Viewers spurn TV's golden age in poll of small screen classics
as the BBC fetes its 60th birthday, 3 November 1996
BBC viewers last night snubbed the golden age of television and voted for modern day favourites in a national poll to mark the BBC's 60th anniversary. Situation comedies, including 'Fawlty Towers' and 'Dad's Army', were eclipsed by the laddish series 'Men Behaving Badly' in the vote by more than half a million viewers. /.../
Viewers chose last year's adaptation of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' in preference to classic serials including 'The Forsyte Saga', 'I Claudius' and 'Pennies from Heaven'.
The favourite actor award was picked up by Colin Firth, who played Mr Darcy in 'Pride and Prejudice', beating off competition from Alan Bates and Sir Alec Guinness.
Auntie's All Time Greats, a gala awards ceremony screened on BBC1 last night, was organised to celebrate 60 years of British television. Viewers were invited to vote by telephone in 11 categories, choosing from shortlists drawn up by television writers and senior industry figures. The surprising bias against classics of yesteryear will have delighted BBC executives, battling to convince the Government of the case for an above-inflation increase in the licence fee. However, eyebrows will be raised at many of the results. /.../
[Snappies courtesy of Dolores]
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From the televised gala ceremony: "Colin Firth is in fact in Los Angeles at this moment, making movies... and he should be pool side in Beverly Hills. Colin, very, many congratulations from us! Very well done indeed."
Colin: "Thank you very much. I've driven a long way this morning just to sit here for precisely this effect, so it's good that you mention it......" [Laughter from the London audience]
"Well, I've seem to have benefited, one way or the other, from BBC for years now, having grown up on them in terms of television. They've gone on to provide me with some of the greatest satisfaction I've ever had in terms of work and, well, now this!! And despite the feeling that my career might have just peaked.... [Laughter] ... I would like to thank them, and above all those who have voted for me. It's a formidable list of nominees and it's praise enough simply to be on it. So I shall grab this and flee before there's a recount! Thank you very much."
complete list of winners - and losers:
- Favourite actor
Winner: Colin Firth. Losers: Alan Bates, Alec Guinness, Robert Hardy, Derek Jacobi
- Favourite drama serial
Winner: 'Pride and Prejudice'. Losers: 'Edge of Darkness', 'I Claudius', 'Pennies from Heaven', 'The Forsyte Saga', 'Six Wives of Henry VIII'
- Favourite situation comedy performer
Winner: David Jason. Losers: John Cleese, Tony Hancock, Arthur Lowe, Eric Sykes
- Favourite comedy performer
Winner: Victoria Wood. Losers: John Cleese, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Spike Milligan
- Favourite light entertainment series
Winner: 'Morecambe and Wise'. Losers: 'Dave Allen at Large', 'Mike Yarwood in Persons'
- Favourite comedy series
Winner: 'Victoria Wood As Seen on TV'. Losers: 'Monty Python', 'Not The Nine O'Clock News', 'That Was The Week That Was'
- Favourite actress
Winner: Patricia Routledge. Losers: Judi Dench, Thora Hird, Glenda Jackson, Juliet Stevenson
- Favourite situation comedy
Winner: 'Men Behaving Badly'. Losers: 'Dad's Army', 'Fawlty Towers', 'Only Fools and Horses', 'Steptoe and Son', 'Till Death Us Do Part', 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads', 'Yes Minister'
- Favourite presenter
Winner: Desmond Lynam. Losers: David Attenborough, Robin Day, Richard Dimbleby
- Favourite popular drama
Winner: 'Doctor Who'. Losers: 'Casualty', 'Colditz', 'EastEnders', 'The Onedin Line', 'When the Boat Comes In', 'Z Cars'
- Favourite light entertainment performer
Winner: 'Morecambe and Wise'. Losers: 'Dave Allen', 'The Two Ronnies', 'Les Dawson'
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