BBC TO REPEAT CLASSIC SATURDAY NIGHT PROGRAMMING THIS SUMMER

The BBC has announced a season of Saturday Night entertainment programming showcasing a back catalogue of nostalgic classics spanning the last five decades. The classic entertainment season will air on BBC Four and iPlayer across three Saturday nights during the BBC’s Olympic coverage this Summer.

The collection will celebrate the BBC’s enduring TV heritage with episodes of The Generation Game and Blankety Blank, as well as Noel’s House Party, Bob’s Full House and the first episode of Strictly Come Dancing, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Lindsay Currie, Head of Channel Management, says: “We are thrilled to bring our viewers on a nostalgic journey through five decades of beloved BBC entertainment. Whilst BBC One is dedicated to the Olympics, BBC Four will offer a treasure trove of classic shows fronted by much-loved presenters.

"This collection is testament to the enduring appeal of these iconic programmes, and we know audiences will love revisiting these classics and celebrating the rich heritage of the BBC’s Saturday night entertainment offering".

BBC Four brings together collections of the most distinctive content from the BBC’s rich archive. It is the home of programmes that dive deep into the details with intellectual ambition, ideas innovation and culture, both British and global. It has a particular focus on arts and music, bringing a rich range of performance, profile and specialist documentary to the audience.

Some highlights of the Season of Classic Entertainment are:

• Bruce Forsyth’s Generation Game (1970s and 1990s)

• Sir Terry Wogans’s Blankety Blank (1970s)

• Les Dawson’s Blankety Blank (1980s)

• Lily Savage’s Blankety Blank (1990s)

• Bob’s Full House(1980s)

• Noel’s House Party (1990s)

• Larry Grayson's Generation Game (1970s)

• Strictly Come Dancing (The first episode of Strictly first broadcast on 15th May 2004)

• Mark Lawson Talks to… Terry Wogan (2012)

• One on One: Terry Wogan (2002)

• What We Were Watching: Summer TV Classics (Grace Dent goes on a televisual trip back in time, 2020)

• Parkinson: The Les Dawson Interviews (1996)

• Les Dawson: Talking Comedy (2015)

• The Many Faces of Les Dawson (2011)

• The Fight for Saturday Night (Michael Grade tells a tale of skullduggery and dirty dealings in the battle to win the Saturday night ratings crown, 2014)

• Parkinson meets Bruce Forsyth, Boris Becker & The Corrs (His final BBC show, 2004)

• When Miranda met Bruce (Miranda Hart interviews Sir Bruce Forsyth about his 70-year career, 2013)

Full broadcast and listing details will be revealed in due course. The season will begin on BBC Four and iPlayer on Saturday 27 July.