(no music) TV shows 1981 Thursday Throwbacks LMBYTS #1477 Jason Newland 30th October 2025

Hello, my beautiful listeners, hello and welcome to Let Me Bore You To Sleep. Please only listen when you can safely close your eyes. My website is jasonnewland.com. My name is jasonnewland.com. No, my name is Jason Newland.

And my introduction is all in the wrong order. So now I forget what I've got to say. Oh, this.

This is Thursday, the 30th of October, 2025. I'm not excited about the date. But I'm excited about the day.

It's Thursday. What could that mean? It's only Thursday throwbacks. Thursday throwbacks.

So, yeah, it's 5.26 in the afternoon. It is pitch black outside. Yeah! Yeah! It's dark at five now.

Brilliant. A little bit later doing a recording. I just had me little afternoon nap.

Me mid-afternoon nap. I had me early afternoon nap earlier. My mid-day nap and my late morning nap.

And then my mid-morning nap. Early morning nap. Of course, I was asleep as well.

That's going backwards, you know. Da-da-da-da-da. It's the last week.

Last week. On the very first Thursday throwbacks. Which was Let Me Bore You To Sleep or LMBYTS 1471.

This will be Let Me Bore You To Sleep number 1477. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. That's weird. Oh, I didn't do one on Saturday, did I? I didn't.

I did one Friday. And I did one Sunday. So I did one, yeah, Thursday, Friday.

Q&A Friday. Saturday, nope. I was watching boxing.

Sorry. Sunday papers was on Sunday. Monday's boring objects.

I talked about bathrooms. Trivia Tuesday. I talked about Halloween.

I did Whisper Wednesday yesterday. And now this. Just to let you know, my Facebook group is called Jason Newland's Boring Group.

Which you're welcome to join. I do have a YouTube channel where all my latest recordings are automatically uploaded from my podcast. So please subscribe there.

And it's another place you can listen as well. If I'm listening to one of my recordings and I'm in the living room, I use YouTube. If I'm in my bedroom and I'm listening to one of my recordings, I use my website.

So there's a few different options outside of using Apple Podcasts or Spotify or CastBox or wherever you choose to listen. There's a few different options including my website and also YouTube. I forgot what I was talking about.

I remember now. So. Today, what I'm going to focus on on Thursday throwbacks.

I keep saying it so I can kind of remember it. Is. We're going to focus on.

Nineteen eighty one. So I did already mentioned this because I already started it last week. I did.

What did I do? Oh, I got it wrong. I got it wrong. I got it wrong.

That's weird. No, I got it wrong. This is not what I'm supposed to be doing.

Supposed to be doing TV shows on a TV shows, TV shows, TV shows from 1981. I did 1980. I thought I was doing music.

Okay. Change that. To continue.

From last week. Week TV shows. This week is.

Nineteen eighty one. I got it already. All the top hits of 1981.

But it's it's TV shows. Oh, dear. So it's going to do that.

I'm asking chat GPT dot com to build this list like it did last week. Because. I have no way of it's it would take me a long time to research this.

I don't have it all locked in my memory. And a lot of it is in my memory. I could definitely tell you the certain shows that I watched.

Around that time. But it might not be that correct year. If you know what I mean.

So. Okay, cool. So I've got it's given me a list.

So let's see if it's saying anything else. Right. I don't need it into any kind of certain thing.

I just use as it is. These. So this is 1981.

TV shows that were shown in the UK. It will also include TV shows from other countries. That was shown in the UK.

And there will also be TV shows that I mentioned last week as well probably. Because there are continuing shows that would be on. Possibly.

Every year that I go through. So I'm going to go through TV shows of 1980s. And maybe I'll do the TV shows of.

I suppose I could go TV shows of the 1990s after that. Then TV shows of 2000s. Then TV shows of.

The thing is if I do TV shows of the 2000s. I watch less and less TV as times gone by. And.

I think I'd start to have to focus on box sets. Because nowadays if I look at what I actually watch on television now in a week. At the moment it's Big Brother.

It will always be Big Brother. If Big Brother's on. That's it.

There's nothing nothing else. For me nothing more important than Big Brother. That's when it comes to TV.

That's my favorite show. Outside of like a big boxing event. I started watching EastEnders again.

But. I'm going to just watch it. I'm a few days behind.

So I've not watched it since last Friday. So today's the last day. Today's the last day of the week for EastEnders.

So what I do I watch it back to back. On catch up. Sometime.

Outside of that probably Frasier in the morning. But now it's getting a little bit too. I know these shows some of the older ones I watch.

But now it's getting near the end of the show. You know being broadcast. When it kind of got to it's like end bit.

And yeah I kind of don't. I didn't enjoy those episodes as much. So I'll still watch maybe a one or two in the morning.

Just it's just a nice light break. You know from the day. And then I will check up on the news.

Usually the BBC News Channel. That's 24 hour news and I'll check up on that. Probably once or twice a day maybe depends on what day is.

Just to make sure you know I'm up a little bit up to date what's going on. And that's it really. I mean I'll skip through the channels to see what's on.

But I don't watch much of the stuff that's on the mainstream. Channels now. And you know if I'm skimming through and I see an old 1970s show that I used to watch or.

Early 80s show I might like indulge myself and watch that for half an hour. Or at the weekend. I'll skip through and if there's a carry on movie.

I might watch that. But that's about it. I don't have that television routine that I used to have.

I mean I'll tell you exactly. I mean when I was a kid. I'd get home from school and I did this.

Right up to my teen years. It changed a bit once I started doing. I think once I started doing karate.

I was getting home and I was looking after my little brother and then I was going to karate. So I'd watch cartoons and stuff with him. But you know when I was like maybe like 10 11.

Whatever 9 8 9 10 11. I'd get home from school. The first thing I'd do if I was able to is just turn the TV on in the living room and just watch it.

I'd lay down in front of it and just stare at the screen. And the older I got the better it was because no one else was watching it. My brothers were too old to watch that.

To want to watch that stuff. So it was good. So I'd watch that until.

Pretty much it was time to eat. And then I'd come back out and I'd watch I just watch whatever was on. I mean if I had control over the telly which I did.

For that small period of time. From 4 o'clock till about 6 or 5 36. I would then.

You know to watch whatever I could. And I had my favorites. We also had a television in the.

We have list like little dining area like dining room which was next to the kitchen and there was a TV there as well. So sometimes you know I could watch TV while we're eating. Or while I was eating independent.

Because you know as I say again as we got older. My oldest brother was 4 years older than me. So by the time I was.

14. He was never around. And my other brother was never around.

He was 16. So by the time I was 15 really. My 13 brother.

Neither of my older brothers were around much. Because they were out doing stuff. So I had a bit more space to watch TV and things like that.

And then. After dinner or after I'd had something to eat. I would.

Watch like something like Star Trek would be on about 6 or 6 30. And I would literally just watch TV. Continuously.

Until it was time for bed. Although sometimes what I'd do when the family were all together I'd kind of go upstairs into my room. Just for a bit of you know a bit of peace and quiet.

And my step mum there or someone would call me down for Doctor Who. Or Top of the Pops or you know if something was on that I loved watching. And Doctor Who was the.

That was the one show that I was allowed to watch. I want to say allowed to watch. I mean.

I got almost got first dibs. On the TV when Doctor Who was on. Which was nice because it was my favorite program.

It's my favorite TV show. So when it was on. It wasn't just that everyone we all everyone had to like watch it if they were in the room.

But. It was specifically turned over for me. Unless of course everyone wanted to watch it and I'm just deluding myself.

It's possible. It's possible. And then I'd watch TV till probably.

I don't know. 7 30 or whatever. I'd go to bed and.

See when I was at the top of the house. I'd go to bed. I'd have a bedtime which maybe is 9 o'clock.

I don't know. I can't remember. 10 o'clock.

9. I wouldn't. I wouldn't go to sleep at that time. I'd still be up doing something.

So. You know it's. It didn't.

And I had a TV once I got to about. 14. I think 13 14.

I had a television. In fact. I must have had 14.

So I didn't have a TV for long before I actually. The house was. You know everything kind of crumbled in the household.

But I did have a TV for a little while. But most of the time I didn't have a TV of my own. So I'd be upstairs in my bedroom reading a book.

Listening to music. Maybe writing. Writing songs.

Poems. Trying to write a book. I had this.

It was like a. It's kind of kids furniture really. Well I was a kid. And like a desk thing.

But the desk came out. So. It was like a cupboard.

And there was this desk on hinges. And you pulled it out. And it was a desk.

And I realized as I'm describing it. I wouldn't even. Even as I listen to it myself.

I don't understand. The description. And I know what it what it was.

So I've really described it badly. So imagine a cupboard. Or like a big cabinet.

And there's shelving. And there's a. Like a cupboard that pulls out. The lid pulls out.

And inside that is stuff. Well that lid pulls all the way down. But it doesn't go all the way down.

It stops. Once it gets to being flat. And that was the desk.

Yeah. Does that make sense. Yeah.

So I had that. And I think there was also wardrobes in there as well. In that whole thing.

And so I had books. And that's where I did my homework. Homework.

It dawned on me when I got older. Like when I was at school. That.

See I don't understand. Why. Did my.

Did you hear that? It sounded like a boop. I just had an alarm go off. An alert go off.

And there shouldn't be any alarm. Unless I've got a. An email. But even if I do get an email.

It was at 1727. So no. I wonder what that was from.

From. It's very strange. In my peripheral I can see Vinnie.

Trying to get my attention. And now he's licking my feet. Thinking that'll work.

I guess it kind of has worked. Because I just mentioned it. So I have noticed it haven't I. And.

To be fair he was getting my attention. Because I just mentioned that also. So yeah everything he's done.

Is being. Pretty on point. Why couldn't I have just given him some credit for that.

It just seemed. Unnecessary didn't it. Could it just be nice.

Nope. Ooh. Halloween.

Yeah. Still haven't got my costume. I did say.

I remember I was working in a call centre. One of my call centres that I worked in. And it was Halloween.

And a lot of the staff were dressed up. In fancy dress. And I just.

I forgot all about it. I forgot about it. I just went in there to do my job.

And I just didn't really. I'm not sure if I even noticed that people were dressed up. And people kept coming up to me and saying.

Why don't you dress up. It's Halloween why don't you dress up. We're dressing up for charity.

I said OK. So how does that work. So will you dress up for charity.

We're dressed up to raise money for charity. I said. I know how charity works.

And raising. I know what that concept is. Raising money for charity.

But. How does me dressing up. Raise money for your charity.

Well when you dress up. You put money into the bucket. I said I can still put money into the bucket.

That flummoxed them a little bit. But you haven't dressed up. Can't compute.

Smoke was coming out of their eyes. And their ears. Like I don't understand.

And so I had a couple of people say. Why aren't you dressed up. And in the end I got a little bit.

I thought OK. I'll nip this in the bud. So the next person said to me.

Why aren't you dressed up. Why haven't you dressed up for Halloween. And I said I have.

And they said what. I said I've come as a serial killer. Now it probably wasn't a good idea.

Because it just being. A big major case locally. That involved a member of staff.

I. You know. I just thought. I can't just.

I'm dressed. I mean. Not all serial killers dress as clowns.

That's what I'm saying. You know. I mean.

The bloke. There was. There's a couple of dresses clowns.

Isn't that in the. Like the movies and stuff. And.

If I'm sitting in a cafe. Opposite a clown. That's staring at me.

And. I'm. Calling the police.

To be honest with you. I'm getting out of there. Anyway.

They didn't seem to. I thought it was quite a funny line. Like when I said it.

I'm coming as a serial killer. I thought. That's a good line.

But. No. We didn't enjoy it.

I mean. I don't know. What was I going to dress as.

I don't know. I mean. I was there to work.

Not taking away the fun. Because. I know.

I'm brilliant. If people can have fun with it. I was.

Just. I mean. I think at that point.

In my. Working career. I was.

Working part time. So I had to get on with what I was doing. And I couldn't like.

Take a break really. I was just like. I think five hours.

To just do everything. I had to do. So.

Oh. Such a spoil sport. I wasn't being a spoil sport.

I just. It seemed a lot of effort. And I like to put my effort.

Into the job. I mean. I know it wasn't as important.

As being a surgeon. But pretty close. Yeah.

Okay then. Okay. Oh yeah.

TV shows. So. God.

Let me get to the 90s. In a way. I remember the 90s TV shows.

More than I do the 80s. And you might think. Well yeah.

Obviously because it's closer. Yeah. I suppose it makes sense.

But I don't really remember. Much of the 2000s. TV shows.

And you might. You might think. Yeah but you were working.

Yeah I was working in the 90s as well. So. My.

It seems the more I worked. The more TV I watched. So I'd get home.

And that would be it. I'd just watch telly. And.

Yeah. But I think we should focus on 1981. Shall we.

1981. And before we continue. What have I. What's happened since yesterday.

I had someone. Anytime someone comes to my door. Vinnie barks.

Furiously. Which is kind of normal. You know he's a dog.

That's what dogs do isn't it. Generally. So.

I try to. Reduce. The amount of.

People that will be. Disturbing Vinnie. Because when he gets disturbed.

The neighbors downstairs. Gets disturbed. Potentially other neighbors in the building.

Gets disturbed. Makes me jump. When we go from zero noise.

Zero like. Like really quiet to. Honestly.

It gives me a proper start. Whatever that means. I think that's short for startle isn't it.

It startled me. Gives me a start. So.

I went and had a look. To see what I'd be put through the door. And it was a leaflet.

So I opened the door. And I sort of. Didn't shout to the man but.

I said hello excuse me. I said I've got a sign on my door. That says no.

No junk mail. And he's gone huh. There's a sign that says no junk mail.

And leaflets and stuff like that. He said you don't want. Don't want me putting through stuff through your door.

Like. Like no I do yeah I'm saying thanks. Thanks for ignoring it.

Yeah can you put more stuff in. More crap that I have to find. A way of getting rid of.

Yeah I need more paper please. No I didn't say that but. I said thanks anyway.

And I thought oh. It made me feel bad because. I felt afterwards that maybe.

I hadn't been very. Nice. And I genuinely wasn't being rude.

But I don't know if I came across. Particularly pleasant. But part of the reason was probably.

Because I ran. Out there. And I was a little bit out of breath.

You. You. Did you not read the.

Read the sign. So it was a little bit like that. And.

But maybe I was a little bit angry. Angry but not the right word probably. Disappointed.

Yeah. I'm not angry. I'm just disappointed.

I'm just not angry. I'm just. Excited about it.

I'm passionate. Not angry. I'm passionate.

The amount of people excuse they make. This I won't be shouting. And swearing and then say no.

I'm not angry. I'm passionate like. Shut up your face.

You'll be silly. Stop being so silly. Anyway he went away and I thought.

I feel bad now. And. I go out and I look at the sign.

And I realize I can't even read the. Writing on the sign. Even with my glasses on.

The writing is so tiny. And it's low down as well. So it's below the letterbox.

And. It's probably not much good. In fact it might be less than that.

And I thought maybe I need to. Chase him down the road. And.

Just to sort of apologize to him. But I don't know how that would look either. Me chasing down a road and.

Especially holding the hammer. So I just for. Just.

So what I've done is I've ordered. A cheap letterbox sticker. And it says.

The thing is you know. You buy stuff on Amazon. And.

It's not the size it says. Like I bought some condoms. And they said.

For like really small use. For really small ones. And I got it and it was massive.

So now I. Misleading. I am. I got that sign and it was big.

On the on the you know on the screen. Not just because the screen is big. But it was like I could read everything.

On there. No junk mail no all that stuff. And then when I got it.

It came in this envelope. That fitted through the letterbox. And I thought.

Okay that's that's about the right size. Then I open it up and it was a size. I don't think it's even the size of a postcard.

Probably half the size of a postcard. So yeah. Not not good.

So what I've done is I've got this. Well I found this thing on Amazon. That shows the sign.

On an actual letterbox. Like on a door. Now I don't know if letterboxes.

Come in different sizes. Because. I might find out that.

You know maybe it was a letterbox. Or a doll's house or something. Hopefully not.

So when it gets through. I'll put it on my letterbox and then. You know.

That should do the trick. I mean. The other way I managed to get someone.

To stop putting leaflets through. Is every time they came up. And they come every week.

Every time I try to put a leaflet through my door. I would push it back out the door. Onto the floor outside.

And they got a hint. They got a hint. You know and they stopped doing it.

Took about six months. I mean some would say that's a bit of a waste of time. Possibly.

I would literally push it back out. And there was. Sometimes they didn't even see.

And they just build up. And the council complained. But anyway.

That's enough of that. I think that might be one of my little bonnet bees. I just don't.

I don't want stuff put through my door. That is. It's just.

What's the point in. Doing all this recycling. And like making us do the recycling.

And all that stuff. And you know. If they're then just going to cause.

Well then I know it's a different place but. I don't know. It just seems.

These leaflets. And why not. Just do online.

Advertise online. But then there was an ironic part of this story. Okay.

My neighbor. One of my neighbors. Is she's looking for.

An educational course. We've just been talking about it and. I said well.

She's in a. She's about 11 years younger than me. She's what. 44.

And. I said. I said.

Have you ever been to university. She said no. And I said well.

And she left school with good. Good qualifications and stuff. I said well.

You'll you'll be eligible. To. Have.

A student loan. And all that stuff. Maybe even.

Help with other stuff as well. Which. Things that I wouldn't be able to get.

Because I've already had it. If you know I mean. I've already.

I've already been to university. Full time. So she could go to.

University. University full time. We've got.

Two places. In this area. We've got some.

An actual university. And there's a big college. Which is connected to university.

So you can do degrees there as well. Anyway. So that's what I said to her.

I think it was yesterday. Or a couple of days ago. And I said you know.

You're not too old for that. I mean I only got my degree. When I was 40.

So you're only four years older. Than what I was. When I actually gained my degree.

And she said. I could figure that out. When you just said you got your degree.

When you were 40. I know how old I am. So you didn't need to have that.

Last bit of the sentence. And I said well. Does it matter.

She said. Not really. But just.

A little bit of talking down. A little bit condescendingly. Isn't it.

Assuming that I'm not able to. Add four. Onto 40.

Or to not know my own age. I said no. That's not.

I was always not inferring that. She said you. You're on your big words.

Inferring. Nothing furry about this conversation. And I thought that was weird.

She said. I said well. You know.

Just. Go have a look online. If you want to.

There's loads of local courses possibly. Perhaps I should take my own advice. Probably not.

So I see her. Pretty few hours ago. And she's walking.

I'm walking back from the park. She's walking about to go into the park. For those of you who think that this is some big massive park.

It's really not. It's more like. A garden.

Like someone's garden. It. It looks like.

What they've done is. The council. Come along and just.

Purchased. Parts of the garden. Of all the houses.

That are there. And just. You know.

Put up fences. And laid some grass. That's kind of what it looks like.

So. And she says. Oh.

I think we're talking about. What was we talking about. Oh.

How boring it is living around here. And I said. She said.

Don't you get depressed. I said. You only want to talk to you.

She laughed. She did. And she.

Punched me. But. I. She said.

Oh look at this. So she pulled out. Out of a bag.

And I thought. I hope it's some chocolate. It wasn't.

And it was. She said. I've got information about the.

A course. This came through my door today. And it was that.

Like. Pamphlet. Leaflet.

Magazine thing. That they put through. It's kind of like a. Town crier.

Monthly. Thing. That they.

You know. It's just. It's got adverts.

A few stories. And stuff. And she was saying.

I'm so glad. They put that through. And.

Because I. It's really good. I read it every month. And.

It's got some really good information in it. And. This could be.

You know. It's got stuff. Education.

And stuff. As well. And I'm thinking.

Wow. My. Attitude.

Towards. Having that stuff. Put through my letterbox.

It's completely different. To other people's. You know.

She wants. Those magazines. Free magazines.

Put through a letterbox. I want chocolate. It.

We're all different. I think it's natural. And.

Yeah. So. That.

That was it. I don't know really why I mentioned all this. But yeah.

I've got my letterbox one. Coming. And it's going to be a sticker on the letterbox.

And also. Talking about Amazon. What I thought about doing.

Is putting together. An Amazon. Oh.

What do you call it? Amazon list. For Vinnie. Just if anyone would like to buy him treats.

Just cheap treats. Well. Nothing expensive.

But. It. I think it might only be.

Really available for people that live in the UK. I'm not sure if you can order it. If you're in another country.

But just. Just try. I'm going to look and just see.

Try and find some. Treats. Maybe some little bones.

Pig's ears. Oh. You know.

So. Just an assortment of little things. If you'd like to.

Just send him some treats. Because he doesn't. He just gets through them.

And he. You know. He'll love it.

So. So. It's not for me.

It's for him. And it'll be. It'll keep him quiet as well.

So. I keep running out of stuff. What do you mean it's not for you? It means you haven't got to buy them.

So therefore it is for you. Because it's safer for you. Oh.

Come on. Sure. Stop.

OK. Shall we do the 1981 TV shows? Oh. Yeah.

Shall we? Major UK shows. That debuted in 1981. So this is the first part.

It's broken up into little bits. So. I'll go through.

The major shows. That started. In 1981.

And it does start with my favourite TV show. Show. Pretty much.

Well at least one of them. Of. Of.

Forever. Which is only fools and horses. And a lot of.

English people. British people. UK people.

Whatever you want to call them. And. We'll agree with that.

Not all. Obviously. Maybe just some.

But. I would say a lot. Probably a good.

Few of them. Few million. I'd say.

But. But. Very much likely.

It's going to be. People in their. Forties.

Fifties. Sixties. And.

Bearing in mind. It hasn't been on TV. Since.

I think. 2002. Was the last time.

It was on. So. It's.

It's a long. Long. Time.

Not to me. It's not. But.

You know. In. To other people.

It's a long time. To someone who's. Twenty.

It's two years. Before they were born. Only.

Fools and horses. So. That.

The sitcom. Debuted. Debuted.

Debut. Debut. Debut.

Was. September. Nineteen.

Eighty. One. By the way.

As I say. With. These kinds of things.

Don't. Use. Anything.

I say. There's. Fact.

So. If. You're.

An environment. Where. People.

Really. Need. To be.

Right. Which is. A lot.

Of different. Places. You may.

Be. And. They're.

Saying. Something. That's.

The opposite. To what. You've.

Heard. Here. Don't.

Use. What I said. As.

An argument. Just. Let.

Them. Be. Right.

Let. Them. Think.

They're. Right. Because.

Ultimately. It. Doesn't.

Matter. Now. It's.

Different. If. You're.

Making. A spaceship. Or.

You were. You know. About.

To fly. A plane. The.

Pilot. Was. Saying.

Actually. We can. We can.

Just. Let. Let.

All. The. Fuel.

Go. When. We're.

Like. In. Full.

Flight. We could. Just.

Empty. The. Tanks.

And. The. Engines.

Off. And. We'll.

Be. Fine. We can.

Just. Fly. Without.

The. Engines. And.

We can. Don't. Need.

Fuel. And. We can.

Just. Land. We can.

Just. Glide. Down.

Safely. And. If.

You're. Kind. Of.

Situation. Maybe. If.

You're. The. Copilot.

Maybe. Say. No.

That's. Not. Right.

Yeah. Jason. Said.

The. Only. Fools.

And. Horses. Was.

Debited. In. 1981.

Which. Probably. Wouldn't.

Be. It. Be.

A. Weird. Conversation. But.

I'm. Just. Saying.

Is. In. A. Kind.

Of. Like. Some.

People. If. They.

Get. Drunk. Or.

Ill. Or. Other.

Intoxications. And. They'll.

Argue. And. Argue.

And. Argue. And.

Ain't. Nothing. Worth.

Arguing. About. I. Don't.

Think. Generally. This.

Need. To. Be.

Right. As. A. As.

A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A.

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