Yorkshire Television

Yorkshire Television

An American's-eye-view of the programmes made by Yorkshire TV in the 1980s.

This programme was made in 1987 as part of Focus on Britain, a series sponsored by the Central Office for Information and intended for US television audiences. In it, viewers are introduced to the intricacies of British broadcasting, using the ITV franchise Yorkshire Television (YTV) as a case study. The presenters visit YTV's studios in Leeds, interview senior commissioners, and take a trip to the fictional village of Beckindale and the location of Emmerdale Farm, which at this point, shot exterior scenes in the town of Esholt.

The presenters describe the appeal of Emmerdale as taking viewers "down on the farm in prime time". There are good-natured interviews with cast members, who gamely represent their characters in terms Americans might be familiar with. Frazer Hines characterises the Sugden family as "the modern-day Waltons" (a hugely popular historical series in the US at the time), adding, "Joe is the nearest, I think, to John-Boy", while Richard Thorp evokes the international hit Dallas, describing contentious businessman Alan Turner as "the JR of Emmerdale Farm". There is also humourous footage and vox pox with the Emmerdale fans, who arrive on set by the coach-load.

After focusing on Emmerdale, the programme returns to other YTV shows, including a look at the regional magazine Calendar, serving six million viewers. There's a glimpse of a musical special with Cleo Laine and more interviews with senior staff, such as controller of programmes John Fairley.

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TV Soap: Selection Box

Continuing drama on the small screen: explore how TV soap has changed over the decades.

The UK is a nation of soap addicts, with programmes commanding audiences of millions every week. Since they first appeared on British television in the 1950s, British soaps have given us hundreds of memorably distinctive characters in many different settings. But while they take many forms, there are some common characteristics. Where in the US soaps tend to favour glamour and frothy fantasy, here they typically centre on relatable communities and families and reflect life in (usually) contemporary Britain, exploring sometimes thorny social issues and attitudes to class, race, gender, sexuality and more. While originally steeped in real-life domestic conflict, soap marched into the new millennium with hard-hitting storylines, sensationalist plots and issue-driven narratives highlighting pressing matters of the day. This collection showcases a variety of soaps; rural or urban, north or south and everything in between. Some were shortlived and are much missed, while others are longstanding favourites embedded in our collective memory. So settle in and prepare for drama!

24 videos in this collection

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Weavers Green [07/04/66]

  • 1966
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General Hospital [19/10/72]

  • 1972
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Garnock Way [01/04/76]

  • 1976
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Emmerdale Farm [05/04/76]

  • 1976
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A Stitch in Time

  • 1976
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Coronation Street [14/11/77]

  • 1977
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Crossroads (Promotion)

  • 1978
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Pat Phoenix &Tony Booth (Live from Two)

  • 1980
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Mary Whitehouse Reacts to Brookside Scenes

  • Colchester
  • 1982
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Emmerdale Farm [14/05/85]

  • 1985
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Coronation Street[01/11/1961]

  • 1961
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Crossroads [23/05/85]

  • 1985
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Albion Market

  • 1984
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Coronation Street [13/08/86]

  • 1986
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Yorkshire Television

  • 1987
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Brookside [13/04/87]

  • 1987
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Families [14/01/91]

  • 1991
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Family Pride [08/09/91]

  • 1991
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Emmerdale [10/10/91]

  • 1991
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Coronation Street [06/07/92]

  • 1992
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Sus

  • Belfast
  • 1993
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Machair

  • Isle of Lewis/Eilean Leodhais
  • 1993
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Sus

  • Belfast
  • 1994
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General Hospital [20/10/72]

  • 1972
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