The Beatles At The Beeb

Bill Kenwright presents a two hour journey through the many Beatles songs and interviews recorded at the BBC during the 60s.

The Beatles played on 53 different radio shows between March 1962 and June 1965, giving no less than 275 performances of 88 different songs. Remarkably 36 of those songs were never issued on record while the group was in existence. With the exception of Lennon-McCartney's I'll Be On My Way, these unreleased tracks were cover versions, ranging from familiar rock 'n' roll numbers to some fairly obscure oddities which included a customised version of Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport with Rolf Harris (Don't ill-treat me pet dingo, Ringo).

Kevin Howlett produced his first documentary about the Beatles' BBC recordings as a young Radio 1 producer in 1982. It made headlines around the world because Kevin tracked down many BBC Beatles sessions not heard since their original broadcasts. Out of the 53 BBC programmes with live Beatles music, just one was in the BBC Archive. Following further investigations, Kevin produced the award-winning The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes in 1988.

And discoveries are still possible: This programme features an interview - unheard since 1965 - in which the Beatles talk about their second movie Help! They chatted live from a radio car at Twickenham Film Studios for the BBC Light Programme show Pop Inn. The 'lost' master tape of The Lennon and McCartney Songbook will also be heard for the first time since its original broadcast on August Bank Holiday Monday in 1966.

This show is a tantalising prospect for Beatles fans as other interviews and music recordings will be featured that have not been broadcast since the 1960s. In addition to the archive Beatles interviews with presenters such as Brian Matthew and Alan Freeman, Brian and Alan (recorded in 1988) will be heard reminiscing about their time with The Beatles at the Beeb.

Bill Kenwright presents Beatles songs and interviews recorded at the BBC during the 60s.