A very special interview here with Lord Grade (Michael Grade) whose fingerprints are all over British TV - from the days when his uncle Lew ran ATV to his own stewardship of LWT, BBC, Channel 4 and Later ITV again. Michael has launched (and axed) some of Britain's most popular TV shows.

Here he takes Ashley through a whistle stop potted history of his career, stopping off to reminisce about his time at each of the Britain's terrestrial channels along the way.

EastEnders, Neighbours, Mind Your Language, Dr Who, Jasper Carrot, Morecambe and Wise, The Big Breakfast, Four Weddings and a Funeral are just some of the iconic programmes and films that find their way into the chat.

And Michael ends with his take on the state of British TV and broadcasting today.

Enjoy!

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below.

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Karen Grassle who played Caroline celebrates 50 years since the launch in 1974 of Little House on
The Prairie.

The then new show from America would pull in huge audiences all around the world including in the UK where it had a prime time slot.

Here Ashley talks to Karen about working with Michael Landon  (which was fraught for a time), her child co stars who grew up during the course of the 9. year series and the impact making such a huge show had on her life.

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below. 

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Why Don't You?! played to millions of kids in the school holidays on BBC1. It began in 1973 and lasted until 1995, meaning the show touched several generations over nearly a quarter of a century.

Among the presenters Ant from Ant and Dec, among the producers - Russell T Davies but there were dozens more who cut their tv teeth on this show presented by children.

Here Ashley meets one of them down at the Midland Hotel in Manchester - Phil Noble was in the Liverpool gang from 1987.

Phil tells us how he landed the role, how the show worked behind the scenes and what it did for his life and other presenters who hosted WDY over the years.

Ashley and Phil also talk about how the show was seen by kids - this was marmite TV, you literally either loved it loathed it.

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below.

Support the show

She was the voice behind one of the most well loved kids series of the 70s.

Gay Soper was the person who brought to life the world of The Flumps. Pootle, Perkin, Posie, Ma and Pa Flump and Grandpa Flump all became real characters thanks to her tremendously talented acting.

But though kids of the 70s remember the Flumps fondly, there was actually only 13 episodes in total.

Here Gay tells Ashley where The Flumps came from and how she came up with their voices, developed their characters and navigated a tremendously created script written by Julie Holder.

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below. 

Support the show

A special interview and another real treat here for all fans of cult Australian drama series Prisoner Cell Block H.

The show first aired twice a week down under in 1979 and quickly began pulling in huge figures.

The big star from the start was the legendary Val Lehman who played the iconic Bea Smith.

The character quickly became known as top dog or 'Queen Bea' for the way she ruled the roost in Wentworth Prison.

In this episode of Distinct Nostalgia, Val tells Ashley how she landed the role which soon made her a household name in Australia and around the world.

How much of Val is in Bea and Bea in Val? You decide....

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below.  

Support the show

Royston Mayoh was - and by reputation remains - one of the biggest names in British TV production. A writer and prolific director, Royston was involved with a plethora of top shows - This is Your Life, Opportunity Knocks, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Kenny Everett to name but a few.

He started his career at ABC Television in Manchester and later worked or was associated with the legendary ITV Networks like Granada, Thames, Yorkshire and Tyne Tees.

His new book 'Revelations of a TV Director' has just been published and this interview with Ashley at Royston's home in South Manchester is the perfect teaser.

In Part Two, Royston tells Ashley about working with Tommy Cooper,  Les Dawson, Barry Cryer, Billy Connolly, Hughie Green and Kenny Everett.

Royston's book is available via Scratching Shed Publishing based in Leeds

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below.

 

Support the show

Royston Mayoh was - and by reputation remains - one of the biggest names in British TV production. A writer and prolific director, Royston was involved with a plethora of top shows - This is Your Life, Opportunity Knocks, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Kenny Everett to name but a few. 

He started his career at ABC Television in Manchester and later worked or was associated with the legendary ITV Networks like Granada, Thames, Yorkshire and Tyne Tees.

His new book 'Revelations of a TV Director' has just been published and this interview with Ashley at Royston's home in South Manchester is the perfect teaser.

In Part One, Royston tells Ashley about how he got started followed by candid tales of directing This is Your Life.

Part Two covering Kenny Everett, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, The Tube and much more will be out soon.

Royston's book is available via Scratching Shed Publishing based in Leeds

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below. 

 

Support the show

A special interview and a real treat here for all fans of iconic Australian drama series Prisoner Cell Block H.

The show first aired twice a week down under in 1979 and quickly began pulling in huge figures.

One of the early stars was Collette Mann who played Doreen.

Collette was in her late 20s at the time and it was the first big show she'd done.

Within weeks she was  a household name and couldn't go anywhere in Australia without being recognised.

In this episode of Distinct Nostalgia, Collette tells Ashley what it was like working on such a ground breaking series with a huge female cast tackling some rich, raw and gritty storylines.

Ashley also chats to Collette about her time on Neighbours, writing books and her recent baptism of fire doing Panto in the UK.

Presented and produced by Ashley Byrne. Research by Andrew Edwards
Continuity: Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.

A Made in Manchester Production.

Distinct Nostalgia costs money and time to make and we'd welcome your support through Patreon. You can donate via the link below.  

Support the show

It was a legendary series and a character which Jon Pertwee made his own.

Worzel Gummidge was loved by a generation of kids (and adults) in the late 70s and early 80s - and here we meet Jeremy Austin who played John - one of Worzel's little friends.

John takes us back nearly half a century to the magical world he inhabited as a child for several summers with his co-star Charlotte Coleman (who played Sue)

Playing brother and sister, they got to work with some of the biggest stars of TV and film.

Jerry tells Ashley about Jon Pertwee's perfectionism, about the chemistry he had with Una Stubbs who played Aunt Sally - and he teaches us some Worzeleze along the way.

We hear how the series only ended because Southern Television came to an end - and Jerry and Ashley give us their verdict on the BBC's recent re-incarnation of the classic character.

Produced and Presented Ashley Byrne. Researched by Andrew Edwards.
DN continuity - Andy Hoyle and Jonathan Kydd.
The DN theme by Rebecca Applin and Chris Warner/Made in Manchester.
A Made in Manchester Production.


Distinct Nostalgia costs time and money to produce and we would welcome your support on Patreon. See the link below.

Support the show

You Had At Me Hello!
by David Payne

On an evening shift in her deadly dull call centre job, Natalie connects with a caller who turns her life upside down.

Cast:
Natalie:  Sarah Sinnott
Jane: Gerry Johnson.

Sound Editor: John Fryett
Producer:Janice Fryett.

Written by David Payne

A Spinney Media Production for Made in Manchester Productions and Distinct Nostalgia

Distinct Nostalgia costs in time and money and we'd greatly welcome your support via Patreon. See link below.

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He was everyone’s loveable layabout. Shelley played by Hywell Bennett was huge, pulling in massive viewing figures in the 70s and 80s. 

Very much of its time, when unemployment soared in the early years of Thatcher’s government, Shelley (produced by Thames Television)  kicked back against authority and with his sardonic wit captivated millions going through the same situation.  But amazingly the series has stood the test of time and Shelley’s often intelligent monologue ramblings would probably work today. 

Here Belinda Sinclair, who played Shelley’s partner Fran talks about landing the role and how it was nearly someone else playing Shelley. 

Belinda talks candidly about working with Hywell Bennett and Josephine Tewson - and how the role changed her life. 

She also talks about her soap role in ch5’s Family Affairs. 

And there’s plenty of interviews and reunions plus new comedy and drama to come in coming months on Distinct Nostalgia. So keep checking for new shows. 

DN is produced by Ashley Byrne and researched by Andrew Edwards. It’s a Made in Manchester Production. 

DN costs time and money to produce and we’d welcome your support to keep things going via Patreon. 

Support the show