Steve Williams
@skillagesteve.bsky.social
Editorial bod on BBC iPlayer, Creamguide person at creamguide.substack.com, budding Industry Personality. Personal views only
Work PERMIT. He wasn't on work experience
I remember Kristian actually being pretty good on the one episode of Going Live he presented, he was no Pip of course but was likeable enough. Interesting to think how he'd have progressed if he'd actually got a work placement and carried on
#OnThisDay 16 September 1992 - SMASH HITS
Who's the new star presenter of Going Live? BLIMEY, IT'S KRISTIAN SCHMID!
WANNA GO RAVING? Mr C's not just the Ebeneezer geezer from The Shamen. He's got a proper job too.
NO! NOT THE BISCUIT TIN! #BrianHarvey from #East17 ain't scared.
Who's the new star presenter of Going Live? BLIMEY, IT'S KRISTIAN SCHMID!
WANNA GO RAVING? Mr C's not just the Ebeneezer geezer from The Shamen. He's got a proper job too.
NO! NOT THE BISCUIT TIN! #BrianHarvey from #East17 ain't scared.
September 16, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Work PERMIT. He wasn't on work experience
I remember Kristian actually being pretty good on the one episode of Going Live he presented, he was no Pip of course but was likeable enough. Interesting to think how he'd have progressed if he'd actually got a work placement and carried on
#OnThisDay 16 September 1992 - SMASH HITS
Who's the new star presenter of Going Live? BLIMEY, IT'S KRISTIAN SCHMID!
WANNA GO RAVING? Mr C's not just the Ebeneezer geezer from The Shamen. He's got a proper job too.
NO! NOT THE BISCUIT TIN! #BrianHarvey from #East17 ain't scared.
Who's the new star presenter of Going Live? BLIMEY, IT'S KRISTIAN SCHMID!
WANNA GO RAVING? Mr C's not just the Ebeneezer geezer from The Shamen. He's got a proper job too.
NO! NOT THE BISCUIT TIN! #BrianHarvey from #East17 ain't scared.
September 16, 2026 at 4:47 PM
I remember Kristian actually being pretty good on the one episode of Going Live he presented, he was no Pip of course but was likeable enough. Interesting to think how he'd have progressed if he'd actually got a work placement and carried on
Reposted by Steve Williams
Blue Peter today in 1980 is affected by scene shifter strike action, leaving TC3 without any set or furniture, which means plenty of room for humans and animals alike to move around in and show what an uncovered studio is like.
1980: When Blue Peter Broadcast from an Empty Studio | BBC Archive
Here’s one they didn’t make earlier. When an industrial dispute at Television Centre left the Blue Peter studio devoid of both furniture and sets, the plucky presenters sat on the floor and presented the entire programme from an empty studio.
Goldie the dog was clearly enjoying the extra space, wh
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Blue Peter today in 1980 is affected by scene shifter strike action, leaving TC3 without any set or furniture, which means plenty of room for humans and animals alike to move around in and show what an uncovered studio is like.
Reposted by Steve Williams
Both modern Mastermind and classic Mastermind tonight had the same question about the camelopard.
September 14, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Both modern Mastermind and classic Mastermind tonight had the same question about the camelopard.
Great British Railways train in the wild
September 14, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Great British Railways train in the wild
As I mentioned in Creamguide, tonight might be the chance to see if this show really is easier than it used to be as someone's specialist subject on the 1977 episode is George Orwell - a week after it was a specialist subject on the current series
Neil Young fans listen up. There are questions about him on tonight's #Mastermind set by me.
September 14, 2026 at 12:14 PM
As I mentioned in Creamguide, tonight might be the chance to see if this show really is easier than it used to be as someone's specialist subject on the 1977 episode is George Orwell - a week after it was a specialist subject on the current series
Would be fascinated to know what happened behind the scenes here, it was on the shelf for ages, shown in a slot they had never used for comedy before or since, in a weird forty minute duration and clearly very heavily edited to the extent they didn't say hello at the start or goodbye at the end
This is a good read. Easy to forget how much Hale and Pace went into obscurity once their BBC deal ended.
"The show was well and truly doomed." Comedy Chronicles looks back at Hale & Pace moving to the BBC and their oddly titled final series, 'h&p@bbc.'
www.comedy.co.uk/features/com...
www.comedy.co.uk/features/com...
September 13, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Would be fascinated to know what happened behind the scenes here, it was on the shelf for ages, shown in a slot they had never used for comedy before or since, in a weird forty minute duration and clearly very heavily edited to the extent they didn't say hello at the start or goodbye at the end
The launch of Fast Forward was huge news, it really was the talk of the playground. The house style is a bit wearing after a while but it was incredibly distinctive at the time
#OnThisDay 13 September 1989
In the very first issue of FAST FORWARD magazine:
GREETINGS! Meet Bread's new Joey and Aveline.
THAT FIRST DATE "I forgot who #Kylie was!!!" says #JasonDonovan.
SKOOL REPORT - John McMahon...better known as wheeling and dealing Gonch from #GrangeHill.
In the very first issue of FAST FORWARD magazine:
GREETINGS! Meet Bread's new Joey and Aveline.
THAT FIRST DATE "I forgot who #Kylie was!!!" says #JasonDonovan.
SKOOL REPORT - John McMahon...better known as wheeling and dealing Gonch from #GrangeHill.
September 13, 2026 at 8:04 AM
The launch of Fast Forward was huge news, it really was the talk of the playground. The house style is a bit wearing after a while but it was incredibly distinctive at the time
This really is the most accurate synopsis of this programme
September 13, 2026 at 8:00 AM
This really is the most accurate synopsis of this programme
I love that Hull's sleeve sponsor is McVitie's as it's a rare example in the Premier League of a sponsor you've heard of
September 12, 2026 at 10:43 PM
I love that Hull's sleeve sponsor is McVitie's as it's a rare example in the Premier League of a sponsor you've heard of
This bit in the Guardian piece about BBC charter renewal today is pretty eye-catching
September 12, 2026 at 11:22 AM
This bit in the Guardian piece about BBC charter renewal today is pretty eye-catching
Someone on NOTBBC used to tell the story about writing for short-lived C4 panel show This Week Only which was recording on 9/11 itself, and they had no idea what they should do so just completely ignored it and this topical comedy show went out two days later with no reference to it at all
Looking at the record, you might think there was a brief respectful silence from comedy after 9/11, but there wasn’t. Jokes were mainly oral, because people didn’t want to go into “print” with it. So that creates an illusion of “a world in shock” when you look back.
September 12, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Someone on NOTBBC used to tell the story about writing for short-lived C4 panel show This Week Only which was recording on 9/11 itself, and they had no idea what they should do so just completely ignored it and this topical comedy show went out two days later with no reference to it at all
This really does look like the most horrible concert of all time
Have you got that Steve Miller Band video?
Yeah boss, really fuzzy and poorly filmed like you asked. #TotP
Yeah boss, really fuzzy and poorly filmed like you asked. #TotP
September 11, 2026 at 10:12 PM
This really does look like the most horrible concert of all time
While "researching" the Middle Bit in Creamguide, I do have a quick look at the "X in British television" pages on Wikipedia to see if there's anything obvious I've missed. I regret to announce this old chestnut is still doing the rounds
September 11, 2026 at 10:10 PM
While "researching" the Middle Bit in Creamguide, I do have a quick look at the "X in British television" pages on Wikipedia to see if there's anything obvious I've missed. I regret to announce this old chestnut is still doing the rounds
Leigh Bowery
Kenny Everett as Reg Prescott
The Six O'Clock News after the protestors got in, after which I refused to watch it for ages in case it happened again
Kenny Everett as Reg Prescott
The Six O'Clock News after the protestors got in, after which I refused to watch it for ages in case it happened again
Things I was frightened of as a child:
Escalators
Smurfs
Rabies
Childbirth
Smurfs
The whites of my own eyes reflected in the bathroom mirror before turning the light on
The Hanna-Barbera swirly star
Smurfs
Escalators
Smurfs
Rabies
Childbirth
Smurfs
The whites of my own eyes reflected in the bathroom mirror before turning the light on
The Hanna-Barbera swirly star
Smurfs
Things I was frightened of as a child.
Mostly due to Public Information Films:
Electrical substations
Fireworks, even sparklers
Open water
Other 80s things:
Also Quicksand
The Incredible Hulk on the TV show
Alsatian dogs roaming the streets
Mostly due to Public Information Films:
Electrical substations
Fireworks, even sparklers
Open water
Other 80s things:
Also Quicksand
The Incredible Hulk on the TV show
Alsatian dogs roaming the streets
September 11, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Leigh Bowery
Kenny Everett as Reg Prescott
The Six O'Clock News after the protestors got in, after which I refused to watch it for ages in case it happened again
Kenny Everett as Reg Prescott
The Six O'Clock News after the protestors got in, after which I refused to watch it for ages in case it happened again
The other one is the day in May 1988 where they moved Broom Cupboards, being evicted from the old one on the Friday then doing the links from all over TV Centre on Monday untill they found the new one at 5.35
As I mentioned in Creamguide, one of my absolute holy grails is footage from the ITV regions in the week leading up to the 1979 strike, as I'd love to see how those still on air coped with the sudden gaps in the schedules. What would be your holy grails?
September 11, 2026 at 5:33 PM
The other one is the day in May 1988 where they moved Broom Cupboards, being evicted from the old one on the Friday then doing the links from all over TV Centre on Monday untill they found the new one at 5.35
Talk about an on brand answer
Tommy Boyd and Neil Buchanan filling 20 minutes of dead air on CITV due to a technical fault during episode 3 of The Diamond Brothers: South by South East
September 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Talk about an on brand answer
As I mentioned in Creamguide, one of my absolute holy grails is footage from the ITV regions in the week leading up to the 1979 strike, as I'd love to see how those still on air coped with the sudden gaps in the schedules. What would be your holy grails?
September 11, 2026 at 3:35 PM
As I mentioned in Creamguide, one of my absolute holy grails is footage from the ITV regions in the week leading up to the 1979 strike, as I'd love to see how those still on air coped with the sudden gaps in the schedules. What would be your holy grails?
Reposted by Steve Williams
70 years ago today a staff of 14 opened up the BBC's first ever East Anglian broadcasting HQ at St Catherine's Close on All Saints Green in Norwich, and what would later become known as BBC East was born.
BBC East celebrates 70 years of broadcasting from Norwich
The BBC set up its first East of England regional service in a converted Georgian mansion in 1956.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 10, 2026 at 6:37 AM
70 years ago today a staff of 14 opened up the BBC's first ever East Anglian broadcasting HQ at St Catherine's Close on All Saints Green in Norwich, and what would later become known as BBC East was born.
One of my favourite ever TV moments, and @simcourtie.bsky.social is absolutely brilliant throughout, a masterclass in live presenting
30 YEARS AGO TODAY: ITV's Saturday morning show Wow suffers a power cut in just its second week, meaning Simeon Courtie, Sophie Aldred and a menagerie of characters have to connect a generator and do the first half of the show outside the Maidstone studio. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyQX...
WOW programme 2 1996 (edited) The Media Merchants Production
WOW programme 2 1996 (edited) The Media Merchants Production
www.youtube.com
September 7, 2026 at 12:14 PM
One of my favourite ever TV moments, and @simcourtie.bsky.social is absolutely brilliant throughout, a masterclass in live presenting
Reposted by Steve Williams
A look at an inexplicably unsuccessful comic themed entirely around going to school. cwickham.blogspot.com/2026/09/scho...
September 6, 2026 at 8:46 AM
A look at an inexplicably unsuccessful comic themed entirely around going to school. cwickham.blogspot.com/2026/09/scho...
Reposted by Steve Williams
The TV version slightly awkwardly chops the end off (and we'll probably fix it tomorrow), but the full version is on the web iPlayer
September 6, 2026 at 12:57 PM
The TV version slightly awkwardly chops the end off (and we'll probably fix it tomorrow), but the full version is on the web iPlayer
This reminds me of the daft A-Z format of a book about The Goodies which means individual radio shows get their own entry but every episode of The Goodies is under the heading "The Goodies" in a G section that takes up three quarters of the book
I picked up a copy of the collected letters of JRR Tolkien for reasons, and this is the most bullshit table of contents I've ever seen. I'm actively angry that it exists
September 6, 2026 at 12:28 PM
This reminds me of the daft A-Z format of a book about The Goodies which means individual radio shows get their own entry but every episode of The Goodies is under the heading "The Goodies" in a G section that takes up three quarters of the book
Reposted by Steve Williams
I picked up a copy of the collected letters of JRR Tolkien for reasons, and this is the most bullshit table of contents I've ever seen. I'm actively angry that it exists
September 5, 2026 at 8:38 PM
I picked up a copy of the collected letters of JRR Tolkien for reasons, and this is the most bullshit table of contents I've ever seen. I'm actively angry that it exists
This makes it all worthwhile
Oh! That’s satisfying. You don’t get to coin many catchphrases in a career. Lovely.
September 6, 2026 at 11:53 AM
This makes it all worthwhile