Tony Blackburn looks back at 1960s telly calamities

The programme will reflect on when sixties television went ‘wonky’…

The sixties, the decade when TV was groovy and so was the UK. Its stars were mellow but was it all peace and love? Channel 5 has gathered some famous faces from back in the day to relive the moments they’d rather forget in this special narrated by the sensational Tony Blackburn.

Highlights include America’s sweetheart Doris Day who reveals another side to her when her blouse bursts open unexpectedly during a rare outtake. And unseen for over 60 years, we’ve unearthed an interview with the comedy genius Tony Hancock that proves to be no laughing matter.

There are fails from some of 60s TV’s big star names including Mickey Rooney, who has a bad day at the office plugging his short-lived sitcom, and there are some bloopers from TV favourites The Lucy Show, Gunsmoke and the original Star Trek, featuring a host of legendary stars.

Amanda Barrie

Other highlights include veteran broadcaster Denis Tuohy who recalls the time things got out of hand on live BBC discussion show Late Night Line-Up. Comedy writer and playwright John Antrobus also gives his side of the story. He gate-crashed the drink-fuelled show back in 1968, only to be frogmarched off the set.

An interview with Muhammad Ali pulls no punches and reveals some deep-rooted prejudices of the day, and a Scottish poet fails to “stanza and deliver” when he dries live on air, forgetting the words to his own poem.

Contributors include telly and radio presenters David Hamilton and Mike Reid, actors Amanda Barrie, Freddie “Parrot Face” Davies, Upstairs, Downstairs star Simon Williams, former child star Erin Murphy from the sitcom Bewitched and Mark Lester who played the title role in the film Oliver!

When 60s TV Goes Horribly Wrong, Sunday, March 31st at 10.25pm

David Hamilton