Summer Wine's Early Years on Network TV

[codfanglers]

I am reading Andrew Vine's book for the first time in years. The early chapters discuss how the show changed from the Blamire years to the early Foggy years, and then how it moved to an earlier, more family-friendly time slot. I was curious if any members here watched the show on Network TV in the '70s and what it was like to observe those changes Summer Wine went through.

 

[maltrab]

I am reading Andrew Vine's book for the first time in years. The early chapters discuss how the show changed from the Blamire years to the early Foggy years, and then how it moved to an earlier, more family-friendly time slot. I was curious if any members here watched the show on Network TV in the '70s and what it was like to observe those changes Summer Wine went through.

I recall my dad watching the show in the early years, but being in my early 20's I was always just going out

 

[imitation700mb]

Didn't it used to be on Thursday nights in Blamire's era, after what was then the 9'O Clock News?

 

[codfanglers]

Didn't it used to be on Thursday nights in Blamire's era, after what was then the 9'O Clock News?

I don't think the book mentioned what day of the week it aired, but it mentioned workers for ITV went on strike, allowing Summer Wine to air without any competition. They were moved to an earlier, family-friendly time slot. While ratings jumped even further, that was the time they were no longer able to use the term "bloody" and phrases like "What the Blood and Stomach Pills."