Tonight (1975 TV programme)

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This article is about the BBC TV current affairs programme of the 1970s, not to be confused with Tonight (1957 TV programme), hosted by Cliff Michelmore. For other uses, see Tonight (disambiguation).

Tonight
GenreNews and Current affairs
Created byBBC
Presented bySue Lawley
Denis Tuohy
Donald MacCormick
John Timpson
Ludovic Kennedy
Robin Day
Valerie Singleton
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes756
Production
News editorsMichael Bunce
Chris Capron
Roger Bolton
Running time40-50 minutes
Release
Original networkBBC1
Original release1 September 1975 (1975-09-01) –
15 July 1979 (1979-07-15)

Tonight was a BBC television current affairs programme shown on weekday nights from 1 September 1975 until 5 July 1979 on BBC One.[1][2] It was initially presented by Sue Lawley, Denis Tuohy and Donald MacCormick and reporters included John Pitman, Richard Kershaw, David Lomax, David Jessel and Michael Delahaye. Michael Bunce was the programme's first editor.[1] Unlike its predecessor also called Tonight which was shown in the early evening, this programme was generally the last BBC One programme each evening and appeared at variable times. It took over from the 24 Hours programme, also on BBC One in late evenings, and ran in the same years as the BBC's Nationwide which was shown early evening.[1]

In 1976 under editor Chris Capron, John Timpson alternated with Tuohy and MacCormick presented occasional topics. Lawley took maternity leave and Ludovic Kennedy and Robin Day, from BBC Two's Newsday current affairs series, became new presenters, supported by Melvin Bragg and Barry Norman for arts and cinema topics.[3][4] Jeremy Paxman became a new presenter.[5]

Valerie Singleton had become a presenter and Roger Bolton the editor by the time the programme ended in July 1979,[6] making way for Newsnight on BBC Two.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Current Affairs". The Guardian. newspapers.com. 1 September 1975. p. 6.
  2. ^ a b Summers, Sue (5 July 1979). "It's goodnight, Tonight". Evening Standard. newspapers.com. p. 25.
  3. ^ Atkinson, Peter (31 August 1976). "BBC big guns aim to pep up Tonight show". Evening Standard. newspapers.com. p. 5.
  4. ^ Forster, Peter (16 September 1976). "Reviews: Trying Tonight". Evening Standard. newspapers.com. p. 28.
  5. ^ "Tonight (BBC 1)". The Observer. newspapers.com. 5 February 1978. p. 29.
  6. ^ BBC Programme Index - BBC1 listings 5 July 1979
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