Home› UK TV Shows
Click here to check out Digital Spy's TV section for the latest news, previews and reviews of your favourite shows.

Local programmes which went national

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,306
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in UK TV Shows #1
Correct me if I am wrong but I think Top Gear started in 1977 as a Midlands-only show

And I know Rab C Nesbitt was first shown in Scotland before getting it's first national transmission on BBC2

Anyone know of any other examples

Comments

  • LowLifeLowLife Posts: 142
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #2
    If I remember correctly legendary Saturday morning kid's show Tiswas started out as a Midlands only programme and then went national later on.
  • 80sQueen80sQueen Posts: 792
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #3
    Countdown was on Yorkshire News/TV before Channel 4 had been invented. Monday evenings at 6.30pm IIRC
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,849
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Top of the Pops was a northern thing originally, I think.

    Edit: but shown nationally.
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    Jim'll Fix It began as an opt-out from BBC Leeds in the early 1970s

    Mr and Mrs began as a local show on Border TV
  • ftvftv Posts: 31,668
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #6
    CLL Dodge wrote: »
    Top of the Pops was a northern thing originally, I think.

    Edit: but shown nationally.

    TOTP began in January 1964 from the old Dickenson Road Studios in Manchester (now a housing estate) but it was always a network show. It moved to London when colour came to BBC1 in 1969 because Dickey Road was not equipped for colour.
  • joebloggs90joebloggs90 Posts: 642
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #7
    "Still Game" was BBC Scotland only for the first couple of series.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 423
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #8
    Under Offer - a local Meridian/HTV West quiz show was shown nationally on Challenge TV circa 2001 and it was shown on ITV in 2002.

    Nuts and Bolts - a Welsh soap opera filmed in Merthyr Tydfil was shown locally on HTV Wales and then was shown nationally on ITV2.

    Bargain Hunters - an HTV Wales local antiques programme was shown on Challenge TV.
  • Jaycee DoveJaycee Dove Posts: 18,762
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #9
    Coronation Street

    A short run Granada only drama at first,

    Supoosed to end with the street being bulldozed for modern housing - in 1960!

    Was a success, went national and the ending was postponed ..... by a century or two. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,434
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #10
    ftv wrote: »
    Jim'll Fix It began as an opt-out from BBC Leeds in the early 1970s

    Mr and Mrs began as a local show on Border TV

    Mr & Mrs was a weird one though as when it was
    shown on Yorkshire TV (assume it had gone national)
    it had 2 versons. The Border one with Derek Battey and
    an HTV production, think that presenter was Alan Taylor
    or smething
  • toastinthetowntoastinthetown Posts: 35
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #11
    Jaycee Dove wrote: »
    Coronation Street

    A short run Granada only drama at first,

    Supoosed to end with the street being bulldozed for modern housing - in 1960!

    Was a success, went national and the ending was postponed ..... by a century or two. :)

    According to the new 50th Birthday Corrie book the series was networked from May 1961 , however I have an April 1961 TV Times showing the series was already running in London by then.

    I even have the December 1960 Granada issue for the first episode and a feature on the new series .
    It started on a Friday then ran twice weekly on wednesdays and fridays .
    If only it would again
  • chemical2009bchemical2009b Posts: 5,250
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #12
    LowLife wrote: »
    If I remember correctly legendary Saturday morning kid's show Tiswas started out as a Midlands only programme and then went national later on.

    It phased in region by region, however when Tyne Tees and TSW finally started showing it at the start of the final series, Tarrant, Carolgees and Henry were all gone. Channel never showed it all.
Sign In or Register to comment.