AUNTIE’S 100 NOT OUT!
THE BBC is celebrating 100 years of broadcasting to the nation with a plethora of special programmes and commemorative events.
Among the special commissions will be royal appearances, reflective poetry and the last scenes of the current Doctor Who.
On October 26, the King will guest star in a special episode of The Repair Shop which will see him meet the expert team of craftspeople to explore their shared passion for preserving heritage craft skills.
Strictly Come Dancing will also mark the occasion this Saturday with routines to classic BBC theme songs and references to popular shows. On Sunday, Jodie Whittaker will make her last appearance as the Time Lord on Doctor Who in a feature-length special before Ncuti Gatwa takes over the role. Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and Scottish-caribbean poet Courtney Stoddart have also been commissioned to write poems reflecting on the BBC’S relationship with the nation and 100 years of poetry broadcasting.
Across 2022, the broadcaster has aired a host of new dramas and comedies for the anniversary year with BBC Three also returning as a broadcast channel.
A new 50p coin commemorating the occasion has also been created by the Royal Mint, featuring an image of the late Queen as they were produced before her death in September.
The BBC has had many major milestones across its history, including a number of firsts for UK broadcasting.
The BBC launched its first daily radio service in London, titled 2LO, on November 14, 1922 with the world’s first regularly scheduled TV service following in 1936.
On January 22 1927, the broadcaster commentated on a football match live on the radio for the first time, Arsenal versus Sheffield United at Highbury, which ended 1-1.
Sheila Borrett became the first female radio announcer on the BBC’S national service in July 1933, but she was removed three months later due to thousands of complaints from listeners who were uncomfortable with her role. Annie Nightingale became the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970 and is the station’s longestserving host.
The BBC’S coverage of the Queen’s coronation in 1953 also marked a milestone for
broadcasting history as it was the first service to be televised and for most people
it was the first time they had watched an event on television.
July 1 1967 was another historic day as BBC Two hosted the first colour television broadcast in the UK when covering the Wimbledon Championships, with a full colour service launching on BBC One in 1969. Over the years, the broadcaster has also faced controversies, notably the 1995 Panorama interview between Diana, Princess of Wales, and journalist Martin Bashir.