BBC Nationwide's final edition 1983

An edited version of the final edition of BBC's Nationwide news programme which ran from 1969 to 1983. Presented by Frank Bough, this final edition was broadcast on August 5, 1983. Glyn Worsnip takes a look back at some of the show's highlights and a link-up between all 11 BBC regions as presenters 'pass' a cake around the country.

[@watdefuq9166]

RIP Glyn Worsnip - a greatly underrated presenter.

[@gavinmurrell3415]

The pinnacle of TV. It never got any better. Downhill from there on.

[@homevideotransfer-vhstodvd9744]

I enjoyed watching this; I trained as an VT editor on Nationwide at Lime Grove in 1980s and then moved on but I’m now back editing local news again just for fun before I retire next in December 2018

[@danwoodhouse9290]

you worked on natonwide? - ok so how did they do the "Pass the cake trick"? pre-recorded maybe or live with 11 similar cakes?

[@what-uc]

I had the Nationwide board game! It was a map of the UK with squares, you moved cardboard cameras around and collected monitor screens. My kind of board game lol

[@robalexander8065]

Me too! Bought it at a Jumble Sale for 10p! Bargain!

[@LMac1970]

Thanks for posting this! I always remembered that Stilgoe song at the end. Had forgotten the roasted duck on the skateboard though!

[@simonjones7727]

It is just so spectacularly dull, and ironically so, given what we have learned since about Frank Bough. The late 70s and early 80s are an odd period. There is material from the 50s and 60s that remains (John Freeman, some of the election broadcasts, TW3 etc) very fresh even now, ditto the drama.There are a few points of light (Kenny Everett, Arena, Shock Of The New, for example) but an average weekday evening that began with this, then meandered through a decade old episode of the Rockford Files, a social affairs documentary, the news and then a "B" picture on BBC 1, or more social affairs, Rhoda, and then the snooker on BBC2 was grim in a way that no one could imagine now.

[@TheWacoKid1963]

RIP Mike Neville, 6th September 2017, Aged 80

[@angelacooper2661]

I was thirteen when Nationwide finished and remember it well. Frank Bough also presented BBC Breakfast Time when it started that year. And I remember Glyn Worsnip too.

[@jamieproctor8691]

Ken Cooper from Look North, classic

[@Cool2BCeltic]

Nationwide finished a few months after breakfast tv started on the BBC. If you look at its content, it's very similar to what we get nowadays on BBC Breakfast.

[@andy22823]

Cool2BCeltic P

[@RussJGraham]

Was it possible to make anything in the late 1970s and early 1980s that *didn't* have Richard Stilgoe running his luppers up the strillers bona at some point? Fabulous upload: thank you!

[@Mishima505]

I think it was in the BBC's charter from 1926 requiring R****** S****** to be on every fucking show ever made. Ever.

[@davidpoulton2860]

RIP Frank wonderful presenter

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

Bring it back.

[@fraserkatie]

Richard Stilgoe such talent!

[@robertcomer2767]

Really????

[@johnjtm1097]

I notice the titles didn't include the most famous and most well known Nationwide theme, The Good Word, by Johnny Scott

[@robalexander8065]

If memory serves they used that to introduce one of the previous programmes that week.

[@markcampbell8950]

That was very good.

[@garrysimpson1395]

Further to what I typed in months past,Could someone tell me what happened to The former Scene Around Six and Nationwide presenter Diane Harron who presented Scene Around Six for BBC Northern Ireland and found Nationwide Fame on Nationwide and spin off programme Dianne Does It from 1976 untill 1982? I know she had a son that went on to work for BBC Northern Ireland

[@colonelcatabermi6442]

"Not all beer and skittles"...........I agree, lol.

[@a34rwl]

the comb-overs...

[@johndaarteest]

Can;t beat a greasy Bobby Charlton.

[@Vortigan07]

Agreed!

[@brianmorecombe2726]

Dont know why they ditched that,that was a good news show.

[@CelticSaint]

Good old Stuart Hall..... Oh Wait! Seriously though, I just learnt of the death of Glyn Worsnip. All be it more than 15 years after his demise. As a kid I used to like his dead pan delivery. He had an Aurthur Dent way about him,

[@CelticSaint]

*Arthur Dent

[@terrybutler1231]

Opt out, opt out - Iris… cue

[@alanreader4815]

I cant help but think after not seeing this for years that Glyn Worsnip looks like Even Baxter from Bruce Almighty. LOL.

[@markpunt9638]

Opt-in, opt-in 👍😂

[@abhudson14]

I thought Frank Bough had left Nationwide by1983 to work on Breakfast time

[@dlamiss]

came back for the last show

[@robalexander8065]

He had, hence Mike Neville alluded to it with "Good Morning, Frank!"

[@danwoodhouse9290]

that cake didn't make it to the Channel Islands

[@dlamiss]

The channel islands didn't have its own opt out in 1983 they took the Plymouth feed

[@chrispearson3333]

@@dlamiss That was the problem. I used to visit Jersy and ITV were well ahead of the game with Channel TV. Spotlight West didn't do the islands Justice. Glad BBC now have there own Channel opt out.

[@johntomlinson6849]

Great programme. Should never have been cancelled. Typical BBC.

[@davidspear9790]

I believe it got cancelled to make a bigger slot for the national and regional news.

[@davepoole9520]

Wow. Look how the BBC just fobbed everyone in Sussex and Kent with just a studio in Southampton to cover them regionally back then. I only remember the bloke who claimed he could walk on water and the snail which drank itself to death.

[@professormcclaine5738]

Someone always trys to spoil these posts by mentioning the lack of diversity on television in the 1980's.

[@Ground53]

Frank bough the cake was full of cocaine

[@johndaarteest]

Charlie Bough

[@radioandtvmemories6178]

Boring

[@thejobinterviewcoach9901]

We all used to hate it when Richard Stillgoe came on, sooo boring