(no music) (5 hours) TV shows 1980 | Thursday Throwbacks | LMBYTS #1471 | Jason Newland | 23rd October 2025

https://www.jasonnewland.com/
TV shows 1980 | Thursday Throwbacks | LMBYTS #1471 | Jason Newland | 23rd October 2025

🎙️ Podcast Host: Jason Newland 

💤 Theme: Designed to be gently boring and nostalgic to help listeners fall asleep 

🆕 Introduction to the Series

• Jason introduces a new weekly show called “Thursday Throwbacks” under his "Let’s Bore You to Sleep" podcast umbrella.
• He emphasizes this series will focus on nostalgic topics from previous decades: TV shows, songs, movies, events, etc.
• Today’s episode is all about UK TV shows from the year 1980.
• He encourages listeners to close their eyes and relax.

📺 TV Shows from 1980 (UK Focused)

🧒 Children’s Shows

• Play School – Watched as a child, aired twice daily.
• Rainbow – Popular kids' show with Zippy, George, Bungle.
• Jackanory – First book he read came from this show.
• Blue Peter – A childhood staple with crafts, pets, and news.
• John Craven’s Newsround – Gentle, child-friendly news.
• Metal Mickey – Fun robot sitcom.
• Crackerjack – Comedy and gameshow for kids.
• Rent-a-Ghost – Quirky supernatural show.
• Pipkins, Wordsworth, Wurzel Gummidge, and more.

👮‍♂️ Police & Drama Shows

• Juliet Bravo – Female-led police drama.
• The Gentle Touch – Another female detective drama.
• Blake’s 7 – Sci-fi favorite; Jason was a big fan.
• Dr. Who – Watched from early years into adulthood.
• Emmerdale Farm – Early days of the rural soap.
• Brideshead Revisited, Secret Army, Catweazle, Survivors – Mentioned briefly.

🕵️‍♂️ Crime & Mystery

• Minder – One of Jason’s all-time favorites.
• The Sweeney – Didn’t watch due to adult content.
• Professionals – Compared to Starsky & Hutch.

👨‍👩‍👧 Sitcoms & Comedy

• Fawlty Towers – "Best comedy show ever" according to Jason.
• Terry & June – He loved this one.
• The Two Ronnies & Morecambe and Wise – Legendary British comedy duos.
• Yes Minister – Political satire, a bit too clever for him at age 9.
• Not the Nine O’Clock News – Edgy sketch show with Rowan Atkinson and others.
• Kenny Everett Video Show – Influenced Jason’s humor.
• Liver Birds, The Dawson Show, The Goodies, Lenny Henry Show.

🎵 Music & Variety Shows

• Top of the Pops – Weekly must-watch music show.
• Val Doonican Show – Gentle music show on Sundays.
• The Old Grey Whistle Test – Music performances, not really for kids.
• Paul Daniels Magic Show – Iconic British magician.

🎾 Sport Shows

• Wimbledon 1980 – Peak tennis era with Björn Borg & McEnroe.
• Grandstand, Match of the Day, Big Match – Weekly sports coverage.
• Pop Black – Snooker show.
• World of Sport – Included wrestling with Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.

🧪 Science, Nature & Documentary

• Tomorrow’s World – Futuristic science predictions.
• Sky at Night – Astronomy with Patrick Moore.
• Animal Magic – Voiceovers of zoo animals by Johnny Morris.
• Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World – Fascination with paranormal and mystery.

💬 Game Shows & Quiz Shows

• Family Fortunes, Play Your Cards Right, University Challenge, Question Time, That’s Life – Jason recalls enjoying or avoiding these depending on age.

🧛 Supernatural & Sci-Fi

• Hammer House of Horror – Loved the spooky vibe.
• Space: 1999 – Sci-fi with spaceship adventures and transforming aliens.
• The Tomorrow People, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon.

🎭 Serious / Adult Shows

• Dallas – Major cultural moment ("Who shot JR?").
• Knots Landing, Dynasty – Mentioned alongside.
• Panorama, Newsnight, Nationwide – Serious shows Jason wasn’t into much as a child.

🛏️ Personal Tangents & Sleepy Ramblings In true “Let’s Bore You to Sleep” style, Jason meanders charmingly through:

• His new bedtime routine (involving nightgowns!)
• Complaints about dim streetlights and walking in the dark
• Memories of family visits, old signs outside shops, and childhood TV viewing patterns
• Reminisces about school struggles, being miscategorized as a slow learner
• Vinny the dog makes repeated cameos (especially with noisy ear-flapping)

💬 Jason's Style

• Rambling, cozy, sleepy tone meant to lull you to sleep
• Mix of gentle nostalgia, minor rants, and cozy personal anecdotes
• Reassuring sign-off reminding you to be kind to yourself

🎧 Length

• Over 2.5 hours of spoken audio, one of Jason’s longest recordings yet!

✅ Summary Takeaways

• This transcript is a goldmine of TV nostalgia, especially if you grew up in the UK or love vintage British TV.
• It's perfect for bedtime listening with low energy, calming tangents, and Jason’s quirky humor.
• He balances trivia, personal memories, and friendly rambling beautifully.