Tudur’s Tv Flashback delves into South Wales Valleys archive footage
Comedian and presenter, Tudur Owen is back to delve into the BBC archives for another episode of Tudur’s TV Flashback. This week, Tudur heads to the most recognisable location in Wales, the south Wales valleys, in search of some of the most unforgettable characters and features in the area.
In 1976, one of the biggest names in television, Cilla Black, visited the Lady Windsor colliery in Ynysybwl. On her journey through the coal mining area, she spoke to a number of hard-working miners and in a television first, she also ventures down to the depths of the mine to conduct the very ‘first interview ever filmed in a coal mine’.
Meanwhile, a crime fighting duo nicknamed the Valleys’ Starsky and Hutch are on a crusade to tackle the growing problem of vandalism in Merthyr. In 1979, the area faced chronic vandalism, prompting the vandal patrol to spring into action. Through countless interviews with frustrated citizens, they hope to bring those responsible to justice.
Back in 2002, one of Britain’s top basketball teams were located in the Valleys. The Rhondda Rebels won everything possible but were missing one vital aspect to their game, a motivational song. Presenters Rhodri Williams and Josie D’arby enlisted the help of the people of Rhondda to discover what makes the perfect motivational song. With the help of some of the Valleys’ top musicians from Shabbey Road Studios and a hip hop producer, the Rhondda Rebels finally had the missing piece.
The episode will be on BBC One Wales on 20th January at 7:30pm.
