25th Anniversary of the Launch of BBC Breakfast Time

Today is the 25th anniversary of the launch of Breakfast Time, which was the BBC’s response to the soon-to-launch TV-am, a new ITV contractor that was shortly due to launch a nationwide breakfast television service which could now finally launch after the 1982 ITV franchise changes and the launch of Channel 4.

Breakfast Time wasn’t the first attempt at providing an early morning UK television service - Yorkshire Television had previously tried an experimental service and even BBC1 children’s TV program Swap Shop once had a go - but Breakfast Time was the start of a regular extension of broadcasting hours.

The initial Breakfast Time presenter line-up featured Frank Bough, Selina Scott, Debbie Rix, Nick Ross, astrologer Russell Grant, Diana Moran (the “Green Goddess” keep-fit instructor) and weatherman Francis Wilson, who collectively helped to provide a relaxed yet informal and entertaining mix of features.

Early morning television was primarily designed to be viewed whilst getting ready for work/school, hence features were kept short and undemanding to watch. Breakfast Time (like TV-am’s Good Morning Britain) was influenced by the already-established US pioneer of breakfast television Good Morning America.

Basically speaking, Breakfast Time acted as a spoiler for the TV-am launch and caused poor ratings and initial financial hardship for TV-am due to Breakfast Time’s popularity until ex-LWT executive Greg Dyke reinvented TV-am by taking it down market with Roland Rat and bingo numbers (to name but two).

It was initially uncertain exactly how popular early morning television would turn out to be, with many people thinking that the radio would still be a preferred means of morning entertainment, but breakfast television created its own lasting niche and ultimately paved the way for 24-hour television broadcasting.

Source transdiffusion.org

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