Central Weekend

Last updated

Central Weekend
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Production
Producer Central Independent Television
Running time90mins (inc. adverts)
Original release
Network Central Independent Television
Release17 January 1986 (1986-01-17) –
7 September 2001 (2001-09-07)

Central Weekend (also called Central Weekend Live) is a British television debate show which ran from 1986 to 2001. Known for the confrontational nature of its studio audience and topics, it was presented for many years by Nicky Campbell. [1] It was broadcast late on a Friday night in the Central region, and debated various topics and current affairs issues – usually subjects that had been featured in the week's news.

Contents

Though Campbell was the main host, there were a number of other presenters who joined him throughout the show's time on air. These included Anna Soubry, Adrian Mills, Kaye Adams, Sue Jay, Andy Craig, Gregg Upwards, Roger Cook, Bibi Baskin, Paul Ross, John Stapleton, James Whale, Ed Doolan, Victoria Derbyshire, Patricia Mitchell and Claudia Winkleman. The theme music was composed by Andy Quin.

History

The show was broadcast live from the Central Television studios on Broad Street, Birmingham, although it was later moved to the Nottingham studios at Lenton Lane. It became a popular highlight of the week's television in the Midlands region and enjoyed a 40% share of the viewing audience. Confrontational from the outset, debates could become quite heated and audience members sometimes had to be restrained by on-set bouncers. However, on at least one occasion, the show's floor manager was assaulted by one of the returning guests.

In 1987, it became the first British television programme to examine seriously the AIDS virus. Central subsequently produced a drama series on the topic, called Intimate Contact . [2]

On 25 March 1988, the former MP John Stonehouse collapsed on set during an edition of the programme which was filming a segment about missing people. He was given emergency medical treatment at the studio and taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed as having suffered from a minor heart attack. [3]

During the 1992 General Election campaign, Conservative MP Edwina Currie poured a glass of orange juice over Labour's Peter Snape shortly after an edition of the show had finished airing. [4] Speaking about the incident later, Currie said "I just looked at my orange juice, and looked at this man from which this stream of abuse was emanating, and thought 'I know how to shut you up.' ". [4] On another occasion, during a debate on women's football in March 1998, an audience member got drunk and ran amok on set, forcing the show to be taken off the air. 44-year-old Robert Davy was later jailed for 12 months over the incident. [5]

In 2001, a complaint was made to the Independent Television Commission after it emerged that an edition of the show had featured fake guests. A debate on the effects of soap operas on the lives of individuals had featured two patients of a "soap clinic", who it later emerged had been fakes. [6]

Similar programmes

Due to the programme's popularity in the Midlands, similar shows were aired in other regions. For example, Granada aired a show called Up Front, while Tyne Tees had Late and Live, both of which used the same format. [1] A national version of Central Weekend was also shown throughout the ITV Network for a time during the 1990s. Thursday Night Live went out in a similar late night slot on a Thursday evening, and featured much the same kind of debate as Central Weekend. [7] It was also presented by Nicky Campbell. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Radio 1</span> British national radio station

BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, hip hop and indie, while its sister station 1Xtra plays black contemporary music, including hip hop and R&B. Radio 1 also runs two online streams, Radio 1 Dance, dedicated to dance music, and Radio 1 Relax, dedicated to chill-out music; both are available to listen only on BBC Sounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC Weekend TV</span> Former ITV service for Midlands & North England

ABC Weekend TV was the popular name of the British broadcaster ABC Television Limited, which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one of the "Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated Television</span> Former ITV service for London and the Midlands

Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and to the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982. It was one of the "Big Four" until 1968, and the "Big Five" after 1968, that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes. In 1982, ATV was restructured and rebranded as Central Independent Television, under which name it continued to provide the service for the Midlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITV Central</span> Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands

ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the restructuring of ATV and began broadcasting on 1 January 1982. The service is owned and operated by ITV plc under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited. Historically Central made a major contribution to the ITV network schedule – especially in entertainment and drama – but today its main responsibility is the regional news service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwina Currie</span> Former British politician, broadcaster and writer

Edwina Currie is a British writer, broadcaster and former politician, serving as Conservative Party Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire from 1983 until 1997. She was a Junior Health Minister for two years, resigning in 1988 during the salmonella-in-eggs controversy.

BBC Parliament is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel from the BBC that showcases parliamentary content from across the United Kingdom. It broadcasts live and recorded coverage of the House of Commons, House of Lords and Select Committees of the British Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the London Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Welsh Senedd. When none of these chambers are sitting, the channel does not broadcast, and its feed is given over to a simulcast of the BBC News channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Snape</span> British politician

Peter Charles Snape, Baron Snape is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich East from February 1974 until he stood down in the 2001 election. He is the former Chairman of his hometown football club, Stockport County, as well as being a major shareholder in the club at the time. Lord Snape became Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Speedway Racing in July 2015.

<i>Scotsport</i> Scottish sports television programme

Scotsport is a Scottish sports television programme, broadcast on STV in northern and central Scotland between 1957 and 2008, as well as on ITV Border in southern Scotland.

<i>Question Time</i> (TV programme) British topical debate TV programme

Question Time is a topical debate programme, typically broadcast on BBC One at 10:45 pm on Thursdays. It is usually repeated on BBC Two and on BBC Parliament later in the week. If there is a Leaders special, it would be broadcast simultaneously on BBC News. Question Time is also available on BBC iPlayer. Fiona Bruce currently chairs the show having succeeded David Dimbleby as presenter in January 2019.

New Faces is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicky Campbell</span> British television and radio personality (born 1961)

Nicholas Andrew Argyll Campbell OBE is a Scottish broadcaster and journalist. He has worked in television and radio since 1981 and as a network presenter with BBC Radio since 1987.

<i>Daily Politics</i> Former BBC political television programme

Daily Politics is a BBC Television programme which aired between 6 January 2003 and 24 July 2018, presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn. Daily Politics took an in-depth review of the daily events in both Westminster and other areas across Britain and abroad, and included interviews with leading politicians and political commentators.

Night Network, Night Time and Night Shift were names given to the overnight schedule of the ITV network in the United Kingdom. The first ITV company began 24-hour broadcasting in 1986, with all of the companies broadcasting through the night by the end of 1988. At first, individual companies created their own services; however, before too long, many of the smaller ITV stations began simulcasting or networking services from others.

<i>The Big Questions</i> British TV series or programme

The Big Questions was an interfaith dialogue and ethics television programme usually presented by Nicky Campbell. It was broadcast live on BBC One on Sunday mornings, replacing The Heaven and Earth Show as the BBC's religious discussion programme.

Shelagh Fogarty is a radio presenter, a journalist and a former television presenter. She presents the afternoon programme on LBC, having previously co-hosted the BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast show with Nicky Campbell.

Scotland Decides: The Big, Big Debate was a one-off British television programme broadcast by the BBC on 11 September 2014, a week prior to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The 60-minute show was recorded at Glasgow's OVO Hydro during the afternoon prior to broadcast. It was presented by Scottish journalist James Cook before an audience of about 7,500 16- and 17-year-olds, first-time voters on the day of the referendum, some of whom were invited to quiz a panel of prominent politicians from both the "Yes" and "No" campaigns.

A timeline of notable events relating to BBC Radio 5 Live, and its predecessor BBC Radio 5.

This is a timeline of the history of the British broadcaster Central Independent Television. It has provided the ITV service for the Midlands since 1982.

A timeline of notable events relating to BBC Television News.

This is a timeline of the history of regional news on the British television network ITV.

References

  1. 1 2 Quirke, Thomas (16 September 1992). "Gloves off, this is 'real people' TV: The no-holds-barred style of American tabloid television debates is taking root in Britain. Thomas Quirke watched a programme in the making". The Independent. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  2. ↑ MELANIPHY, MIKE. "Central". Television and Radio 1988: The IBA's Yearbook. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Stonehouse, Julia (2021). John Stonehouse, My Father: The True Story of the Runaway MP. ISBN   978-178578-741-6.
  4. 1 2 Whitney, Craig R. (29 March 1992). "Tories Say Party's Strategy Is Hurting Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  5. ↑ "Man jailed after live TV outburst". The Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. 17 October 1998.
  6. ↑ "ITC Complaints Report for Central Weekend" . Retrieved 14 September 2008.
  7. ↑ "IMDB profile for Thursday Night Live".
  8. ↑ Aaronovitch, David (15 August 1999). "Profile: Nicky Campbell – This Scot's got under our skin". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.