start of World War II and filmed in Sri Lanka, the story follows the Edgehills as they change their plans to return home to the UK and instead take on a new set of responsibilities – a little too enthusiastically in the eyes of the British government. Here, Dame Judi recalls her experience of filming on the beaches of Sri Lanka, working with a close friend and creating the character of Dorrie, who turned out to be one of her favourites.

9 min

Mackenzie Crook Remembers... Detectorists

Mackenzie Crook shares what inspired him to write his hit series Detectorists - a funny and touching series about a group of metal detectorists (not detectors) in the fictional town of Danebury in Essex. Mackenzie describes how he intended his show to be a snapshot of everyday English life, the normalcy of male friendships and a celebration of Britain’s hobbyists. Mackenzie talks about how important the casting of the characters was in bringing his creation to life and how some unexpected advice from Ricky Gervais opened up a new directing career for him. Ten years on from the show’s first transmission, Mackenzie is ultimately delighted that his ‘gentle’ series is still finding new audiences and, most importantly, making people laugh.

19 min

Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais Remember… Porridge

Fifty years on from when the prison doors first slammed shut on Norman Stanley Fletcher, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais look back at a landmark British comedy. Dick and Ian explain the origins, how they nearly wrote a series about a gambling-mad Welsh family instead, and talk of the magical chemistry of the cast and the particularly close bond between Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale. They also tell us the tricks they used to get round the obligatory bad language in prison and how the claustrophobic setting at first intimidated and then inspired them. With references to their favourite characters and scenes, enjoy the freedom as you revel in tales of one of television history’s best-loved comedies.

29 min

Zoë Wanamaker Remembers… David Copperfield

Actor Zoë Wanamaker recalls the BBC's 1999 star-studded adaptation of the Dickens classic.

14 min

Derek Jacobi Remembers… Much Ado About Nothing

Sir Derek Jacobi looks back on the filmed version of Franco Zeffirelli’s famous 1960s production of Much Ado About Nothing - a performance that brought together Robert Stephens, in the role of Benedick, and his soon-to-be wife - the late, great Maggie Smith - in the key role of Beatrice. For years, this recording was considered to be ‘lost’ by Shakespeare fans and TV historians, until a copy was found in the US in 2010 and then restored. Here, Derek recalls how working under ‘Zeff’ with such an impressive cast made for one of his personal career highlights, helped in no small part by the presence of Dame Maggie onstage and the friendship they enjoyed behind the curtain.

14 min