4.4 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 25 February 2022
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Matt Chorley charts the rise and fall of the Sunday political TV show, starting by going behind-the-scenes of the heavyweight, sometimes heavy-going, Weekend World which launched in 1972.
The brainchild of John Birt, it was fronted first by Peter Jay, then later the formidable former Labour MP Brian Walden, and then finally former Conservative MP Matthew Parris. From Walden’s complex interviewing format, to a relaunch which cost Parris his wonky teeth, this is the story of a show which made political and journalistic careers.
Interviewees including Peter Jay, former Times economics editor and first Weekend World presenter; Matthew Parris, Weekend World's last presenter; producers David Aaronovitch, Trevor Phillips and Peter Mandelson, politicians including Neil Kinnock, Tony Blair, and William Hague, and prominent journalists Jeremy Vine and John Humphrys.
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0:00.0 | Hello, this is the Red Box Podcast, I'm Matt Chauley and this is part one in a brand new series. |
0:04.8 | Here on the podcast, it's been months in the making it's got a hell of a cast list. |
0:08.9 | So park yourself in the best comfy chair, make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy part one of the Sunday |
0:14.5 | shows at 50. |
0:23.6 | 2022 marks 50 years since the launch of Weekend World. |
0:28.5 | The flagship Sunday political program which paved the way for everyone that followed. |
0:33.5 | It kickstarted a broadcasting arms race in the next half century. |
0:37.6 | There have been Sunday shows with tough questioning, soft questioning and even softer furnishings. |
0:42.7 | Kippatize, skinny ties and no ties at all. |
0:46.4 | Over the next six weeks, we will tell the story of how what happened on the Sunday sofa |
0:51.2 | became more important than what happened in the house as a parliament. |
0:54.5 | How political and journalistic careers were made and broken. |
0:57.5 | Even how elections were won and lost. |
1:00.1 | We'll bigger the stories of presenters and producers, prime ministers and their press officers. |
1:04.7 | From Thatcher to Blair to Johnson and how they took on Walden, Frost and Mar. |
1:10.7 | Hello and good afternoon. |
1:11.8 | Good morning. |
1:12.6 | Hello and welcome. |
1:13.6 | Good morning. |
1:15.1 | I mean, you were always aware of the fact you were going to go in and have 10 rounds and |
1:19.3 | you know, come out fairly battered. |
1:20.8 | There was always a good feast afterwards and because the other gas for there was always good fun. |
... |
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