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)
TERM 1 IN LINK FORM
TERM 2 (Jan - Apr 1980)
TERM 3 (Apr - Jul 1980)