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Christmas 1995

Grace Dent embarks on a televisual trip back in time to December 1995, serving up an irreverent look back at the festive viewing options that faced the nation in the past.

Grace Dent embarks on a televisual trip back in time by setting the remote control for December 1995 and serving up an irreverent look back at the festive viewing options that faced the nation in the past.

Exploring how much what is shown on our screens has changed involves some deep diving into EastEnders’ annual festival of gloom to find that Arthur Fowler is behind bars and Pat Butcher is being lusted after by Roy and Frank. Grace also discovers that TV schedulers of the time appeared to have sex on the brain, with a surprisingly high number of seasonal shows featuring subjects and scenes that would make a family audience in 2020 blush with embarrassment.

There is also an in-depth look at infidelity in the morally questionable sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart, we join Hetty Wainthropp on her very first ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ investigation and go trapezing on a hot-air balloon with a truly spectacular Record Breakers challenge. And we remind ourselves of the genius of the late, great Rik Mayall – here reading Jack and the Beanstalk on Jackanory for an audience of real Young Ones as only he could.

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Etta James

    I Just Want To Make Love To You

  • PJ & Duncan

    Perfect

  • Michael Jackson

    Earth Song

  • Wizzard

    I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

  • Samantha Fox

    Pleasure Zone

  • The Avons

    Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat

  • Pulp

    Common People

  • Pulp

    Common People

  • Vangelis

    Chung Kuo

  • Whigfield

    Last Christmas

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Grace Dent
Producer Simon Goretzki
Producer Simon Catt

Broadcasts

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