17 January 1983 at 06:30, and television history was made – Breakfast Time, Europe's first regular morning television service was launched. Presenters Frank Bough and Selina Scott combined news and sport with astrology from Russell Grant, keep fit segments from the Green Goddess Diana Moran, and cookery from Michael Smith and Glynn Christian.
The programme was an easy going and relaxed affair, and came as a surprise to its commercial rival TV-AM which launched a few weeks later. Critics instinctively thought that the BBC offering would be a heavy-weight news programme, the TV equivalent of Radio 4's Today programme. However, with red leather sofas, and jugs of coffee and orange juice casually mingled around the living room style set, the effect was homey yet stylish, with a sprinkling of news.
After the programme the BBC received thousands of calls from well-wishers expressing how much they had enjoyed the first edition.
Today Breakfast is a news-based programme, presented from Salford by Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt amongst others.
January anniversaries
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
1 January 1970
The Brains Trust
1 January 1941
The Archers
1 January 1951
Z Cars
2 January 1962
