Tony Blair faces the camera

24th February 2026

John Wyver writes: I have hugely enjoyed Channel 4's The Tony Blair Story (broadcast last week and available on catch-up), for which the series director and narrator is Michael Waldman (who I should own is a friend). more

Robert Vas events: registration open

17th February 2026

John Wyver writes: Registration is now open for the one-day symposium on 27 March centred on the films of the great television documentary filmmaker Robert Vas. The symposium is complemented by a rare screening of Vas' remarkable film about the more

Coming up…

13th February 2026

John Wyver writes: In case any of the below is of interest, I thought it might be useful to detail the events I'm involved with over the coming months. It would be very good to see any of you present more

Dear BBC Archives…

6th February 2026

In a way, you're spoiling us - and we're grateful. 'Us' being the nerdy types fascinated by television's deep archive. For so long, because of rights restrictions and a general lack of interest, television's history, beyond select monetisable shows like more

Mañana, the backstory

3rd February 2026

John Wyver writes: Late on Sunday night, BBC Four brought to the screen the 1956 BBC production of Arthur Benjamin's 75-minute opera Mañana. The transmission was 70 years to the day after its television premiere, and the recording is now more