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Channel 5 look at ‘The Cancellation of’ Jim Davidson

Left: Jim Davidson at ATV in 1976. Right: Jim on the Channel 5 documentary

Channel 5

Channel 5 look at ‘The Cancellation of’ Jim Davidson

The presenter, actor and comedian found fame in the 1970s on ATV’s New Faces talent show…

Jim Davidson is the most unlikely family entertainer in British TV history.

Starting out as a ‘blue’ comic in the pubs of South London in the 1970s, his success on New Faces turned him into a television phenomenon becoming a regular on Tiswas, star of his own Thames Television sitcoms and host of game show Big Break for BBC One.

The family-friendly shows saw him eventually taking over the coveted host role of the Generation Game. But despite being a huge hit with audiences, Davidson remained a controversial figure – as famous for his offensive racial caricatures as he was for his drinking and controversial private life.

In this new 90-minute documentary, Davidson offers an in-depth exploration of his life, unique career, and the controversies that have surrounded him.

BBC: The Generation Game, Jim Davidson.

It’s a story that starts on the night of his birth, with an extraordinary family secret, from his meteoric rise through the talent shows of the era to his struggles with fame he was not prepared for. It’s a tale of controversy, financial disaster, provocation and one unlikely comeback after another – all the way to his triumph in Celebrity Big Brother and his wrongful arrest in a botched Operation Yewtree investigation.

Featuring interviews with both friends and critics including Nana Akua, Jimmy Tarbuck, and Gary Bushell, as well as extensive archival footage, the documentary seeks to uncover the layers behind his public image. In an era marked by social media scrutiny and cancel culture, how has Jim survived and found a new audience online and in sell-out shows across the British coastline?

The Cancellation of’ Jim Davidson airs Friday, May 24th on Channel 5

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