< TERM 2 WEEK 11

Monday March 31st BBC 1, 4.20 pm: a new series of Cheggers Plays Pop begins, with music from The Buggles, The Dooleys and Shakin’ Stevens. There’s a list of all the episodes and which artists were featured here. BBC 1, 4.40 pm: the first episode of a new cartoon starring fire-breathing behemoth Godzilla (and his nephew Godzooky). It was actually made in 1978 but this is its first showing on British TV. ITV, 7 pm: The Kenny Everett Video Show, Series 3 Episode 7 - featuring: • I’ve Never Been in Love Suzi Quatro • One-Two-Five 10cc • Kinda Kute Joe Jackson • Money The Flying Lizards (via Hot Gossip) • At one point, Kenny complains about half the audience leaving at half time. Not surprising when your show’s up against the finale of… BBC 1, 7.15 pm: Blake’s 7 - Terminal - the final episode of the third series which, at the time, was supposed to be the last episode of Blake’s 7 full stop, and it certainly plays out like that. But apparently the episode was so great that Bill Cotton, the Controller of BBC 1, who was watching at home, hurriedly called in and asked the continuity guy to announce a new series for the following year. Whether that’s even remotely believable is up to you, but having a fourth series greenlit was certainly news to the cast and the production team, who had already shut up shop and made other plans. As it stands though, this is a spectacular hour of telly which was alternately thrilling and devastating to me age eight. The return of Gareth Thomas as Blake had been heavily trailed in the newspapers so it wasn’t a total surprise, but the form that return took was quite a shock. The show was never repeated so it was another eight years before I saw it again (on a Betamax tape lent to me by my step-grandad - but that’s all spoilers for another life). When I did, it took me right back to that first time. The writing’s pretty hokey in places, the characters don’t always make sense and the budget’s clearly already been spent, but this episode’s a rarity in being able to conjure up a real sense of dread. You know from the beginning they’re probably walking into a trap, but you’re never quite prepared for how bad it gets. And some of the scenes - like the bits where the ship’s computer Zen starts breaking down and speaking in different languages - are phenomenal. BBC 2, 9 pm: Not The Nine O’Clock News - Series 2, Episode 1 - a new series for the semi-topical comedy sketch show, now cementing its classic line-up with Griff Rhys Jones permanently replacing Chris Langham. Naturally, this is too grown-up and on way too late for me to watch. Impressively, the episode ends with a sketch referring to a series of firebomb attacks recently carried out in Wales. Four arrests were made the following day (see below) in connection with the fires, though no one was ever formally blamed. Tuesday April 1st The main steel unions vote to end the national steel strike and return to work from Thursday (although this site suggests it ended on April 2nd, and this one on April 3rd). BBC 1, 9 pm: BBC News • Steel unions vote to call off strike and return to work • Government publishes figures for telephone tapping and interception of letters • Monopolies Commission says complaints about the poor postal service in London are fully justified • Four men arrested in connection with arson attacks on holiday homes in Wales (see above) • Belfast man Edward Brophy acquitted of hotel bombing which killed twelve - the judge suspects his confession was induced by torture - but he is still convicted of belonging to the IRA, resulting in a five year prison sentence, and the judge brands him “untrustworthy, foxy and weak” • The Ulster Defence Regiment celebrates its tenth birthday - over 100 of its soldiers have been killed by the IRA since its creation • US President Jimmy Carter says his patience is “not endless” when it comes to the release of the American hostages held at the Embassy in Tehran; meanwhile, Iranians celebrate Republic Day with a series of rallies and speeches • The International Red Cross says it is evacuating a hospital caught in the middle of Chad’s civil war (although this page suggests it ended in 1979) • Violence erupts in El Salvador - WARNING: grisly images of dead bodies • French and Belgian farmers demonstrate in London against Britain’s refusal to import European milk; agricultural minister Peter Walker tells them the ban will continue “until European standards of dairy inspection are as high as ours” • A six year old boy dies after a meningitis outbreak at a school in Sleaford • The Committee on Safety in Medicines concludes that Debendox, a drug which eases morning sickness in pregnant women, does not cause deformity in children • The UK’s first official naturist beach opens in Brighton • Edinburgh Zoo starts teaching children how to properly handle animals Wednesday April 2nd A police raid at the Black & White cafe in the St Pauls area of Bristol leads to a day of disturbance during which several police cars were damaged, 25 people were hospitalised and 130 arrested. Though the event is popularly referred to as the St Pauls Riot, many see it as a legitimate act of resistance and a pivotal moment for black communities in the UK. There’s a timeline of what happened on the day here. Thursday April 3rd Look-in No 15 - Bee-Gees cover, with an article about Easter viewing on ITV and a competition to win Muppet badges. Star Wars Weekly No 111 Incredible Hulk Weekly No 58 Spectacular Spider-Man Weekly No 370 Doctor Who Weekly No 26 • At least two of these comics (the two I own copies of) feature an ad for a new Star Wars action figure based on a character called Boba Fett, which you can claim for free if you buy any three other existing figures. This is the first piece of dedicated advance publicity for the upcoming sequel The Empire Strikes Back, which will be hitting UK cinemas towards the end of May • DWW 26 is, apparently, a ‘new-look issue’ - possibly because the editorship is in the process of passing from Dez Skinn to Paul Neary • Around this time, Dez Skinn is also replaced as editor-in-chief of Marvel UK by Bernie Jaye • DWW 26 also includes a feature about this year’s Doctor Who exhibitions at Blackpool and Longleat, which are opening this weekend BBC 1, 5.10 pm: Blue Peter - in a spectacularly synchronised piece of PR (see Doctor Who Weekly above), presenter Tina Heath goes behind the scenes at the Doctor Who exhibition in Longleat and chats to the show’s new producer, John Nathan-Turner. Later in the same programme, we are treated to a performance by Whitefield Road School Choir, who have just won a prize for putting Biblical passages to music. BBC 1, 7.20 pm: Top of the Pops - presented by Kid Jensen, with: • Night Boat to Cairo Madness • January February Barbara Dickson • Don’t Push It, Don’t Force It Leon Haywood (via Legs & Co) • Food For Thought UB40 • Missing Words The Selecter • Poison Ivy Lambrettas • Love Enough For Two Prima Donna BBC 1, 8.30 pm: The Real Thing - Time Out of Mind: James Burke explores how we perceive time. Friday April 4th GOOD FRIDAY The Stranglers hold a benefit gig at The Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park in honour of their bandmate Hugh Cornwell, currently serving four months at Pentonville for possession of illegal drugs. In order to compensate for Hugh’s absence, guitar and vocal duties are shared between a torrent of guests including Hazel O’Connor, Robert Smith, Peter Hammil, Phil Daniels, Ian Dury, Wilko Johnson, Richard Jobson, Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp. The results can be heard on the CD The Stranglers and Friends - Live in Concert. There are also a few nice pics here. Saturday April 5th 2000 AD Prog 160 - another seminal edition, this one introduces memorable adversaries The Angel Gang, who run into Judge Dredd at a Danger Park in Texas City called Mutieworld. The gang consists of the unnecessarily violent lawbreaker Pa Angel and his three sons: Link and Junior Angel are brutish and vicious, but Mean Angel (a.k.a. The Mean Machine) is an augmented cyborg who can control his emotions with a dial on his head. The dial famously has four settings: “On 1 I ain’t very pleasant - but when I go up to 2… I get MEAN!” We spend the next few pages desperate to see what happens when he goes all the way up to 4, but for the time being they keep us in suspense… ITV, 10.30 am: Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford of Genesis appear on Tiswas to promote their latest album. Here’s an interview (bad audio, sadly) and here’s a clip of them having gunge hurled in their faces. ITV, 9.45 pm: Tales of the Unexpected - Fat Chance Sunday April 6th EASTER SUNDAY UK SINGLES CHART No 1: Working My Way Back To You Detroit Spinners No 21: Call Me Blondie No 64: A Forest The Cure UK ALBUMS CHART No 1: Duke Genesis No 10: Wheels of Steel Saxon No 54: Keepin’ the Summer Alive The Beach Boys

Monday March 31st - Sunday April 6th, 1980

TERM 2: Easter - Week 1

TERM 2 Easter 2 >

TERM 2 (Jan - Apr 1980) New Year (Jan 1 - Jan 6, 1980) Week 1 (Jan 7 - Jan 13, 1980) Week 2 (Jan 14 - Jan 20, 1980) Week 3 (Jan 21 - Jan 27, 1980) Week 4 (Jan 28 - Feb 3, 1980) Week 5 (Feb 4 - Feb 10, 1980) Week 6 (Feb 11 - Feb 17, 1980) Half Term (Feb 18 - Feb 24, 1980) Week 7 (Feb 25 - Mar 2, 1980) Week 8 (Mar 3 - Mar 9, 1980) Week 9 (Mar 10 - Mar 16, 1980) Week 10 (Mar 17 - Mar 23, 1980) Week 11 (Mar 24 - Mar 30, 1980) Easter 1 (Mar 31 - Apr 6, 1980) Easter 2 (Apr 7 - Apr 13, 1980)

TERM 2 IN LINK FORM

TERM 1 (Sep - Dec 1979)

Hi-de-Hi! Jan 1, 1980

Steelworkers Strike Jan 2, 1980

St Pauls Riots Apr 2, 1980

State of the Union Jan 23, 1980

My Girl Madness

Blake’s 7 Returns Jan 7, 1980

Barbara Woodhouse Jan 7, 1980

Grange Hill Roof Death Feb 25, 1980

Mugabe Elected Zimbabwe PM Mar 4, 1980

Atomic Blondie

Echo Beach Martha and the Muffins

Games Without Frontiers Peter Gabriel

Robin Cousins at the Olympics Feb 21, 1980

Underpass John Foxx

Judge Death Jan 19, 1980

TERM 3 (Apr - Jul 1980)