BBC New Broadcasting House in Manchester was officially opened by James Callaghan in 1976. Its production base has produced thousands of hours of programming from it's base on Oxford Road. In 1992 one of the BBC's most innovative departments was created - Youth & Entertainment lead by Janet Street Porter. It created hit series like Rough Guides, Reportage, Dance Energy, The Full Wax and No Limits.
Manchester has also produced daytime output including People Today, Open Air. Today it still produces the long running quiz show A Question of Sport, Mastermind and Songs of Praise.
Departments based in Manchester today are BBC Entertainment, BBC Religion, BBC News and Current Affairs. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra is also based here in the Studio 7 Concert Hall.
BBC Sport and Childrens BBC are expected to move to Manchester in 2010 in an 'Out of London' initiative, but not actually in Manchester anymore, but to a new purpose built building/site in Salford.
Top of The Pops1967
The first edition of Top of the Pops was transmitted on 1st January 1964. The original presenters were Jimmy Saville, Alan Freeman, Pete Murray and David Jacobs. The show went out live from the BBC's Manchester studio until mid-1967, when it was moved to the BBC's studios at Lime Grove in London.
Cheggars Plays Pop1978
A BBC Manchester classic. The opening titles were designed by Terry Speake and Ian Bate
A Question of Sport1980s
Long running sport based quiz show which saw it's first programme go out on 5th January 1970. Its hosts have included David Vine, David Coleman and Sue Barker.
Open Air1987 Open Air formed part of the BBC daytime programming that was introduced in 1986. Presenters included Eamonn Holmes, former Nationwide host Bob Wellings, Pattie Coldwell and Janice Long. The series ran until 1990.
Open Air1988 An updated more up-tempo theme tune in '88. Now with a pre-titles countdown with 'techy tv' images including Manchester's Studio B gallery and Quantel Graphics Paintbox
Open Air1989
The tv set titles are gone, now replaced by a telephone box and a more mellow theme tune.
Jane Irving now joins the presenting team.
This title sequence was desiged by Peter Phillips
Fax1988
The BBC's decision in 1984 to replace Sixty Minutes with the Six O’Clock News meant that a gap now existed between the end of children's programmes at 5:35 and the start of the news at 6pm.
The vacant slot was initially filled with repeats of The Good Life, a popular decision with the viewers but one which clearly would only have a limited shelf-life - after all, with only 30 episodes of the sitcom ever made, the re-runs would have to be limited to six weeks.
By early 1985, a solution came in the form of the popular Angela Rippon quiz show Masterteam, screened three times a week, and the considerably less popular magazine show Fax, shown on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Fax was hosted by Billy Butler (a popular Liverpudlian local radio DJ who had previously fronted the Saturday morning show "Mersey Pirate") and ex-Goodie Bill Oddie. The team was completed with the addition of Breakfast Time presenter Debbie Rix.
The show's premise was that viewers would send in "Notes And Queries"-type questions which would be answered by the team, in fact it could almost be described as a close cousin of Southern's "How?", but targeted at older children and adults. Fax was, however, distinctly unmemorable apart from the moment when John Noakes announced the recent death of his beloved dog Shep on the show and broke down in tears on national TV, an event which made the papers.
Fax lasted until 1988, when Michael Grade moved the daily Neighbours repeat from the morning to the early evening in response to reports that children were skipping school in order to watch the popular soap opera.
Going For Gold1988 / 1987
The opening title sequence from 1988 and the right clip a closing sequence from 1987
Going For Gold1989 / 1993
Going for Gold was a Reg Grundy Production for the BBC. It was filmed in the BBC's old Studio A Manchester.
right clip is later from 1993
No Limits1987
Fast moving youth music programme from BBC Manchester presented by Jenny Powell and Tony Baker. The series ran from 1985 - 1987.
We don't have the opening titles, so here's the end credits instead!
Reportage1989 / 1992
Reportage was a current affairs programme made by the BBC Youth & Entertainment department based in Manchester during Janet Street-Porters days.
On The Line1991
Sport current affairs programme from BBC North.
The titles are very 80's in design! Designed by Ian Bate
The Living Soap1993
Living Soap might well have been the first reality programme on British TV. It was based on MTV's The Real World, where they filmed daily the lives of 6 students living in Manchester. The students changed throughout the series, as some dropped out, as they didn't like the way they were being portrayed.
Titles design by Gareth Price and Rachel Clarke
On The Line1993
Sports Current Affairs programme. This is where Donald McIntyre started his undercover investigations...
Titles design by Sue Frost and Ian Bate
Songs of Praise1993 / 1994
The titles changed a couple more times after this, but the logo remained the same for a while...
Right clip - These titles replaced the dire ones from 93, now the musicians play the theme tune...
The Travel Quiz1993
The Travel Quiz was a daytime spin off quiz-show and may well have been Andi Peters first job away from the broom cupboard.
Heart of the Matter1995
Long running religious debate series presented by Joan Bakewell. The series was axed in 2000
A Word in Season1995
BBC Reglion's series presented by Jeremny Vine who looks at how preachers are bringing the traditional sermon into the 199Os.
A Question of Sport1997
BBC's long running quiz show returns in 1997 with a brand new host - Sue Barker. This is her first apperance on the show sporting a rather dull grey fleece!
Docs on the Box1996
BBC 2 theme night featuring medical documentaries and classic re-runs of programmes like Dr. Kildare
Everyman1996
Religious affairs programme from BBC North.
This sequence was designed by inhouse BBC designer Gregory Millar
The Fall Guy1997
Hidden camera show hosted by Johnny Vaughan.
The titles were filmed in the library at Arley Hall, designed and produced by Gareth Price
I Love 19792000
First series of the successful genre of nostaligia programmes
Designed and directed by Andy Frith
I Love 19872001
second in the series of the successful genre of nostaligia programmes
Designed and directed by Andy Frith
Bare Necessities2001
Hosted by Ed Hall, Bare Necessities was the reality tv adventure gameshow, where contestants had to survive in the wilderness on basic rations and 6 'bare necessities'
The titles designers Sue Frost and Gareth Price took their inspiration from the work of Andy Goldsworthy
A Question of Pop2000
Spin off Music Quiz Show hosted by Jamie Theakston, Team captains were Suggs from Madness and Noddy Holder
I Love Kung Fu2001
Other spin off "i Love" programmes included Jamaica, Kung Fu......
Character design by Gavin Taylor, graphic design by Gareth Price
A Question of Sport2007
Sue barker hosts another series of A Question of Sport, the titles have a stadium theme this time..