Kaye Adams to present landmark documentary marking the BBC’s Scottish centennial
The BBC is celebrating its Scottish centenary with a landmark documentary hosted by Kaye Adams.
Airing on the BBC Scotland channel, the archive-rich documentary will examine the broadcaster’s role in Scotland’s cultural life over the decades.
Since 6 March 1923 when the British Broadcasting Company’s Station 5SC aired from an attic in 202 Bath Street, Glasgow, the BBC in Scotland has faced changing attitudes, political whirlwinds and vast social changes in order to broadcast to the nation.
The documentary, which will air on 12 March, will not only tell a fascinating story about an enduring institution, it will also allow some well-known faces the chance to look back on their memories of working for the broadcaster and explore what BBC Scotland means to them.
The centenary of that first broadcast on ‘the wireless’ will also be celebrated on BBC Radio Scotland as Nicola Meighan hosts The Big Birthday Bash live from the reception of BBC Scotland, on Friday 3 March, with highlights on the BBC Scotland channel at 8pm on the evening of the anniversary.
The show will include music from Hue and Cry, The Vintage Explosion and singer songwriter Katie Gregson-MacLeod plus chat from Greg McHugh, Sanjeev Kohli, Julie Wilson Nimmo, Greg Hemphill, Brian Taylor, Cathy Macdonald, Grant Stott, Barbara Dickson and Archie Macpherson.
Popular request show Get It On, hosted by Bryan Burnett, will also air a centenary special on 6 March, while Breaking the News, the satirical show which was launched on BBC Radio Scotland, will be producing its biggest-ever review ever, cramming 100 years of news into one programme.
On Tuesday, 7 March, Huw Edwards will present the BBC 6pm and 10pm network news from Pacific Quay as part of the anniversary week celebrations.
BBC Scotland’s archive and social media teams will be delving into the vaults to share memorable radio and television moments with audiences throughout the centenary year.
There will also be a creative industry event to promote the use of archives in programme making. Part of the National Library’s Festival of Broadcasting, the event is one of a number taking place at Kelvin Hall in March to mark the centenary of broadcasting in Scotland.
Other highlights of the centenary year will be the return of Radio One’s Big Weekend to Dundee in May, featuring a host of top names including Lewis Capaldi and the 1975, and the special Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition which continues at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh until 1 May.
A classic episode of The Stanley Baxter Show will be shown on the BBC Scotland channel and there will be another chance to see the documentary, Watching Ourselves: 60 Years of TV in Scotland.
Box sets of popular titles from Scotland will be made available during the centenary year.
Amateur radio enthusiasts are organising a special event, run from the fifth floor of the Pacific Quay centre, which will echo the launch of BBC content on the airwaves in 1923, while BBC Radio Scotland is to launch two new competitions to find the country’s most talented jazz and classical musicians.
Steve Carson, Director, BBC Scotland, said:
“This is a time to enjoy iconic moments from the BBC’s 100 year history in Scotland and also to appreciate the great content coming up for the centenary year. We continue to evolve in the digital age to deliver the best for our audiences and to play a pivotal role in the development of the country’s creative industries.”
