{"id":19447,"date":"2022-09-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&#038;p=19447"},"modified":"2022-09-22T10:25:58","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T08:25:58","slug":"100-years-of-bbc-rural-tv-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/09\/20\/100-years-of-bbc-rural-tv-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"100 years of BBC rural TV &#038; radio"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif intro\">From wild<strong> <\/strong>dramas and rural sitcoms to nature documentaries, the BBC has broadcast from and about the countryside since the corporation\u2019s birth 100 years ago. <strong>Dave Golder <\/strong>rummages in the archive to unearth old favourites and lost treasures, including many you can watch online now <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"no-tts wp-block-purple-slider is-cropped\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-speed=\"300\" data-effect=\"fade\"><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/138332-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19844\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19844\"\/><figcaption>John Betjeman in A Passion for Churches<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-109253429.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19848\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19848\"\/><figcaption>Compo (Bill Owen), Foggy (Brian Wilde) and Clegg (Peter Sallis) in Last of the Summer Wine<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/P4C9GE.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19850\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19850\"\/><figcaption>Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/211448-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19845\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19845\"\/><figcaption>Charlie Cooper and Daisy May Cooper in This Country<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/AHN628-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19847\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19847\"\/><figcaption>John Nettles in Bergerac<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/393854.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19846\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19846\"\/><figcaption>David Attenborough filming Wild Isles<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/MY8T79-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19849\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19849\"\/><figcaption>Gillian Burke in Springwatch<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/RBDCJH-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"19851\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?attachment_id=19851\"\/><figcaption>Richard Harrington in Hinterland<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-4fc196b4-2b2c-433f-83f9-401f6c0f45c6\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-light-color has-text-color\">Don\u2019t miss<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center article-full-body sans-serif has-ccp-primary-light-color has-text-color\">Watch <em>Uncover Britain\u2019s Hidden Landscapes <\/em>\u2013 a curated collection of recent countryside programmes on iPlayer. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap article-full-body sans-serif dropcap\">You wouldn\u2019t expect a cow impression to have much gravitas; but then you wouldn\u2019t expect the great Richard Burton to do the mooing. The renowned thesp lends his resonant Welsh tones to the 1960 BBC documentary, <em>Borrowed Pasture, <\/em>about two Polish ex-soldiers struggling to make a living from a derelict farm in Carmarthenshire. It\u2019s an unromanticised, mud-caked examination of their lives, but Burton\u2019s lyrical narration gives Dylan Thomas a run for his money. Yes, even with the mooing. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">It\u2019s just <span style=\"\">one of the charming forgotten treasures from the BBC\u2019s broad and eclectic countryside coverage over the past 100 years. Many of these shows are known to almost every household in the land. Among such stone-cold classics are, of course, magazine series such as<\/span><em><span style=\"\"> <em>Countryfile<\/em><\/span><\/em><span style=\"\">, which was first broadcast in 1988, and <\/span><em>Springwatch, <\/em><span style=\"\">which made its debut in 2005. Both have enjoyed wild success, as have travelogues such as <\/span><em>Coast, <\/em><span style=\"\">a seashore odyssey that first aired in 2005, and lifestyle shows such as <\/span><em>Escape to the Country <\/em><span style=\"\">(2002), where willing participants attempt to uproot from urban to rural. Beyond these stalwarts, there are shows about agriculture, birdwatching, fishing, flowers, canal voyages, wild swimming and dodging-the-rain-at-the-seaside.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1016\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-1024x1016.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-1024x1016.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-768x762.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-1536x1524.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/GettyImages-148296060-2048x2032.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Richard Burton records radio documentary Borrowed Pasture  (1960) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"789\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842-1024x789.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842-1024x789.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842-768x592.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842-1536x1184.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/226842.jpg 2038w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Countryfile presenters in 2018. From left, Joe Crowley, Charlotte Smith, Steve Brown, Sean Fletcher, John Craven, Anita Rani, Tom Heap, Matt Baker, Helen Skelton, Margherita Taylor; Ellie Harrison, Adam Henson<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Comedies and dramas also celebrate the UK landscape \u2013 who would deny that the Yorkshire Dales were as much a part of the charm of <em>Last of the Summer Wine <\/em>(1973) as Compo, Foggy and Clegg? And detective dramas seem especially thrilling when tackling crime in rustic splendour, from <em>Hamish Macbeth <\/em>(1995) in the Highlands to <em>Bergerac <\/em>(1981) moonlighting for the Jersey tourist board. The dashing 18th-century drama of <em>Poldark <\/em>is ramped up by spectacular shots of smouldering characters in period attire on windswept Cornish coasts, while the grand houses and romantic rural settings of <em>Pride and Prejudice <\/em>(1995), created a worldwide hit, as millions <span>tuned in to watch Mr Darcy and Elizabeth stumble towards love.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/dd437ad2-bbbc-46e0-b54e-39f1a5f7b3c8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19436\" width=\"213\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/dd437ad2-bbbc-46e0-b54e-39f1a5f7b3c8.jpg 693w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/dd437ad2-bbbc-46e0-b54e-39f1a5f7b3c8-300x211.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 213px) 100vw, 213px\" \/><figcaption>ABOVE Lord Reith (1889\u20131971), was the first director general of the BBC, pictured in 1940<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The BBC even boasts the only soap opera with an agricultural advisor in <em><strong>The Archers <\/strong><\/em>(1950). It\u2019s interesting to listen to Radio 4\u2019s <em><strong>Farming Today <\/strong><\/em>(1960) daily alongside <em>The <\/em><em>Archers, <\/em>to hear the issues being raised in the factual show \u2013 bluetongue, ash dieback, rewilding \u2013 dramatised in the other a few weeks (or days) later. Even in our diverse, modern society, these shows feel part of the national furniture, of what it means to be British. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">There have been controversies. These days there is internet outrage whenever a <em>Springwatch <\/em>presenter sniggers over the word \u2018shag\u2019, but these upsets blow over quickly. One long-running dispute, however, was finally settled this year. In a celebrated 1924 broadcast, cellist Beatrice Harrison apparently recorded a duet of \u2018Londonderry Air\u2019 with a nightingale in her garden. Earlier this year, the BBC finally revealed the nightingale was a fake \u2013 its song created by a bird impressionist. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"891\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-1024x891.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-1024x891.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-300x261.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-768x668.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-1536x1337.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/A0NDK6-2048x1782.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Hamish Macbeth is filmed in the pretty village of Plockton in Wester Ross <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<h5 class=\"sans-serif article-subhead\"><strong>CLASSIC CATCH-UP <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The marvellous thing is that you can now watch or listen to many familiar classics and hidden gems alike. The BBC\u2019s apps, Sounds (for audio) and iPlayer (for TV) allow you to enjoy many shows online or on a smart TV. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Linking both Sounds and iPlayer is the BBC Programme Index, a vast database of almost every BBC radio and TV programme ever broadcast (<a href=\"http:\/\/genome.ch.bbc.co.uk\">genome.ch.bbc.co.uk<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The index grew out of the Genome Project, launched in 2014 after several years\u2019 work, which included scanning copies of <em>Radio <\/em><em>Times <\/em>from its beginning in 1923 up to 2010, explains content producer Andrew Martin. \u201cThere are some omissions,\u201d Andrew confesses; programmes before the start of <em>Radio <\/em><em>Times\u2019 <\/em>publication in late 1923, and the 11 weeks over its lifetime when the magazine was not printed. He hopes to add those details in the near future. Not all the listed programmes are available to watch \u2013 but tens of thousands are. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">A word of caution: trawling through the Programme Index pages can become addictive. It\u2019s like having a window on the past \u2013 there is some fascinating stuff to unearth, as you trace the trends from the patrician tone of the early days to today\u2019s environmental awareness. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"761\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-1024x761.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-1024x761.png 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-768x570.png 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-1536x1141.png 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-4-2048x1521.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Clockwise from left: Michael Rosen speaks the language of the land in <em>Word of Mouth<\/em><strong>; <\/strong>Neil Oliver, Nicholas Crane, Alice Evans, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Mark Horton present <em>Coast<\/em>;<strong> <\/strong>Hear the magpie on <em>Tweet of the Day<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<h5 class=\"sans-serif article-subhead\"><strong>WATCH NOW <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Many hidden gems are available to see right now. A wonderful time-capsule of a show is <em><strong>A Passion For Churches <\/strong><\/em>(1974), in which poet laureate Sir John Betjeman paddles the Norfolk Broads to extoll the virtues of East Anglian ecclesiastical architecture. An urban barge trip with the urbane lan Nairn features in <em><strong>Nairn Across Britain: Trans-Pennine Canal <\/strong><\/em>(1972), while a more genial flat-capped Robbie Cumming brings long-boating up to date in the delightful <em><strong>Canal Boat Diaries <\/strong><\/em>(2019). <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Over on BBC Sounds you can find episodes of Radio 4\u2019s fascinating and long-running birdsong series <em><strong>Tweet of the Day <\/strong><\/em>(2013), which, at just a few minutes each, are eminently dip-in-and-out-able. Check out the one with author Michael Morpurgo bemoaning the \u201cugly cackle\u201d of the magpie for some shameless anthropomorphism. There is also a thoroughly entertaining episode of Radio 4\u2019s etymology series <em><strong>Word of Mouth <\/strong><\/em>with poet Michael Rosen and his panel discussing evocative words used to describe the British landscape, such as \u2018dingle\u2019. Did you know there are at least 30 different terms for mud? <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">A gem you must not miss is just the last third of an episode of a 1975 arts and entertainment magazine show called <em><strong>Going Places, <\/strong><\/em>in which Barry Norman delivers a wonderfully witty and colourful commentary on village cricket. It\u2019s almost achingly British. And it\u2019s always a gentle treat to take a vicarious walk with Clare Balding and guests on Radio 4\u2019s <em><strong>Ramblings. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">David Attenborough\u2019s epic series are often global in scope but also contain memorable sequences closer to home, such as the awesome stop-motion footage of an English forest becoming a carpet of bluebells in episode four of <em><strong>The Private Life of Plants <\/strong><\/em>(1995), and the glorious scenes of Attenborough drifting on a chalk stream, examining&nbsp;<span>water crowfoot, in episode two of <\/span><em><strong>The Green Planet <\/strong><\/em><span>(2022). Look out for the great man in <\/span><em><strong>Wild Isles <\/strong><\/em><span>next year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1546\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d.jpg 1546w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d-773x1024.jpg 773w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d-768x1017.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/85c315a4-d746-4f8e-9772-42d997dadc5d-1160x1536.jpg 1160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1546px) 100vw, 1546px\" \/><figcaption>Eleanor Tomlinson and Aidan Turner star as Demelza and Ross Poldark in Poldark, an 18th-century romantic drama drenched in shots of the Cornish coast <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">For a scarier take on rural Britain, <em><strong>Torchwood\u2019s <\/strong><\/em>\u2018Countrycide\u2019 could put you off rambling forever. Almost as scary are teens Kurtain and Kerry in the BBC Three sitcom <em><strong>This Country, <\/strong><\/em>a show that takes a remarkably unidealised but well-observed look at the life for youngsters in rural Britain. It\u2019s what <em><strong>The Detectorists\u2019 <\/strong><\/em>kids are up to while Mackenzie Crook and Toby Young are out treasure hunting. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">A cop show you may have missed is <em><strong>Hinterland <\/strong><\/em>(2017), a slice of Scandinoir transferred to a South Wales countryside that becomes a brooding character in the show itself. Apparently they see so many red kites while filming, they call them Aberystwyth pigeons. Similarly, in detective series <em><strong>Shetland <\/strong><\/em>(2013), the remote, wild landscape sets the dramatic tone. The first series is worth revisiting for its brilliant footage of Lerwick\u2019s Up Helly Aa fire festival (not currently on iPlayer, but keep an eye out). <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"369\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-1024x369.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19893\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-1024x369.png 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-300x108.png 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-768x277.png 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-1536x554.png 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-01-2048x739.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><strong>Left:<\/strong> Novelist Daphne du Maurier on the Cornish coast <strong>Right:<\/strong> Douglas Henshall films Shetland, in which he plays DI Jimmy Perez<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">For those seeking insights into artistic minds, <em><strong>Daphne Du Maurier <\/strong><\/em>(1971) presents the author describing how Cornwall has shaped her writing, while an episode of <em><strong>Monitor <\/strong><\/em>(1960) has sculptor Henry Moore showing off his large Hertfordshire garden, a testing ground for his huge artworks. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">If you want a \u201clet\u2019s poke round a stately home\u201d show with a difference, check out <em><strong>The Curious House Guest <\/strong><\/em>(2005) episode on Bellamont \u2013 there\u2019s a surprise in store. And if you fancy a backyard safari, there\u2019s the wonderful <em><strong>Teeny Tiny Creatures <\/strong><\/em><span>(2021) about the bugs, birds and furry critters you will find in your garden.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">It has been a great first century. Perhaps there won\u2019t be a second. Some see the licence fee as an anachronism in today\u2019s landscape of multi-platform broadcasting, so there are questions about the Corporation\u2019s future. But whatever happens to Auntie Beeb, a vast legacy of outstanding rural programming will remain. <\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Dave Golder <\/strong>is an entertainment journalist who fends off the occupational hazard of square eyes by taking long walks through rural Hampshire with his three-legged lurcher, Roo. <\/p>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-7586efe2-7812-466b-9441-9e0da31dd55d article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-subhead has-ccp-black-color has-text-color\">BBC TIMELINE <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Key moments in the life of Auntie <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>18 OCTOBER 1922 <\/strong><br>The British Broadcasting Company is founded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>14 NOVEMBER 1922 <\/strong><br>Daily radio broadcasting begins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5-827x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19891\" width=\"207\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5-827x1024.png 827w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5-242x300.png 242w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5-768x951.png 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5-1241x1536.png 1241w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-0-5.png 1522w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>SEPTEMBER 1923 <\/strong><br>First edition of <em>The Radio Times. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>JANUARY 1927 <\/strong><br>The BBC becomes the British Broadcasting Corporation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>NOVEMBER 1936 <\/strong><br>The BBC Television Service opens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>MAY 1950 <\/strong><br>First episode of <em>The Archers. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>1954 <\/strong><br>David Attenborough debut as a presenter in <em>Zoo Quest. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>1957 <\/strong><br>BBC Natural History Unit founded to produce wildlife programmes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>SEPTEMBER 1960 <\/strong><br><em>Farming Today <\/em>launches on the BBC Third Programme, later Radio 4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>APRIL 1964 <\/strong><br>BBC One replaces BBC Television. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>JULY 1967 <\/strong><br>BBC Two becomes Europe\u2019s first full-colour TV service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>1967 <\/strong><br><em>The World About Us <\/em>created by David Attenborough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>1984 <\/strong><br>First series of <em>Natural World. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>JULY 1988 <\/strong><br>First episode of <em>Countryfile. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>DECEMBER 1997 <\/strong><br><a href=\"http:\/\/bbc.co.uk\">bbc.co.uk<\/a> is launched. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>MAY 2005 <\/strong><br><em>Springwatch <\/em>debuts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>JULY 2007 <\/strong><br>BBC iPlayer launched. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"853\" height=\"549\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-1-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-1-3.png 853w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-1-3-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/Layer-1-3-768x494.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center\">MORE MUST-SEES<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif intro\"><strong>From long-running classics to forgotten gems, the BBC is rich in rural shows. Here are some more of our favourites from over the years <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Those marked <em><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/em> are available to view this month, and in many cases for longer <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-1024x669.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19896\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-1024x669.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-1536x1004.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/352627-2048x1338.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><strong>WORZEL GUMMIDGE <\/strong>(2019)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL <\/strong>(1978\u201390) <br>Based on James Herriot\u2019s memoir, a novice vet adjusts to life in 1930s Yorkshire Dales. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>ANIMAL MAGIC <\/strong>(1962\u201383) <br>Presented by Johnny Morris, this children\u2019s show featured voiceovers of animals at Bristol Zoo. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>DETECTORISTS <\/strong>(2014\u2013) <br>A low-key comedy about the mixed fortunes of a pair of metal detectorists. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>FATHER BROWN <\/strong>(2013\u2013) <br>Based on GK Chesteron\u2019s novels, a crime-solving Catholic priest roams the Cotswolds. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>FARMING TODAY <\/strong>(2010) <br>Radio 4\u2019s daily broadcast on food and farming. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>GREAT BRITISH RAILWAY JOURNEYS <\/strong>(2010\u2013) <br>Michael Portillo hops on hundreds of trains to capture the joy and history of rail. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>LET\u2019S GO FOR A WALK <\/strong>(2010) <br>CBeebies\u2019 Ranger Hamza and the young Ramblers explore their environment. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>LIVING BRITAIN <\/strong>(1999) <br>Narrated by Samuel West, this six-part nature documentary examines UK wildlife over a year. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-1024x755.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-19895\" width=\"256\" height=\"189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-1024x755.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-768x566.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-1536x1133.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/HD4JJE-2048x1511.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><figcaption><strong>MISS MARPLE <\/strong>(1984\u20131992)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>MISS MARPLE <\/strong>(1984\u20131992) <br>In these Agatha Christie tales, rural life is ripe with murder but Miss Marple is always on the case. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>MONARCH OF THE GLEN <\/strong>(2000\u20132005) <br><span>London restaurant owner Archie unexpectedly inherits a Highland estate in this TV drama.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>MORTIMER AND WHITEHOUSE: GONE FISHING <\/strong>(2018\u2013) <br>Comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse go on angling adventures around the UK, featuring lovely reflections on life. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>NATURAL WORLD <\/strong>(1993\u2013) <br>BBC Two\u2019s flagship natural-history series. Includes <em>H Is for Hawk: A New Chapter <\/em><span>with Helen Macdonald (2017).<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>NATURE <\/strong><br>BBC Radio 4\u2019s series studies wildlife and environment around the world. Available on BBC Sounds. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>ONE MAN AND HIS DOG <\/strong>(1976\u2013) <br>The annual competition to find the country\u2019s best sheepdog. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>OPEN COUNTRY <\/strong>(2009\u2013) <br>This countryside show has more than 400 episodes on BBC Sounds. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>REALLY WILD SHOW <\/strong>(1986\u20132006) <br>The much-loved children\u2019s wildlife show that launched Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>CORNWALL WITH SIMON REEVE <\/strong>(2020) <br>An insightful look at the fortunes of the honeypot county as it emerges from lockdown. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>TALES FROM THE GREEN VALLEY <\/strong>(2005\u201313) <br>Historians recreate farm life in the 1620s in this 12-part TV documentary. Its success saw it followed by <em>Victorian Farm <\/em>and <em>Edwardian Farm. <\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>TO THE MANOR BORN <\/strong>(1979\u20131981) <br>Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles star in this class sitcom set on a vast country estate. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>WILD TRACK <\/strong>(1978\u201385) <br>The jaunty wildlife TV series, presented by Su Ingle, Michael Jordan and Tony Soper. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>WEATHER MAN WALKING <\/strong>(2011\u2013) <br>Now on its 12th series, weatherman Derek Brockway goes a-walking in Wales. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>WORZEL GUMMIDGE <\/strong>(2019) <br>Mackenzie Crook\u2019s take on the magic scarecrow is a much-loved Christmas cracker. <br><em><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-accent-color\">iPlayer<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"footer\">Photos: BBC, Getty, Alamy, BBC Archives<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From wild dramas and rural sitcoms to nature documentaries, the BBC has broadcast from and about the countryside since the corporation\u2019s birth 100 years ago. Dave Golder rummages in the archive to unearth old favourites and lost treasures, including many you can watch online now <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":19426,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"40","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"40","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_40-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_40-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_external_id":"October-2022-40-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"October-2022-40-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084061||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084061||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.195","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.195","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.195","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.195","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-09-21T15:05:00Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"ac2c7d0c-990d-4b36-ab9c-97b88c59f23a","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-09-22T08:26:09Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/ArCx9DJkNSzarnJe4jFnyOg","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[20],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"12","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d.jpg",1066,1426,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d-224x300.jpg",224,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d-768x1027.jpg",768,1027,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d-765x1024.jpg",765,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d.jpg",1066,1426,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/09\/781bcf32-7bd6-44fd-a915-99ea64b9331d.jpg",1066,1426,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"From wild dramas and rural sitcoms to nature documentaries, the BBC has broadcast from and about the countryside since the corporation\u2019s birth 100 years ago. Dave Golder rummages in the archive to unearth old favourites and lost treasures, including many you can watch online now","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19447"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19447"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20096,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19447\/revisions\/20096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}