24/02/1984 - ITV - TV-am

The last 25 minutes of a February 1984 edition of TV-am. This particular clip features Nick Owen and Anne Diamond hosting Christopher Reeve before Roland Live starts with Roland Rat and Kevin the Gerbil. There's also the bonus of Roland Rat interviewing Christopher Biggins in the studio as well as a couple of advert breaks.

[@angelacooper2661]

I would have been four months shy of fourteen at the time of this footage. Remember Roland Rat and can imitate his voice. YEAH!

[@danielwilliamson6180]

5 months before I was born in the UK on July 23, 1984 and 20 years before Christopher Reeve passed away in 2004 :(

[@johnking5174]

By February 1984 TV am was a shadow of its former self. Launched on 1st February 1983 with all the pomposity and arrogance of David Frost and gang, but after ratings disaster and financial meltdown we got the breakfast show we wanted, light, fluffy and happy in the mornings. By autumn 1984 TV am ratings were turning around, and shock of all, started to beat the BBC at last.

[@Giovanni_Team_Rocket_UK]

This aired under 3 months before I was born XD I remember TV-am in the late 80’s and the early 90’s when it disappeared from our screens forever :’( but this is one of the best quality TV-am uploads I’ve ever seen so far! Thank you for uploading! :)

[@mrpickles6968]

This aired 8 months before I was born. Don’t remember seeing Roland rat on television yet I remember tv-am but my brother might do who is nearly 4 years older than me and he had rat on the road video and some soft toys

[@caroline-janehall1984]

I was 4 days old when this was first aired

[@angelacooper2661]

​@@caroline-janehall1984 I was 13 at the time of this footage and remember Roland Rat well. Chris Biggins of Rentaghost fame (Adam Painting). YEAH!

[@jaywest3734]

I was born about two weeks after this. LOL the gerbil mentions the Isle of Wight. I grew up there.

[@leethomson5733]

So fuckin wot ?

[@eddiebrice1161]

Oi you leave the Isle of Wight alone 😡

[@TheImatube]

It's so odd because I born in 82 but feel like I remember this. 😂

[@rajnirvan3336]

Very rare seeing Christopher Reeve with a moustache

[@leethomson5733]

What were you expecting lol ? a cape 😂😂🦸

[@rajnirvan3336]

@@leethomson5733 red boots to

[@leethomson5733]

@@rajnirvan3336 I bet you like them with a moustache and big red high heels 👠😂

[@rajnirvan3336]

@@leethomson5733 oh yeah man red heels are solid 🤣🤣🤣

[@sie4431]

Just 31 in this interview

[@zekeedwards9708]

Weird how adverts can stimulate old neural paths that have not been stimulated for nearly 40 years

[@timpriddy349]

That morning clock............the eyes are upon it

[@caroline-janehall1984]

I was 4 days old when this was on

[@williamjhughes9460]

Anne Diamond 💖💖💖💖

[@mattelectro78]

Particularly love the ad breaks. I had Learning Box for my ZX Spectrum!

[@frazzleface753]

Kevin the Gerbil sounds like Pauline Campbell-Jones: 'Okey Cokey Pig in a Pokey! Good Morning Job Seekers!'

[@seanadamson280]

Yep

[@Nige031077]

Kevin sang a song about he's pink bucket, the Ratmobile was pink and yet he is flying a yellow plane? One good thing about the late great Chris Reeve, he never minded having a laugh, especially at himself. Most so called celebs nowadays are so hungry for air time they try and take over everyone else's shows, he was a genuine star and a decent guy.

[@leethomson5733]

He got plenty air time when he donned his Cape lad ! 🦸

[@zanducktv2398]

He means the Glenis puppet hasn’t been made yet lol!

[@mattelectro78]

Yes, I remember us saying that back in the day! I think there were a few characters in the Roland universe that would be frequently referenced months before they appeared on screen.

[@mtns7036]

Could Anne have sat any closer to him!? Yeahhhhhhh rat fansss

[@syteanric1868]

Has the facebook page gone? Was going to post about 4-mation. There was also a run of 2 or 3 minute shorts on channel 4 in the 90s that i vividly remember. Some were short films, animations, vox pop style videos but cannot remember what they were called!

[@VideotapeFTW]

Great vid - thanks for sharing! I've just this week uploaded a chunk of Roland myself from later in 1984. Do you mind if I ask what you use to deinterlace and resize your captures? I use VirtualDub, but it doesn't always play ball, and I'm looking for an alternative...

[@CuriousBritishTelly]

I use Handbrake to rip straight from a DVD that I've copied the VHS to. I had a go with VirtualDub avout a year or so ago and it was a bit too advanced for me!

[@VideotapeFTW]

Hmmm... I've tried Handbrake, and couldn't get it to both deinterlace _and_ resize to 720p in one go, but if you've managed it, I'll have to give it another try. Interesting. Thanks very much, and keep up the great work!

[@lucaschapman2188]

Why aren't there any marmots and Guinea pigs ? Where is the diversity!?

[@zanducktv2398]

That lad’s impersonation was crap lol. All those wasted cassettes!