100 and counting

THE risqué scene in the BBC’S 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice has once again got tongues wagging. The lake-water-doused shirt worn by Colin Firth striding towards Elizabeth Bennet is among a ‘100 Objects’ online exhibition celebrating the BBC’S 100th anniversary.

Other items include Roy Plomley’s 1941 pitch letter for Desert Island Discs, Alistair Cooke’s typewriter from his 58-year-long radio series Letter from

America, David Attenborough’s job application, Pudsey Bear and The Stig’s helmet. There are also ‘100 Faces’ and ‘100 Voices’ displays and a section for the public to share their memories.

The BBC ‘has an amazing history which belongs to us all,’ says Robert Seatter, the BBC’S head of history. In the spring, its list of 100 BBC Gamechangers —programmes said to have changed British television—will be released and the Science Museum Group is digitising 1,000 BBC objects and plans to launch exhibitions and events across the UK. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/100