Monday December 24th The European Space Agency launches its first space rocket, Ariane 1. The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, triggering a war which lasts almost a decade. ITV: A Christmas Runaround Mum, Dad and Gran take me to a family Christmas party at Auntie Em and Uncle Edwin’s house on Smawthorne Grove in Castleford. Their son (Uncle Morris) merrily refers to us as “Fairburnites” as we set off to leave in the car, prompting a discussion about what people who live in Castleford are called. They drunkenly settle on “Castlefordians”. In the car on the way home, I am allowed to open one present - a new pair of pyjamas. Tuesday December 25th Christmas Day - I wake up at 8.30 am to find myself the beneficiary of a bounty of brilliant presents (all documented in an essay I wrote in January 1980). Among my many gifts are a digital watch, several annuals, two Micronauts toys and a Leeds United towel. The best present, according to contemporary accounts, is the Battlestar Galactica Space Alert Game. Christmas Telly 1979 The Christmas Schedule BBC Trailer Another BBC Trailer The Queen’s Speech BBC News ITV News & Continuity Yorkshire TV ads More ITV ads Mike Yarwood BBC VT Christmas Tape: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Top of the Pops - presented by Peter Powell and David ‘Kid’ Jensen, with: • Mary’s Boy Child Boney M • Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick Ian Dury & The Blockheads • Silly Games Janet Kay • Cars Gary Numan • Dance Away Roxy Music • Ring My Bell Anita Ward (via Legs & Co) • Video Killed the Radio Star Buggles • Bang Bang BA Robertson • Sunday Girl Blondie • Pop Muzik M • Tragedy The Bee Gees (via Legs & Co) • Oliver’s Army Elvis Costello & The Attractions • One Day at a Time Lena Martell • Cool For Cats Squeeze • Dreaming Blondie • Are ‘Friends’ Electric? Tubeway Army • Some Girls Racey Wednesday December 26th 96 Patriotic Front guerrillas return to Rhodesia to a rapturous welcome, in order to join a peacekeeping force which will monitor the imminent ceasefire, due to come into effect at midnight on Friday. Boxing Day Continuity Thursday December 27th The Soviet Union takes control of Afghanistan, executing President Hafizullah Amin (and his 11-year-old son, who bleeds to death from shrapnel wounds) and installing Babrak Karmal as his successor. According to ITN News, a small earthquake hits the North of England early this morning, “rocking houses and rattling furniture and windows.” A couple of chimney pots get broken in Carlisle. Apparently it’s the fifth such earthquake since October, and measures somewhere between 4.5 and 5 on the Richter Scale. Star Wars Weekly No 97 Doctor Who Weekly No 12 Spectacular Spider-Man Weekly No 356 Hulk Comic No 44 Marvel Superheroes No 357 Look-in No 1 (it’s been going for ten years but restarts at No 1 every January) features an article about Star Trek: The Motion Picture and a competition to win a Dinky Star Trek Gift Set. BBC 1, 6.50 pm: Tomorrow’s World: Review of the 1970s - (alt link) BBC 1, 7.20 pm: Top of the Pops - another review of the year, presented by Mike Read and Dave Lee Travis, but this time with fewer studio performances: • I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor (Legs & Co) • Y.M.C.A. Village People (Legs & Co) • Up the Junction Squeeze Friday December 28th ITV, 5.15 pm: Jimmy Pursey presents The Solid Gold Top Twenty, a rundown of the twenty best-selling singles of the decade. ITV, 5.45 pm: News at 5.45: • Ten are dead and hundreds homeless after 24 hours of storms and floods • Last ditch talks to avoid a national steel strike • Ceasefire in Rhodesia expected tonight ITV, 7 pm: Liza Minnelli appears as a guest on The Muppet Show: • Copacabana • Everything’s Coming Up Roses • A Quiet Thing • Credits BBC 2, 8.15 pm: Kate Bush Christmas Special Saturday December 29th Doctor Who: The Horns of Nimon - Part Two 2000 AD Prog 146: the cover boldly states that “New Year is Cancelled”. Proof, if any were needed, that the comics were published the week before the date given on the cover. It wouldn’t carry much weight if it was published on the cover’s date of January 5th. Sunday December 30th Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart’s last day presenting Radio 1’s Junior Choice, before moving on to Radio 2. UK SINGLES CHART No 1: Another Brick in the Wall Pink Floyd No 54: My Girl Madness UK ALBUMS CHART No 1: Greatest Hits Rod Stewart No 41: The Secret Policeman’s Ball Various Artists No 55: Rhapsody in Black London Symphony Orchestra

Monday December 24th - Sunday December 30th, 1979

TERM 1: Christmas

TERM 1 (Sept - Dec 1979) Week 0 (Aug 25 - Sep 2, 1979) Week 1 (Sep 3 - Sep 9, 1979) Week 2 (Sep 10 - Sep 16, 1979) Week 3 (Sep 17 - Sep 23, 1979) Week 4 (Sep 24 - Sep 30, 1979) Week 5 (Oct 1 - Oct 7, 1979) Week 6 (Oct 8 - Oct 14, 1979) Week 7 (Oct 15 - Oct 21, 1979) Half Term (Oct 22 - Oct 28, 1979) Week 8 (Oct 29 - Nov 4, 1979) Week 9 (Nov 5 - Nov 11, 1979) Week 10 (Nov 12 - Nov 18, 1979) Week 11 (Nov 19 - Nov 25, 1979) Week 12 (Nov 26 - Dec 2, 1979) Week 13 (Dec 3 - Dec 9, 1979) Week 14 (Dec 10 - Dec 16, 1979) Week 15 (Dec 17 - Dec 23, 1979) Christmas (Dec 24 - Dec 30, 1979) New Year’s Eve (Dec 31, 1979)

NEW YEAR’S EVE 1979 >

< TERM 1 WEEK 15

TERM 1 IN LINK FORM

Waen Shepherd Arrives in Fairburn Sep 1979

Destiny of the Daleks Sep 1, 1979

Yorkshire Ripper Claims 11th Victim Sep 2, 1979

Cars Gary Numan

ITV Returns Oct 24,1979

Not The Nine O’Clock News Oct 16, 1979

The Path of Least Resistance The Human League

Mountbatten State Funeral Sep 5, 1979

Video Killed the Radio Star Buggles

Iran Hostage Crisis Nov 4, 1979

Life of Brian Debate Nov 9, 1979

Invasion of Afghanistan Dec 24, 1979

BBC VT Christmas Tape Dec 1979

Another Brick in the Wall Pink Floyd

TERM 2 (Jan - Apr 1980) TERM 3 (Apr - Jul 1980)