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1st December 1995 Kaleidoscope Corrects the BBC! The BBC now have a more accurate knowledge of one of their most popular programmes, thanks to Kaleidoscope researcher Simon Coward. The Radio Times for 2-8 December 1995 featured a letter from Simon (below) complaining about inaccuracies in an article previewing the repeat season of Not the Nine O'Clock News, shown recently on BBC2: NEWS UPDATE LIKE MOST WHO remember Not The Nine O'Clock News, I agree that the later series were probably the best, but I am nevertheless disappointed that the current run of compilation programmes and the accompanying article (RT 21 October) appear to be ignoring the early episodes altogether. The article states that that the series "began its life as a satirical review by four unknowns" and lists Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, Pamela Stephenson and Rowan Atkinson as its stars. Not so. In the first series, Griff Rhys Jones did not appear until the latter stages - it actually began with Chris Langham as one of the fab four. Even stranger is the notion that we might easily be remembering a completely different line-up for the programme. The first series of NTNON was originally scheduled for April 1979, and the only member of the regular team on that series was Rowan Atkinson. He was to be accompanied by Chris Emmett, Christopher Godwin, John Gorman and Jonathan Hyde. Unfortunately, a general election got in the way and no programmes were broadcast. Simon Coward, Dudley, West Midlands. Unfortunately (and suspiciously), the episode transmitted immediately after Simon sent his letter featured a Chris Langham sketch, but the point was nevertheless made. Interestingly, I can confirm that we would indeed have a very different memory of Not the Nine O'Clock News had it carried on as originally intended. As part of the ongoing research for Kaleidoscope's Pilot Error season, I recently viewed the untransmitted pilot programme at the British Film Institute. Planned for transmission a week after the final Fawlty Towers in the same timeslot, it begins with a cameo by Basil Fawlty, who protests in no uncertain terms that he is not going to do the show this week! The sight of unfamiliar regulars, largely out of vision or behind bizarre pre-Spitting Image politician masks, is difficult to accept, but the programme still had the same intelligent wit and daring edge that we all know and love and is a fascinating glimpse into what might have been. AP/SC |
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