Swap-Shop (28/2/1981) TC7 Gallery Tour

[@homevideotransfer-vhstodvd9744]

I remember editing those series opening titles sequence, in edit suite C, on the forth floor of TVC. We used Quantel 5001 routed from TC1 to make the 4 boxes. I didn’t precisely adjust the line blanking on one of the VTRs which shows up as a vertical black line on the bottom right box. And there’s a flashframe that I also missed until we’d finished the edit and was too tired to recreate, which would have taken hours because it was linear editing. How come I remember that from 40 years ago?

[@tasercs]

If this comment isn't the wonder of the internet - nothing is! The very person that edited the opening titles that I ( and millions of other people) watched countless times and are burnt into our memories and imaginations - humbly recounting the event. The posted video is amazing but the comments below videos like this, add a whole new dimension.

[@theamigashow9506]

Such an iconic sequence! I know your pain though, picking up such a complicated sequence in a linear suite was not ideal!

[@tortysoft]

- not ideal? We 'play in' VT engineers ( operators) had 45 minutes to change a tape for a new source. We did it in about three minutes on a slow day. Quad machines were harder to set up than the 1 inch, but gave better pics - no slow motion or freeze frames though. You get effects at the cost of quality. We were downgraded from Engineer to Operator because of that... not that it still hurts though.@@theamigashow9506

[@simonnelson7770]

That was one of my favourite programmes when I was a kid. Great times, love the golly on the front of the desk😂😂God how times have changed

[@deemdoubleu]

The audio mixing console is a Calrec (made in Hebden Bridge West Yorks) and was delivered circa 1978/79.

[@paulburns-dt9eq]

Amazing! Been to Hebden Bridge circa 1996 and did you know that apparently I happen to visit the only existing clog making factory in the UK!

[@deemdoubleu]

@@paulburns-dt9eq It closed a long time ago and was demolished a few years ago after a fire.

[@paulburns-dt9eq]

Ooh what a shame. So sorry 2 here it.

[@vinnyjones3]

Mad how I still remember that phone number!!

[@VHS_PAL]

I have to ask my wife, my mobile number from time to time, but I still remember 01 811 8055 despite having never rung it.

[@arejaycee5484]

Yeah Me too Mate

[@tasercs]

So many Swap Shop episodes were wiped so it is a miracle this has survived... or was it smuggled out via the VT dept? :) How sad that TC7 and a few of its friends are now gone. Luckily, based on the comments here, loads of people have fond memories. I have just watched the Blue Peter and Magpie behind the scenes KZbins and whilst they were good, Noel had a way of talking to children and not down to them - he really was a master of live TV. These sort of things were so rare when we were young but they meant so much... I had a life-long love of TV production after this. Noel also taught me (and a few million other children) how to fly a helicopter! Now I'd love to see that episode again. Ground breaking content for its time. Thanks for taking the time to post this Ian.

[@iannorman8754]

Dear Craig, good evening and thank you for your comments. Very few episodes of Swap-Shop were recorded by the VT department. As the show went out live and tape was expensive, only a few special ones were ever recorded. The production team simply recorded two VHS copies for their archive. This is from an 'off-air' recording on Betamax.

[@tasercs]

@@iannorman8754 Thanks for the reply Ian. There was me thinking they had been wiped but the thought never crossed my mind that they had never been recorded in the first place! It does seem so odd to us now but it would have seemed mad in 1981, to imagine that anyone 40 years later, would have the slightest interest in a live children's programme swapping unwanted toys and talking about current pop music. Instead, people are using their free time to post footage and to actively seek that footage and then to share their memories of it! Something tells me you are more than just one of the most interesting archives of unique TV footage on the internet Ian... did you work at the BBC?

[@iannorman8754]

@@tasercs Dear Craig, yes I did work at the BBC. I operated the camera on this walkabout. Worked on various shows including 3 years on Swap Shop (my favourite).

[@tasercs]

@@iannorman8754 I was a bit slow to guess that the Ian Noel referred to was in fact THE Ian - it all makes sense now. You must have so many wonderful stories from your time there Ian.

[@johnking5174]

This was a perfect, cheap item that Swap Shop was well known for. Noel's behind the scenes tour of BBC Television Centre studios etc, where as cheap as chips, involved no budget, and was a great filler, pleased the viewers. BBC budget controllers were happy.

[@andrewbashford3897]

I remember this programme when it was transmitted originally I just turned 17 and I was going out birthday shopping as soon as swap shop finished.

[@angelacooper2661]

I am six years younger than you, as I was not yet eleven and in my last year at junior school back then!

[@dreamyblue44]

Heavens, not seen this footage since I was twelve, excellent, many thanks!

[@angelacooper2661]

You must be a year older than me, as I was in my last year at junior school and not yet eleven!

[@enoz.j3506]

What's impressive is the reliability of all those remote connections / electronic equipment,i can only remember a handful of on air problems.

[@scallywagstv2439]

You've got to admire Noel Edmonds perfect timing.

[@jingleday1710]

loved this! thanks for posting

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

Thanks for this upload Ian

[@andrewscott1253]

Fascinating. I want to see the rest of the show now.

[@rajnirvan3336]

Saturday morning TV had more or less started for me around 1980 when I was 3 years old

[@johnking5174]

TISWAS started on ITV in 1974, even though it was not fully networked until 1979. Swap Shop started in 1976. Before Swap Shop, BBC One threw on any old cartoon or Laurel and Hardy in the pre Grandstand slot.

[@jaspervanderblint7986]

The RYLEY operator has a calculator watch. Good stuff!

[@icespittingfire]

didn't he look nervous!

[@gordonm2821]

Ryley then Aston. First (for me) the various Astons 3 and 4 with the big 8 inch floppy disks then the later modern variants like the Aston ‘Caption’ and ‘Motif’ ranges before the company getting absorbed by the Brainstorm company

[@mubd1234sAussieMediaArchive]

He could have shaken a few quality cocktails with those hands!

[@anthonyperkins7556]

When Saturday mornings actually meant something worthwhile, while you were in bed and turned on your portable colour or b/w television, "Morning, you all right, good, here is the weekend, enjoy swapping and have a great time!" It was far better than the 'we know better than you' cook-a-thon that says "we think you like cooking on a Saturday morning, not enjoying kids entertainment, we decide what's on NOT YOU" mentality that dogs BBC and ITV.

[@brianbarr1000]

I remember this episode very well. I was at the OB in Peterborough.

[@iannorman8754]

Dear Brian, Hello, I still have the episode, OB and all.

[@brianbarr1000]

Ian, I did record it on VHS but long gone. I did visit Tele' Centre years ago and watched Blue Peter in TC1 from the observation gallery high up and also saw Patrick Moore recording Sky at Night. Also going up to the transmission suite where "The Broom Cupboard" was. On the other end was the weather studio with CSO.

[@iannorman8754]

Dear Brian, Glad you saw it in the good old days when atmosphere was fantastic and always something going on. Sadly most of it's gone now, only TC1-3 are left.

[@MariaLeel]

I think Keith and the live broadcast were coming from Ferry Meadows in Peterborough on this programme :)

[@ianoliver3879]

Interesting that the only person in the gallery not introduced was the boss - Rosemary Gill. A brilliant lady. I presume she was as modest as she was clever.

[@aisey100]

Fantastic stuff. The days when kids tv didn't talk down to us and feel the need to be utterly idiotic 100% of the time.

[@MarkPentler]

The interesting question is: Would kids back then have actually known what they were listening to or cared? This idea that things have dumbed down is an interesting one and one I do sort-of subscribe to, but I wonder how much of those kind of complaints are just wishful thinking.

[@annother3350]

How educational was Ministry of Mayhem or dick and dom?!

[@Antpeople1]

@@MarkPentler Well interestingly, a boy wrote into Points Of View not too many years ago, to complain about how modern children's TV does indeed patronise and talk down to children. I am glad a child complained about it!

[@davidevans3227]

..and.. queue noel.. 🙂 i used to love this sort of bit so much.. But then when mum had left the room, switch over to Tiswas! 😄

[@WeeShooey]

Cool as cucumber presenter Noel. He made the show.

[@jaspervanderblint7986]

Thank you, I was 7 then.

[@angelacooper2661]

I was not yet eleven and in my last year at junior school. Happy days behind the scenes at Swap Shop!

[@spig021]

This is gold! I used to love Swap Shops trips behind the scenes. I don't suppose you have the trip to the Noddy Room or the Christmas Pudding ident give away do you? I remember those two things quite clearly, but can't seem to source the clips.

[@robalexander8065]

Yes, the Christmas Pudding BBC1 ident giveaway is a particularly tangible memory.

[@andrewbashford3897]

Fantastic program but not a patch on TISWAS ⁉️💥

[@johnking5174]

It wasn't meant to be. It was always going to be a more sedate alternative, which lasted longer than TISWAS, as TISWAS was never properly networked until 1979, so a large chunk of the British population never saw TISWAS until around 1979. Viewers on Channel Television never saw it at all.

[@europa2000man]

@@johnking5174 Ulster Television (and I think Tyne Tees) didn't receive TISWAS until the last series in late 1981 / early 1982, so only the last series was networked to all ITV regions (apart from Channel Television)

[@arejaycee5484]

Pretty sure Scottish Television showed it from the start. No I'm wrong it was 1977 before we got it.

[@paulburns-dt9eq]

Tiswas asitwas was more entertaining and weren't Sally James and Maggi phllsick like sisters in those Saturdays days

[@paulburns-dt9eq]

Ref to both sal and Maggie. Nah both lovely lasses.

[@mpwheatley]

Was Noel Edmonds a bell-end back then or did that feature take time to develop?

[@johnking5174]

Studio TC7 is now no more, it was demolished under the new Television Centre redevelopment along with four other studios.

[@iannorman8754]

Yes, demolished, very sad.

[@johnking5174]

Along with TC4, TC5, TC6 and most sad TC8.

[@joesophie90]

John King What programmes came from TC8, John?

[@iannorman8754]

TC8 had permanent 'fold away' seating and a dedicated audience entrance, so it was used for many of the popular light entertainment shows and sitcoms. The last Fawlty Towers (Rat) is an example, Some of the Kenny Everett shows, The Two Ronnies to name a few that I know of.

[@johnking5174]

Most of the BBC sitcoms and comedies you might have enjoyed. Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served?, Dad's Army, Steptoe and Son, Morecambe and Wise Show, The Two Ronnies, Parkinson Chat Show, Paul Daniels Magic Show, Brittas Empire, One Foot In The Grave, Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister, Only Fools and Horses, Open All Hours, Citizen Smith, Porridge, Till Death Us Do Part, In Sickness and in Health, Going Straight, So Haunt Me, Blackadder, The Goodies, Reggie Perrin, Blankety Blank, Bread, May to December, Dinnerladies - do you want me to go on?

[@mikecumbo7531]

What switcher was that? Not a Grass, Sony wasn’t in the broadcast switcher market then. Thompson? Some domestic model?

[@iannorman8754]

Prior to 1980, the BBC made their own vision mixers. The mixer in this video is one of the BBC's own design.

[@nicdez1913]

It starts with a clock too!

[@mistofoles]

It's rumoured that Cheggars swapped his car keys for a bottle of White Lightning.

[@paulburns-dt9eq]

That 'Bob' fella on that colourful keyboard in that clip doesn't half resemble DLTs brother...probably separated at birth!

[@peterpeterxxo]

ace.

[@darren2514fv]

Was Studio 7 also used for Crimewatch as well as the Saturday Morning shows

[@iannorman8754]

Hi Darren, It's a long time ago since I worked there (I left in 1983). At the time the studios were considered general purpose, so it might be 'swap-shop' one day and 'tomorrows world' another. TC7 was a small studio, it's quite possible, but as I never worked on 'Crimewatch' I cannot say if it was ever in there.

[@MatgoStyles]

Crimewatch was TC5, which was identical in size to TC7. TC7 ended up being the BBC News studio from 1997 onwards.

[@TheJimbojetset1]

to think saville is in the Next studio fiddling with kids as this is going out

[@iannorman8754]

Actually Jim'll Fix It was pre-recorded at the TV theatre on Tuesday's, then transmitted the following Saturday.

[@TheJimbojetset1]

so fiddly tuesday it was then at the theatre @@iannorman8754

[@tortysoft]

Oh, yet another instance of ignoring VT! TK got slightly more of a mention...

[@aaronward9700]

The faders look really old

[@martindeane9631]

That's a very young looking me on grams at 13:25

[@iannorman8754]

Dear Martin, Hi, yes, one to show your children. I still remember the day. I was perspiring so much, I kept steaming up the viewfinder. But it was great times. My favourite show to work on.

[@atmakali9599]

Looks like a labyrinth of prison cells.

[@atmakali9599]

Ugh horrible jobs sitting in those dark rooms counting down crappy tv shows. Nightmare job.

[@arejaycee5484]

Ah don't know Better than on the line in a factory