Mark Braxton
@braxtm
Journalist, nostalgist, outdoorsist. Classic and current telly, archive posts. Radio Times writer, from Doctor Who to Detectorists and beyond.
Lighting up a room... Penelope Keith as Margo in tonight's episode of The Good Life, showing as part of a BBC Four tribute night from 8.00pm: www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-...
As Dad's Army is on the telly tonight (8.20pm BBC Two), here are the top five moments from the show, as voted for by you in a @radiotimes.bsky.social poll in 2018 for the 50th anniversary. No prizes for guessing what came top! #DadsArmy
The reluctant globetrotter... Remembering Terry-Thomas, born #OTD in 1911. Radio Times spoke to him in 1968 in Rome while filming Monte Carlo Or Bust! "I'd much rather be at home with my wife and family, woodcarving, gardening or painting," he said. This gorgeous photo © @radiotimes.bsky.social
In this fascinating feature from @radiotimes.bsky.social in 2001, Mackenzie Crook and Martin Freeman were asked to sum up their characters at Wernham Hogg. The show made the cover of Radio Times on its return for a second series. Happy 25th anniversary to The Office! 🎂 🖥️ #TheOfficeat25
Happy birthday to Polly James, photographed with her Liver Birds co-star Nerys Hughes on 12 December 1970 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
Remembering my first Doctor, Jon Pertwee, born #OTD in 1919. Photographed on the set of the #DoctorWho story The Mind of Evil in December 1970 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
Tales of the Riverbank, featuring Hammy Hamster, began #OTD in 1960. Last year Chris Packham kindly gave @radiotimes.bsky.social his thoughts on this children's classic...
Holy smoke. A photo that sums up his character and humour rather wonderfully. Taken on location in 1971 by Richard Farley for @radiotimes.bsky.social. Dave Allen Night is on BBC Four from 9pm.
"Here comes summer! And that means some hard work in the garden before John, Lesley and Peter start their foreign expedition." That was Blue Peter #OTD 50 years ago. Photo of John Noakes, Lesley Judd and Peter Purves taken on 10 June 1976 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
Jack of all trades... Be reminded of Jack Hargreaves' affable charm in Further Out of Town on Rewind TV right now and also this afternoon at 4.25pm. @radiotimes.bsky.social
"John, quite rightly, expects very hard work from the cast. That's how he achieves the very high standards that he gets. If it's not right, we do it again. But it's nice to work with someone that you respect." Prunella Scales, born #OTD in 1932, talking to @radiotimes.bsky.social about Fawlty Towers
The house where Bagpuss came to life... It's now up for sale, and I hope the purchaser treats it with reverence. This is why I think they should – my article first published by @radiotimes.bsky.social in 2015: www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/pet...
Comedy linchpin...remembering Barry Took, who co-wrote The Army Game and Round the Horne, but also brought together Monty Python; the BBC even referred to their proposed show as Barry Took’s Flying Circus. 1972 photo with Bill Maynard, Willie Rushton and John Cleese taken by @radiotimes.bsky.social.
Two Eds are better than one... Remembering Ed Bishop, born #OTD in 1932, who played Ed Straker in Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's series UFO. Photo, taken with Sylvia during production, courtesy of sylviaanderson.co.uk. @radiotimes.bsky.social' tribute to UFO is here: www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/uf...
Happy birthday to David Troughton 🎂 Photographed on location by @radiotimes.bsky.social as the hilariously awful Bob Buzzard in A Very Peculiar Practice, which is currently enjoying a renaissance on BBC iPlayer and BBC Four.
You Are Not Alone... I haven't enjoyed a book as much in a long time. Patrick Mulkern's sparkling social history is fascinating, moving and often hilarious. It's impeccably researched and structured, intelligent and empathetic. Bravo, Patrick! ❤️ tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com
Back to the beginning... Space sitcom Red Dwarf begins on U&Gold tonight from 10pm. This is how the first episode was billed in @radiotimes.bsky.social on 15 February 1988.
Many will experience a pang of nostalgia today when Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) is shown on Rewind TV, starting with the very first episode, at 12 noon and 8pm. What a trio Kenneth Cope, Mike Pratt and Annette Andre were. @radiotimes.bsky.social
Memory Lane... There's a welcome tribute to the prolific comedy writer Carla Lane tonight at 8pm on BBC Four. Photos of her with The Liver Birds stars Nerys Hughes and Elizabeth Estensen taken by Allan Ballard for @radiotimes.bsky.social in 1975.
Diamond geezers... The Goon Show began life as Crazy People #OTD 75 years ago. This marvellous photo of Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan was taken by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social in 1957 (Michael Bentine left in 1952).
It's about time... Happy McGanniversary! Doctor Who (The Movie) was first shown by the BBC #OTD 30 years ago. Photo taken by Marc Bryan-Brown for @radiotimes.bsky.social Read about Sylvester McCoy's handover to Paul McGann here: www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do...
And this was the concluding part of a BBC radio documentary on this weekend in 1976.