Chapter 1: And So It Begins
"I've never hid my dislike of Dr Who. I thought it was silly and too violent but I also knew it was pulling in 10 million viewers a week. Brian was inspired casting and he and Nicola were a great double act. So bearing all that in mind when JNT came to me with an idea I had to put my personal feelings to one side and listen to him"
Michael Grade talking in 1993.
"The notion of a spin-off on British Television was something of a novelty in the mid 1980's. The USA were past masters of this and were making it a ratings and financial success. In 1985 I had been in the states for meetings with NBC about Brian's second series. One night at the hotel I was channel switching and saw the start of The Colbys. The next day I read that it topped the ratings and that started me thinking"
John Nathan Turner 1994
"Looking back now I think I can say that that was the moment the Saturday Night Wars started. The BBC had set in motion this incredible lineup and we had to match them simply to keep parity"
Greg Dyke, Director of Programmes ABC Television 1986 to 1991. Talking in 2005
"I remember thinking that we were in trouble"
Anthony Simmons-Gooding. Chief Executive British Satellite Broadcasting speaking in 2000.
"I've never hid my dislike of Dr Who. I thought it was silly and too violent but I also knew it was pulling in 10 million viewers a week. Brian was inspired casting and he and Nicola were a great double act. So bearing all that in mind when JNT came to me with an idea I had to put my personal feelings to one side and listen to him"
Michael Grade talking in 1993.
"The notion of a spin-off on British Television was something of a novelty in the mid 1980's. The USA were past masters of this and were making it a ratings and financial success. In 1985 I had been in the states for meetings with NBC about Brian's second series. One night at the hotel I was channel switching and saw the start of The Colbys. The next day I read that it topped the ratings and that started me thinking"
John Nathan Turner 1994
"Looking back now I think I can say that that was the moment the Saturday Night Wars started. The BBC had set in motion this incredible lineup and we had to match them simply to keep parity"
Greg Dyke, Director of Programmes ABC Television 1986 to 1991. Talking in 2005
"I remember thinking that we were in trouble"
Anthony Simmons-Gooding. Chief Executive British Satellite Broadcasting speaking in 2000.