The Rudest Man In Britain

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Twenty Questions To Celebrity Status

20221026

Gilbert Harding started as a radio presenter in post-war Britain and although he never lived to see the 1960s, he already displayed a lack of deference more typical of that decade.

He gained wider TV exposure as a star in the BBC's long-running What's My Line? which was watched by millions. Audiences would talk about his performance the following day because of his outrageousness and also, because sometimes it was obvious he had been drinking.

The first of a three-part exploration including extracts from:

* ROUND BRITAIN QUIZ

* THE BRAINS TRUST

* A complete edition of TWENTY QUESTIONS with Jack Train, Anona Winn, Richard Dimbleby, and Joy Adamson.

Featuring:

Jeffrey Richards

Gillian Reynolds

Andy Medhurst

Russell Davies

Joe Moran

Simon Fanshawe explores the work of the broadcasting star Gilbert Harding

Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.

Face To Face With John Freeman

20221102

My doctor tells me if I go on drinking and smoking like this I shall drop dead - so I am going to double it'.

Simon Fanshawe continues his investigation through the archives to reveal a picture of this clever, amusing and often outrageous broadcaster who had a deeply troubled and unhappy private life.

He was lonely, yet could not bear the thought of sharing his life with anybody. There is no evidence that he had a close relationship with a man or a woman.

Writer Brian Masters remembers staying with him as a young man. 'If I had a bath he would come in and hand me a towel and that seemed pretty innocent to me at that age. I could see that it gave him pleasure, so why not?

The second of a three-part exploration including extracts from:

* GIlbert Harding on BBC TV's WHAT'S MY LINE hosted by Eamonn Andrews - where he competed with fellow guests Isobel Barnett, David Nixon and Barbara Kelly.

Interviews with:

Gillian Reynolds

Jeffrey Richards

Andy Metcalf

Gavin Henderson

Roger Storey

Plus BBC TV's FACE TO FACE interview with John Freeman, where Gilbert Harding wept on camera when the questioner touched a nerve.

Public sympathy for the broadcaster soared after the interview - and then he died on the steps of the BBC after recording Round Britain Quiz, eight weeks later.

Simon Fanshawe explores the personal life of outrageous broadcaster Gilbert Harding.

Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.

Demons And Fantasies

20221109

Simon Fanshawe concludes his investigation of Gilbert Harding - a clever, amusing and often outrageous broadcaster - who won fame for unpredictable appearances on BBC panel games such as What's My Line?, Twenty Questions and Round Britain Quiz.

But behind the public-persona, there was a troubled and conflicted character.

In the last of a three-part exploration - Simon draws on Stephen Wyatt's play Dr Brighton and Mr Harding.

This is an insight into the personal torment of TV's first superstar. Roger Allam stars as Gilbert Harding.

Wrestling with his inner demons and fantasies, Harding knows that he's in increasingly poor health, sparking his move to the coast to embrace 'Dr Brighton'.

Broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 in July 2005.

Simon Fanshawe on Gilbert Harding featuring Roger Allam as the irascible media star.

Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.

OMNI

20040111

20140111 (BBC7)
20160702 (BBC7)
20180526 (BBC7)
20210807 (BBC7)

The Rudest Man in Britain excavates the archives from the perspective of Gilbert Harding - a well-loved radio personality who went on to achieve wider TV exposure as star of long-running panel shows such as 'What's My Line?' once watched by millions.

Clever, amusing and often outrageous, Harding was a familiar voice of wireless who became a pioneer of popular TV. But behind the public persona, there was a troubled and conflicted character.

To create a profile of Gilbert Harding's life and sample his broadcasting work Simon Fanshawe draws on Stephen Wyatt's play Dr Brighton and Mr Harding, in which Harding (played by Roger Allam) wrestles with his inner demons and fantasies, knowing also that he is in increasingly poor health (hence his reason for moving to the coast to embrace 'Dr Brighton').

Simon samples excerpts from:

* Round Britain Quiz,

* The Brains Trust

* A complete edition of Twenty Questions – which, as a format, still stands up well.

He also revisits Harding's seminal 1960 BBC Face to Face TV interview with John Freeman, where he broke down on camera when the questioner touched a nerve.

Simon Fanshawe explores the development of many now familiar formats on Radio and TV - and assembles a fascinating and rounded portrait of this tortured but much loved polymath.

The rudest man in Britain explores the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Twenty Questions To Celebrity Status	20221026		Gilbert Harding started as a radio presenter in post-war Britain and although he never lived to see the 1960s, he already displayed a lack of deference more typical of that decade. He gained wider TV exposure as a star in the BBC's long-running What's My Line? which was watched by millions. Audiences would talk about his performance the following day because of his outrageousness and also, because sometimes it was obvious he had been drinking. The first of a three-part exploration including extracts from: * ROUND BRITAIN QUIZ * THE BRAINS TRUST * A complete edition of TWENTY QUESTIONS with Jack Train, Anona Winn, Richard Dimbleby, and Joy Adamson. Featuring: Jeffrey Richards Gillian Reynolds Andy Medhurst Russell Davies Joe Moran Simon Fanshawe explores the work of the broadcasting star Gilbert Harding Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.
02	Face To Face With John Freeman	20221102		My doctor tells me if I go on drinking and smoking like this I shall drop dead - so I am going to double it'. Simon Fanshawe continues his investigation through the archives to reveal a picture of this clever, amusing and often outrageous broadcaster who had a deeply troubled and unhappy private life. He was lonely, yet could not bear the thought of sharing his life with anybody. There is no evidence that he had a close relationship with a man or a woman. Writer Brian Masters remembers staying with him as a young man. 'If I had a bath he would come in and hand me a towel and that seemed pretty innocent to me at that age. I could see that it gave him pleasure, so why not? The second of a three-part exploration including extracts from: * GIlbert Harding on BBC TV's WHAT'S MY LINE hosted by Eamonn Andrews - where he competed with fellow guests Isobel Barnett, David Nixon and Barbara Kelly. Interviews with: Gillian Reynolds Jeffrey Richards Andy Metcalf Gavin Henderson Roger Storey Plus BBC TV's FACE TO FACE interview with John Freeman, where Gilbert Harding wept on camera when the questioner touched a nerve. Public sympathy for the broadcaster soared after the interview - and then he died on the steps of the BBC after recording Round Britain Quiz, eight weeks later. Simon Fanshawe explores the personal life of outrageous broadcaster Gilbert Harding. Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.
03	Demons And Fantasies	20221109		Simon Fanshawe concludes his investigation of Gilbert Harding - a clever, amusing and often outrageous broadcaster - who won fame for unpredictable appearances on BBC panel games such as What's My Line?, Twenty Questions and Round Britain Quiz. But behind the public-persona, there was a troubled and conflicted character. In the last of a three-part exploration - Simon draws on Stephen Wyatt's play Dr Brighton and Mr Harding. This is an insight into the personal torment of TV's first superstar. Roger Allam stars as Gilbert Harding. Wrestling with his inner demons and fantasies, Harding knows that he's in increasingly poor health, sparking his move to the coast to embrace 'Dr Brighton'. Broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 in July 2005. Simon Fanshawe on Gilbert Harding featuring Roger Allam as the irascible media star. Exploring the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.
OMNI		20040111	20140111 (BBC7) 20160702 (BBC7) 20180526 (BBC7) 20210807 (BBC7)	The Rudest Man in Britain excavates the archives from the perspective of Gilbert Harding - a well-loved radio personality who went on to achieve wider TV exposure as star of long-running panel shows such as 'What's My Line?' once watched by millions. Clever, amusing and often outrageous, Harding was a familiar voice of wireless who became a pioneer of popular TV. But behind the public persona, there was a troubled and conflicted character. To create a profile of Gilbert Harding's life and sample his broadcasting work Simon Fanshawe draws on Stephen Wyatt's play Dr Brighton and Mr Harding, in which Harding (played by Roger Allam) wrestles with his inner demons and fantasies, knowing also that he is in increasingly poor health (hence his reason for moving to the coast to embrace 'Dr Brighton'). Simon samples excerpts from: * Round Britain Quiz, * The Brains Trust * A complete edition of Twenty Questions – which, as a format, still stands up well. He also revisits Harding's seminal 1960 BBC Face to Face TV interview with John Freeman, where he broke down on camera when the questioner touched a nerve. Simon Fanshawe explores the development of many now familiar formats on Radio and TV - and assembles a fascinating and rounded portrait of this tortured but much loved polymath. The rudest man in Britain explores the legacy of former broadcasting star Gilbert Harding.