Royal Over-Seas League

RTS LEGENDS

Monday 15 July 2013, 12.30pm for 1.00pm

Royal Over-Seas League,

Over-Seas House, Park Place, LondonSW1A 1LR

The Battle for Breakfast

Thirty years ago, the IBA had awarded a new company, TVAM, the franchise for breakfast television. It was set to start in June 1983. When TVAM learnt that the BBC, not to be outdone, was rushing into production with their own breakfast programme for January, they brought forward their plans but the BBC still beat them by a fortnight. The BBC’s Breakfast Time relaxed mix of serious news and lightweight magazine items with Frank Bough, Selina Scott and Nick Ross went head to head with Good Morning Britain with David Frost, Angela Rippon, Anna Ford, Michael Parkinson and Robert Kee – the Famous Five and their ‘mission to explain’. Within weeks the viewers voted in large numbers for the BBC and TVAM, beset by internal feuds and Union restrictions, took months to recover. People were sacked or moved, wine was thrown, tempers were frayed and a rat came to the rescue.

Four key players will recall the contest and reveal what really happened in The Battle for Breakfast.

For BBC Breakfast Time –

Nick Ross, one of the first presenters

Colin Stanbridge, producer BBC Breakfast Time

For TVAM

Sir David Frost OBE, the leader of the ‘Famous Five’.

Clive Jones CBE, Managing Editor, TVAM.

The discussion will be chaired by John Stapleton who was, later, a reporter with TVAM, has been a presenter for BBC Breakfast and GMTV and now presents its successor, Daybreak.

Keith Clement

BOOKING FORM

I would like to book … tickets for the RTS Legends lunch on Monday 15 July 2013. The cost of the lunch is £45.96 inclusive of VAT per person and is inclusive of service, but exclusive of table drinks.

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Return this form to: Jo Mitchell, Events Department, Royal Television Society, Kildare House,

3 Dorset Rise, London EC4Y 8EN. Tel: 020 7822 2823 Fax: 020 7822 2811 E-mail:

Applications should reach Head Office no later than 5 working days prior to the event - please telephone us if you are in any doubt that your form will reach us by this date. If you do not receive your tickets a week prior to the event, please contact the Events Department. The Society regrets refunds for cancellations can only be made 5 working days prior to the event and a 10% administration charge will be applied.

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