Front Row - The Birth of Television: A Forgotten History
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100 years ago, inventor John Logie Baird demonstrated his new 'televisor' to the public for the first time. In this special edition of Front Row, Samira Ahmed and guests explore the origins of television in the UK, charting how those early experimental days set a template for this exciting new medium.
Guests:
TV producer and historian Professor John Wyver, whose new book Magic Rays of Light tells the story of the early days of TV
Lisa Kerrigan, senior curator of TV at the BFI
Francis Spufford, whose new novel Nonesuch is partly set in the BBC studio at Alexandra Palace in 1939
Joy Whitby, TV producer and creator of iconic programmes including Play School and Jackanory
Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Tim Bano
Published on Monday, 6th April 2026.
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