Britain marks 50 years since all of its Christmas TV was broadcast in colour for the first time
- Shows included a Dad’s Army sketch, Carry On Christmas and a BBC pantomime
- Morecambe and Wise, Barbara Windsor and Basil Brush all featured that year
- Most families still only had black-and-white TV sets and watched in monochrome
For those below a certain age, it’s almost unthinkable for Christmas TV not to be in colour. But up until 1969 many festive shows were in black and white.
Fifty years ago marked the first time all Christmas Day broadcasts on BBC1, BBC2 and ITV – the only channels around then – were in full colour. The last Christmas of the Swinging Sixties was brighter and more vivid than ever.
However, even though all shows were in ‘full colour’ most families still had only black-and-white TV sets – so they watched in monochrome. ITV presented its 1969 Yuletide stars in a special line-up.
From left to right, Ted Rogers is pictured above with Millicent Martin, Tommy Cooper, Yutte Stensgaard, Hughie Green,Terry Sylvester, Barbara Windsor, Frankie Howerd and Eric Skykes. ITV gathered the celebrities together half a century ago to promote its Christmas schedule
It included comedians Ted Rogers, Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd and Eric Sykes along with Opportunity Knocks host Hughie Green, Carry On stars Barbara Windsor and Yutte Stensgaard and singers Millicent Martin and Terry Sylvester, of the Hollies.
Highlights of ITV’s schedule included Carry On Christmas which featured Howerd and Miss Windsor, and Comedy Carnival on Christmas Day introduced by Des O’Connor.
The BBC Christmas pantomime Cinderella starred Anita Harris, Jimmy Tarbuck and Basil Brush, while Christmas Night With The Stars featured Val Doonican, Cilla Black and Lulu.
Starr turn: Ringo is joined by Hollies, Lulu and Spike Milligan. Even though all shows were in ‘full colour’ most families still had only black-and-white TV sets – so they watched in monochrome
Eric and Earnie: Morecambe and Wise, pictured with Susan Hampshire, were among TV’s top-paid performers as their show became an institution
The Scottish singer also appeared on a show called With A Little Help From My Friends, alongside Ringo Starr, Spike Milligan and the Hollies.
BBC1 had the first Morecambe and Wise Christmas special – which went on to become a national institution. Other festive offerings included a Dad’s Army sketch.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s Christmas address was not televised – to avoid ‘over-exposure’.
Six months earlier a revealing documentary called Royal Family had been shown – it was repeated on BBC1 on Christmas Day.
Dad’s Army’s Arthur Lowe as John Bull and John Le Mesurier as Napoleon, left, while right, Anita Harris, Jimmy Tarbuck and Basil Brush star in BBC’s Cinderella
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