27/12/2010

Andrew Marr celebrates 40 years of Start the Week. When Richard Baker first presented the show in 1970 it was a lively and often chaotic, mix of chat and celebrity knitted together by a weekly theme. Cookery demonstrations, and dancing with Wayne Sleep, rubbed shoulders with Roald Dahl and Sophia Loren discussing what frightens them, and Idi Amin playing the accordion. It was Melvyn Bragg who reinvented the programme 18 years later to make it a forum for ideas. He challenged his guests to explain their views and when guests like Maya Angelou, Francis Crick, Tom Stoppard and Salman Rushdie sat round his table together the debate sparkled. Andrew Marr who has been at the helm for the last 8 years is joined by Richard Baker and Melvyn Bragg to discuss four decades of Start the Week. Producer: Katy Hickman.