Mark Braxton

Cliveden today.

Last of the Summer Wine was back for a new series #OTD 50 years ago, with a new line-up. Michael Bates who played Blamire, left due to health problems, so in came Brian Wilde as Foggy Dewhurst. Rehearsal photo taken in 1976 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

Before and after The Wall... Rolleregg was put forward as the spectator sport of the future in 2001 and a Bit, an episode of The Goodies that first aired #OTD 50 years ago. Photo of Graeme Garden taken on 1 April 1976 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

Radio Times was a guest of Blue Peter #OTD 50 years ago, with art editor David Driver choosing a cover for its Silver Jubilee Competition. The overall winner was five-year-old Nicola Griffin. A later programme showed how it all came together: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxjP... @radiotimes.bsky.social

Armchair theatre... A cosy "Fireside Issue" of @radiotimes.bsky.social from 50 years ago. The clever, Droste effect or mise en abyme illustration comes from the pen of Peter Brookes.

"Don't forget me?" And so we, and the Doctor, said farewell to Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) in the final part of the #DoctorWho story The Hand of Fear #OTD 50 years ago. Happily, she would return... www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do... @radiotimes.bsky.social

Hammer time... In case it's not widely known, the excellent documentary Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters is available on Amazon Prime Video. I reviewed it in 2024 and spoke to its producer Benjamin Field for @radiotimes.bsky.social www.radiotimes.com/tv/documenta... @imjamieanderson.bsky.social

Happy birthday to Anneke Wills. Pictured as Polly from #DoctorWho with Michael Craze as fellow companion Ben in 1973 for the @radiotimes.bsky.social Doctor Who tenth anniversary special. Photo taken by Allan Ballard at Cley Beach in Norfolk.

'Autumn Tapestries' by contemporary US painter Erin Hanson #WomensArt

The BBC's gripping PoW drama #Colditz began #OTD in 1972. Its abiding triumph was the episode Tweedledum, with Michael Bryant as the Brit feigning madness to escape (his plan proves too effective) and Bernard Kay a German with a personal connection. Both are superb. @radiotimes.bsky.social

"Jim was a brilliant film editor, with a real feel for comedy. He cut the film sequences in the first series, then became director. We admired him greatly and were very fond of him." Graeme Garden on "fourth Goodie" Jim Franklin, born #OTD in 1934. www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/go...

Let's go round again... Happy birthday to The Magic Roundabout, 61 today 🌸 Last year @radiotimes.bsky.social paid tribute to the magicians behind the Magic... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/mag...

Tree-mendous Kew Gardens.

The Liver Birds were back for a new series #OTD 50 years ago. Photo of stars Nerys Hughes and Elizabeth Estensen taken on 9 May 1976 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

How about it, Regal Picturehouse, Henley?

Pulp fiction... The Singing Detective is being shown, with a new introduction by Janet Suzman, from tonight at 10pm on BBC Four. Here's the beautiful original @radiotimes.bsky.social cover illustration by Mark Thomas.

Favourite companion... Happy birthday to bubbly Katy Manning, here playing Jo Grant on the set of the #DoctorWho story The Mind of Evil. Photographed in 1970 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social @manningofficial.bsky.social

Good morning.

Happy birthday to Nicola Bryant 🎂 photographed on 24 April 1986 during production of the #DoctorWho story The Trial of a Time Lord. Photo by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

Porridge: 50 Years of Laughs... Tonight at 7pm on 5. Photo of Patricia Brake, Ronnie Barker and June Ellis taken on 29 September 1974 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social, during rehearsals for Men without Women.

Brian Blessed, 90 today. Photographed pre-beard as PC "Fancy" Smith in Z Cars on the Ealing backlot on 12 December 1961, by @radiotimes.bsky.social.

Jacques Tati, born #OTD in 1907, who brought the great Monsieur Hulot to the world, photographed by Don Smith on 14 November 1971 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

"Jerry, I'm a married woman." "Well so am I." The neighbours cement their friendship with some Peapod Burgundy in the Good Life episode The Wind-Break War, first seen #OTD 50 years ago. Photo of Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington taken in 1975 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

Left speechless... The Goodies indulged in a spot of mime #OTD 50 years ago. Location photo taken by Don Smith on 1 April 1976 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

The memorable #Doctor Who adventure The Hand of Fear began #OTD 50 today. Earlier in the day, Tom Baker and the-soon-to-leave-the-show Elisabeth Sladen had been on Swap Shop, also 50 today, to promote the story. @radiotimes.bsky.social www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do...

Happy birthday to the estimable Ian McNeice. Ian was very kind to chat with @radiotimes.bsky.social last year about the RSC, his friend Bob Peck, being directed by "Zebedee" and working on a TV masterpiece... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/edg...

Happy 50th birthday, Swap Shop! 🦖 🎂 "Who's calling on line one?" Why, it's John Craven, who's come to join the @radiotimes.bsky.social party...

Dame Esther Rantzen (1940–2026). Photographed for @radiotimes.bsky.social in 1978.

"A rare treat..." The fantastic character actor Ronald Lacey, born #OTD in 1935. Photographed as 'Arris during rehearsals for the Porridge episode Storm in a Teacup, with Peter Vaughan as "Genial" Harry Grout. PLUS The bit you never really see – only hear! Another @radiotimes.bsky.social exclusive.

Hymn to Her... A night of pop excellence celebrating Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders begins tonight at 8.45pm on BBC Two.

That's torn it... Remembering Ronnie Barker, born #OTD in 1929 – photographed by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social on 5 May 1971.

Happy birthday to Felicity Kendal, a delight to talk to last year about the Good old days... Photo taken on 9 November 1975 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/go...

Good morning, everyone.

The golden Shop... From Posh Paws to letter-eating goats... @radiotimes.bsky.social celebrates Multi-Coloured Swap Shop's 50th birthday with John Craven: www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertain... 🍰 🛒

Fawlty Towers began in this week 51 years ago. Last year I was delighted to get co-writer and co-star Connie Booth's take on this classic sitcom for @radiotimes.bsky.social

The height of cool... David McCallum, born #OTD in 1933, spoke to @radiotimes.bsky.social in 2022 about some very cool projects, from Colditz to The Great Escape and The Man from UNCLE to Sapphire and Steel... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/dav...

Second to no one... Farewell to Stephanie Cole. Photo taken on the set of Open All Hours in April 1985 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.

"I wouldn't want you to think this was a tragic story. I'm not a tragic woman. Not that type...." RIP Stephanie Cole. Another of Alan Bennett's marvellous Talking Heads women gone...

Four candles at 50! 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🎂 The Two Ronnies' classic sketch aired for the first time #OTD in 1976. It was written by Ronnie Barker under the pseudonym of Gerald Wiley. Sketch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cma... And you can read more about the Rons here: www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertain...

A first-class production... Postman Pat is 45 today! 🎂 📮 Last year @radiotimes.bsky.social paid tribute to the genius animator who moved him and Jess around Greendale: www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/mag...

Happy birthday to Clive Merrison. Clive was Sherlock Holmes to Michael Williams' Dr Watson on Radio 4 (I found this sweet feature about them from 1998). @radiotimes.bsky.social

There is high-concept and then there's Space: 1999... Happy Breakaway Day to those who celebrate – as @radiotimes.bsky.social did last year... www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/ge...

"I really do think that the comedy becomes richer as we go on," producer John Howard Davies told @radiotimes.bsky.social as The Good Life returned for a new series on Friday 50 years ago. illustration by Barry Fantoni.

Remembering Radio Times's star photographer Don Smith, born #OTD in 1932, pictured in 1992 with a Rolleiflex camera bought around 1954 for £126 when he was earning £8 per week. Plus one of Don's classic portrait shots, of comedian Tony Hancock. @radiotimes.bsky.social

"Maybe we are all a bit Reggie..." The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is 50 years old today. What a joy it was to ask fan, writer and Reggie collaborator Simon Nye all about the classic sitcom for @radiotimes.bsky.social: www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/re...

Fancy a little light reading..? Coming very soon: The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin at 50. Stay on this channel. @radiotimes.bsky.social

We Three Kings... What an amazing privilege it was to see the reunion of Kathy, Charles and Nan – Hayley Mills, Alan Barnes and Diane Holgate – and hear their memories of making Whistle Down the Wind, after a BFI screening with a theatre full of fans. Thank you, Josephine Botting, for organising it.

I remember this @radiotimes.bsky.social illustration and billing, and how excited I was for a new season of #DoctorWho, as though it was yesterday. The Masque of Mandragora by Louis Marks is 50 years old today. www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do... @patrickmulkern.bsky.social

Remembering Pauline Collins, born #OTD in 1940. Photographed on 3 January 1969 with Polly James for the Comedy Playhouse pilot of The Liver Birds. @radiotimes.bsky.social

Derek Fowlds, born #OTD in 1937, photographed as Bernard Woolley in Yes Minister on 1 February 1981 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.