The 60s, the decade when TV was groovy and so were we. Its stars were mellow but was it all peace and love? We’ve got famous faces from back in the day to relive the moments they’d rather forget in this special narrated by Tony Blackburn.
Highlights include a rare moment of imperfection from Ronnie Corbett on ITV’s variety special A Night out with Danny La Rue in which he fluffs the punchline to his own joke. America’s sweetheart Doris Day who reveals another side to her when her blouse bursts open unexpectedly during a rare outtake. And unseen for over 60 years, we’ve unearthed an interview with the comedy genius Tony Hancock which proves to be no laughing matter.
There are fails from some of 60s TV’s big star names including Mickey Rooney who has a bad day at the office plugging his short-lived sitcom and there are some less-than perfect blooper moments from TV favourites The Lucy Show, Gunsmoke and the original Star Trek starring a host of legendary stars.
Other highlights include veteran broadcaster Denis Tuohy who recalls the time things got out of hand on live BBC discussion show Late Night Line Up. Comedy writer and playwright John Antrobus is also on hand to give his side of the story. He gate-crashed the drink-fuelled show back in 1968, only to be frogmarched off the set. An interview with the late, great Muhammad Ali pulls the punches and reveals some deep-rooted prejudices of the day and a Scottish poet fails to stanza and deliver when he dries live on air forgetting the words to his own poem.
Contributors include actors Amanda Barrie, Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies & Upstairs Downstairs star Simon Williams and former child stars Erin Murphy from sitcom Bewitched and Mark Lester who played the title role in the classic film Oliver!
Rating – 326,000 and a 6% share. Up 25% and at times 50% on slot average. Third in slot, beating BBC2 and ITV after 11.30pm and then second in slot beating BBC1 after midnight.