Simon McLean
@simonmclean.bsky.social
Currently on the wireless in various places, occasionally voiceovering
Everyone hates this show, but they're wrong, it's great. Utterly bleak and depressing, but great.
The first episode of The Other One was broadcast on this day in 1977. Despite starring Richard Briers and Michael Gambon and with scripts by John Esmonde & Bob Larbey, it failed to make much of an impact.
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Everyone hates this show, but they're wrong, it's great. Utterly bleak and depressing, but great.
Whenever I see this photo of Wilfrid Brambell in civvies, I always imagine he's walking down the street to this tune:
youtu.be/HCz3Fhe9iYI?...
youtu.be/HCz3Fhe9iYI?...
November 10, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Whenever I see this photo of Wilfrid Brambell in civvies, I always imagine he's walking down the street to this tune:
youtu.be/HCz3Fhe9iYI?...
youtu.be/HCz3Fhe9iYI?...
Reposted by Simon McLean
Got these new trainers today but I can't get it out of my head that they look like fuckin DC Tosh Lines from The Bill
November 9, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Got these new trainers today but I can't get it out of my head that they look like fuckin DC Tosh Lines from The Bill
If you hadn't decided what tonight's nightmare was going to be about yet...
The Lord Mayor's Show, London, November 1970. Featuring the giant comedy heads of Kenny Everett, David Frost, Jimmy Hill, and Reg Varney...
November 6, 2025 at 4:11 PM
If you hadn't decided what tonight's nightmare was going to be about yet...
Reposted by Simon McLean
Reposted by Simon McLean
Oh my god, the Motel! It's on fire. MUM!
November 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Oh my god, the Motel! It's on fire. MUM!
I mean, it's almost as good as the real thing, isn't it? Beautiful work!
November 2, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I mean, it's almost as good as the real thing, isn't it? Beautiful work!
Please tell me this still exists - I need it!
The Toys, Les Swingles, Jacques Loussier, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and a critic attempting to explain Bach's evolving relevance to the present? I think we may have found the ultimate mid-sixties BBC2 arts show.
November 1, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Please tell me this still exists - I need it!
Reposted by Simon McLean
Ev’rybody’s talkin’ bout those trunkless legs
Trunkless legs
(Boop boop)
And a manly kind of visage
That the sands of time have wrecked
(Boop boop)
Trunkless legs
In the desert, see the mighty staring
Looking at his works and hopelessly despairing…
Trunkless legs
(Boop boop)
And a manly kind of visage
That the sands of time have wrecked
(Boop boop)
Trunkless legs
In the desert, see the mighty staring
Looking at his works and hopelessly despairing…
October 31, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Ev’rybody’s talkin’ bout those trunkless legs
Trunkless legs
(Boop boop)
And a manly kind of visage
That the sands of time have wrecked
(Boop boop)
Trunkless legs
In the desert, see the mighty staring
Looking at his works and hopelessly despairing…
Trunkless legs
(Boop boop)
And a manly kind of visage
That the sands of time have wrecked
(Boop boop)
Trunkless legs
In the desert, see the mighty staring
Looking at his works and hopelessly despairing…
BERNIE - BERNIE WINTERS - THAMES TV - 1978-1980-OPENING TITLES
YouTube video by jimproby
youtu.be
October 28, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Reposted by Simon McLean
Sooty & Co (28th October 1996). Sooty and the gang round off their Spanish holiday by going clubbing.
October 28, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Sooty & Co (28th October 1996). Sooty and the gang round off their Spanish holiday by going clubbing.
Reposted by Simon McLean
Forty years ago, at 11pm, on Sat 26 Oct 1985, Channel 4 premiered An Audience with Billy Connolly. (S4C showed it nine days later.) It was watched by 4.8m people and practically everyone who saw has been word-perfect ever since. #
Here's some of what else happened in Oct 85. #WhenWasThings
Here's some of what else happened in Oct 85. #WhenWasThings
October 26, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Forty years ago, at 11pm, on Sat 26 Oct 1985, Channel 4 premiered An Audience with Billy Connolly. (S4C showed it nine days later.) It was watched by 4.8m people and practically everyone who saw has been word-perfect ever since. #
Here's some of what else happened in Oct 85. #WhenWasThings
Here's some of what else happened in Oct 85. #WhenWasThings
Reposted by Simon McLean
"And for those of you who live alone...
WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOAH! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!!!"
WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOAH! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!!!"
I properly cracked up when I heard this Scottish Television announcer say 'and for super safety, remove the plug from the wall' (6 mins in), though he didn't follow it up with 'or your whole family will be barbecued'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
October 25, 2025 at 10:57 PM
"And for those of you who live alone...
WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOAH! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!!!"
WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOAH! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!!!"
I properly cracked up when I heard this Scottish Television announcer say 'and for super safety, remove the plug from the wall' (6 mins in), though he didn't follow it up with 'or your whole family will be barbecued'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
October 25, 2025 at 10:56 PM
I properly cracked up when I heard this Scottish Television announcer say 'and for super safety, remove the plug from the wall' (6 mins in), though he didn't follow it up with 'or your whole family will be barbecued'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruki...
Reposted by Simon McLean
MUST READ! In the latest CST blog about the damaging changes going on at the BBC Written Archives Centre, @marklewisohn.bsky.social delivers his cri de cœur squarely at those who came up with or are signing-off on this policy shift. Please read and share widely.
cstonline.net/defending-th...
cstonline.net/defending-th...
DEFENDING THE WAC: MARK LEWISOHN LOOKS AT WHY RENEWED APPRECIATION IS URGENTLY REQUIRED
I was asked to write an op-ed piece saying why I think the BBC’s Written Archives Centre (WAC) is a unique and brilliant resource, which I can do because it’s both – and why, therefore…
cstonline.net
October 24, 2025 at 11:44 AM
MUST READ! In the latest CST blog about the damaging changes going on at the BBC Written Archives Centre, @marklewisohn.bsky.social delivers his cri de cœur squarely at those who came up with or are signing-off on this policy shift. Please read and share widely.
cstonline.net/defending-th...
cstonline.net/defending-th...
Reposted by Simon McLean
#callmybluff Still looking for a copy of this.
October 20, 2025 at 8:10 PM
#callmybluff Still looking for a copy of this.
Reposted by Simon McLean
Even the writer’s name, which made me think of someone like NJ Crisp.
October 20, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Even the writer’s name, which made me think of someone like NJ Crisp.
'Shock Tactics' is just so utterly perfect as a Juliet Bravo episode title too
In one episode of the second series of Stuff, the first five minutes consisted of what appeared to be an episode of Juliet Bravo, and really the only initial clue is that Juliet Bravo was never on BBC2. www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHmX...
Alexei Sayle - Juliet Bravo Cold Open - Funny Comedy Sketch Spoof Satire - Stuff S02E05
YouTube video by Steve's Comedy & Vlogs
www.youtube.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
'Shock Tactics' is just so utterly perfect as a Juliet Bravo episode title too
Reposted by Simon McLean
Flaming hell - there's commitment to the bit and then there's the method Simon Cadell first uses to mime "purple" here. What an absolute pro
Give Us A Clue (19th October 1982). Simon Cadell is required to mime Riders of the Purple Sage.
October 19, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Flaming hell - there's commitment to the bit and then there's the method Simon Cadell first uses to mime "purple" here. What an absolute pro
I don't care what anyone says, this performance by the #TOTP Orchestra is genuinely astonishing (in a good way)
youtu.be/6Pui74z3YUE?...
youtu.be/6Pui74z3YUE?...
October 18, 2025 at 8:33 PM
I don't care what anyone says, this performance by the #TOTP Orchestra is genuinely astonishing (in a good way)
youtu.be/6Pui74z3YUE?...
youtu.be/6Pui74z3YUE?...
Reposted by Simon McLean
October 12, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Simon McLean
Can you imagine if the end credits after this were done with the cast doing a full Dad's Army/'Allo-Allo!/Hi-De-Hi! style parade montage, with audience applause?
No other film ending has ever gone this hard. Every time this rolls up on-screen I immediately think, “Damn right I have.”
October 12, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Can you imagine if the end credits after this were done with the cast doing a full Dad's Army/'Allo-Allo!/Hi-De-Hi! style parade montage, with audience applause?
I never in my wildest dreams would ever have imagined I'd get to discuss favourite Tony Hatch theme tunes with Rob Curling, and yet it happened. His fave is the theme from Airline.
Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?
October 8, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I never in my wildest dreams would ever have imagined I'd get to discuss favourite Tony Hatch theme tunes with Rob Curling, and yet it happened. His fave is the theme from Airline.