The South Bank Show 1978
What is The South Bank Show?
The South Bank Show is a television arts magazine show that was produced by ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new series began on Sky Arts from 27 May 2012.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1978
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 776
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Jan 14, 1978
- Last aired
- Aug 29, 2023
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- ITV1, Sky Arts
- Genres
- Documentary, Talk
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
Sky Go
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 776 episodes and an average 60-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The South Bank Show is a television arts magazine show that was produced by ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new series began on Sky Arts from 27 May 2012. The show is presented by Melvyn Bragg and aims to bring both high art and popular culture to a mass audience. The series was originally produced by London Weekend Television and broadcast on ITV. Melvyn Bragg is the show's presenter and also conceived and wrote it. The show features interviews with various guests, including artists and musicians. The South Bank Show has been a long-running arts series, with a new version starting on Sky Arts in 2012. The show's format allows it to cover a wide range of topics and guests, making it a unique and informative program. The South Bank Show has had a notable run, with its start in 1978 and continuation into later years.
Should you watch it?
“A long-running arts magazine exploring culture with Melvyn Bragg.”
- Bragg's engaging interview style
- mixes high art with popular culture
- longevity shows consistent quality
- may seem dated to newer viewers
- focus on British culture limits scope
you're curious about arts and culture discussions.
Suitable for general audiences interested in cultural programming.
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Cast
Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 24 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Paul McCartney/surrealist exhibition Mytharc Jan 14, 1978
- E2 Paganini Superstar Core Jan 21, 1978
- E3 Roy Minton Core Jan 28, 1978
- E4 David Hockney Core Feb 4, 1978
- E5 Dennis Potter Core Feb 11, 1978
- E6 John Peel/Jane Glover Core Feb 18, 1978
- E7 Arabian Days (Edna O'Brien)/Quentin Crisp Core Feb 25, 1978
- E8 Jacques Loussier Core Mar 4, 1978
- E9 Ken Dodd Core Mar 11, 1978
- E10 Georges Simenon Core Mar 18, 1978
- E11 Horowitz at the White House Core Mar 25, 1978
- E12 Carl Perkins/Morgan horses Core Apr 1, 1978
- E13 Carry On with Paul Morissey (Carry On ... films) Core Apr 8, 1978
- E14 Search for Shaw Core Apr 15, 1978
- E15 Harold Pinter Core Apr 22, 1978
- E16 Satyajit Ray/John Williams/Ralph McTell Core Apr 30, 1978
- E17 Portrait of a Conductor: Herbert Von Karajan Core May 6, 1978
- E18 Freddie Young Core May 13, 1978
- E19 Frank Auerbach Core May 20, 1978
- E20 Mayerling Ballet Core Jun 17, 1978
- E21 John Osborne on Wardle's book on Devine/Pearl (radio play) Core Jul 1, 1978
- E22 Ingmar Bergman at 60 Core Jul 8, 1978
- E23 Hullabaloo over George and Bonnie's Pictures (1) Mytharc Jul 15, 1978
- E24 Hullabaloo over George and Bonnie's Pictures (2) Mytharc Jul 22, 1978
Season 2 · 24 episodes
- E1 Tom Stoppard Mytharc Nov 26, 1978
- E2 Grace Under Pressure (Anthony Burgess on Hemingway) Core Dec 3, 1978
- E3 Woody Allen Core Dec 10, 1978
- E4 Anatomy of an Opera: Jonathan Miller's Figaro Core Dec 17, 1978
- E5 Rhythm of Resistance (South African music) Core Jan 14, 1979
- E6 Harmony of the Spheres (Neil Ardley) Core Jan 21, 1979
- E7 Circus Clowns/Schubert recital by Richter Core Jan 28, 1979
- E8 Royal Shakespeare Company on tour Core Feb 4, 1979
- E9 Brimstone & Treacle (Dennis Potter) / John McLaughlin, a Musical Journey Core Feb 11, 1979
- E10 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith / Edward Gorey / Gunter Grass Core Feb 18, 1979
- E11 Michael Cimino / Alan Bennett, Stephen Frears Core Feb 25, 1979
- E12 Gordon Williams, Alan Sharp, Eddie Boyd Core Mar 4, 1979
- E13 Derek Boshier / Ingrid Bergman, Ingmar Bergman Core Mar 11, 1979
- E14 Neil Simon Core Mar 18, 1979
- E15 Beryl Cook / Cloud Nine rehearsals Core Mar 25, 1979
- E16 Graham Sutherland Core Apr 1, 1979
- E17 Darryl Way / Howard Brenton Core Apr 22, 1979
- E18 The Europeans (film) / Joseph Heller Core Apr 29, 1979
- E19 Asian Arts festival Core May 6, 1979
- E20 Billy Connolly Core May 13, 1979
- E21 Jessye Norman Core May 20, 1979
- E22 Rough Trade (record label) / Allen Jones Core May 27, 1979
- E23 Scum (film) / Keith Jarrett Mytharc Jun 17, 1979
- E24 Michael Tippett (90 min.) Mytharc Jun 24, 1979
Season 3 · 19 episodes
- E1 Francis Ford Coppola Mytharc Dec 2, 1979
- E2 Royal Shakespeare Company masterclass (1) Core Dec 9, 1979
- E3 Royal Shakespeare Company masterclass (2) Core Dec 16, 1979
- E4 Talking Heads Core Dec 23, 1979
- E5 Love and the Ice-Cream Vendor Core Feb 17, 1980
- E6 Fay Weldon / Richard Hogart on Northern Ireland in drama Core Feb 24, 1980
- E7 Merce Cunningham Core Mar 2, 1980
- E8 Elegies for the Deaths of Three Spanish Poets Core Mar 9, 1980
- E9 A Time There was ... (Benjamin Britten) Core Apr 6, 1980
- E10 The Greene Adaptations (Graham Greene films) Core Apr 13, 1980
- E11 Salsa (Puerto Rican music) Core Apr 27, 1980
- E12 The Worlds of Edward Bond Core May 4, 1980
- E13 Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli / Kinglsey Amis Core May 11, 1980
- E14 new British rock films / The Tin Drum (film) Core May 18, 1980
- E15 Roman Polanski Core May 25, 1980
- E16 Tom Wolfe Core Jun 1, 1980
- E17 Andrew Wyeth Core Jun 8, 1980
- E18 Angus Wilson Mytharc Jun 29, 1980
- E19 Jane Austen (film) Mytharc Jul 6, 1980
Season 4 · 26 episodes
- E1 Arthur Miller Mytharc Nov 9, 1980
- E2 William Golding Core Nov 16, 1980
- E3 Akira Kurosawa Core Nov 23, 1980
- E4 Stravinsky's The Firebird Core Nov 30, 1980
- E5 No Need to Lie Core Dec 7, 1980
- E6 The Passion (National Theatre's updating of medieval plays) Core Dec 14, 1980
- E7 Toni Morrison Core Jan 18, 1981
- E8 The Trespasser (film) Core Jan 25, 1981
- E9 Don Juan in Hell Core Feb 8, 1981
- E10 poetry workshop Core Feb 15, 1981
- E11 Martin Scorsese Core Feb 22, 1981
- E12 Elizabeth Taylor / John Hubbard Core Mar 1, 1981
- E13 Bob Fosse Core Mar 8, 1981
- E14 Robert Redford / Martin Amis Core Mar 15, 1981
- E15 Verity Bargate / Howard Hodgkin Core Mar 29, 1981
- E16 At the Haunted End of the Day: the Life of Sir William Walton Core Apr 19, 1981
- E17 Gore Vidal Core Apr 26, 1981
- E18 The Roots of the Tree (Ermanno Olmi) Core May 3, 1981
- E19 Colin Welland Core May 10, 1981
- E20 Christopher Logue / Phillip King Core May 17, 1981
- E21 Lulu's Last Act (Berg opera) Core May 24, 1981
- E22 Dame Ninette De Valois / David Hockney on Picasso Core May 31, 1981
- E23 Clive James / Craig Raine Core Jun 7, 1981
- E24 Soviet Art Core Jun 14, 1981
- E25 Rhythm and Blues (The Blues Band, Dr. Feelgood, Nine Below Zero, Paul Jones) Mytharc Jun 21, 1981
- E26 Music for a City: Venice Mytharc Jun 28, 1981
Season 5 · 27 episodes
- E1 The French Lieutenant's Woman Mytharc Nov 1, 1981
- E2 Elvis Costello Core Nov 8, 1981
- E3 Old Glory: the Journey and the Book Core Nov 15, 1981
- E4 Ian McKellan / Ian McEwan Core Nov 22, 1981
- E5 Brian Moore / Patrick Caulfield Core Nov 29, 1981
- E6 A Talent to Vex: John Osborne Core Dec 6, 1981
- E7 Mama Lu Parks Core Jan 17, 1982
- E8 Bernard D'Ascoli / Theatre of the 8th Day Core Jan 24, 1982
- E9 Milos Forman Core Jan 31, 1982
- E10 Germaine Greer Core Feb 7, 1982
- E11 Pauline Kael / George Steiner's The Portage to San Cristobal of AH Core Feb 14, 1982
- E12 Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller Core Feb 21, 1982
- E13 Blacck Theatre Cooperative / Laurie Anderson Core Feb 28, 1982
- E14 Guys and Dolls (at the National Theatre) Core Mar 7, 1982
- E15 Richard Alston's Bellezza Flash Core Mar 14, 1982
- E16 Peter Maxwell-Davies Core Mar 21, 1982
- E17 Saul Bellow Core Mar 28, 1982
- E18 Indian wallpainting Core Apr 4, 1982
- E19 Stravinski (1) Core Apr 9, 1982
- E20 Stravinski (2) Core Apr 10, 1982
- E21 Julian Lloyd-Webber Core Apr 18, 1982
- E22 Miles Davis / Robert Nye Core Apr 25, 1982
- E23 Caught in the Act (Pillar to Post at Wormwood Scrubs) Core May 2, 1982
- E24 Joseph Papp / James Galway Core May 9, 1982
- E25 Werner Herzog Core May 16, 1982
- E26 Why Don't I Love Opera Anymore (by Stephen Oliver) Mytharc May 23, 1982
- E27 Phillip Larkin Mytharc May 30, 1982
Frequently asked questions
Who presents The South Bank Show?
Melvyn Bragg presents the show throughout its run.
What kind of topics does it cover?
The show covers both high art and popular culture topics.
When did the show originally start?
It began in 1978 and ran for many years.
Is it still being made?
A new series began in 2012 on Sky Arts.
What network originally aired it?
ITV originally produced and aired the show.
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