English by TV
On this page you'll find information about 1960s–1980s English by TV programmes, and links to YouTube videos of episodes or extracts where available. For a snapshot of BBC English by Radio and Television production in 1977, see BBC Handbook 1977, pp. 62–63.Link opens in a new window
If you're in the UK, you can listen to a radio documentary – Do You Speak English?Link opens in a new window – about BBC English by radio and TV, first broadcast on January 11th 2025.
As the documentary makes clear, the series listed below were very popular outside the UK. The stars of Walter and Connie were greeted as celebrities on overseas visits, while Follow Me is said to have been watched by 500 million people in China when it was broadcast there from 1981 onwards.
Walter and Connie (1962, BBC TV & British Council)
YouTube LinksLink opens in a new window
"A series of films for adult students at elementary level. Available in English, French, Arabic, German, Spanish and international versions. The films are intended primarily for TV presentation."
(Source: The British Council. (1967) Audio-Visual Material for English Language Teaching: a catalogue. London: The British Council. p.73)
Walter and Connie Reporting (1965, BBC TV & British Council)
No video available.
"The series [...] consists of thirty-nine television lessons for intermediate students, and features (like the first (elementary) English by Television series, the young married couple, Walter and Connie. Walter now has a permanent job as a newspaper reporter, and they have a baby son, Gordon.
Walter and Connie is available with explanations in the learner's own language, and also with a commentary in English, designed for use in Africa and other multilingual countries."
(Source: English Language Teaching 20/2 (1966), p. 169)
Slim John (1969, BBC TV & British Council)
YouTube LinkLink opens in a new window
"Slim John is a BBC TV/British Council English language programme from 1969. This black/white 26-part serial was a scifi adventure with robots from outer space planning to take over the Earth. Slim John himself was a rebel robot who befriended a human couple, Stevie and Richard. Occasionally the alien robots – and the viewers – took English lessons. The series was broadcast for years all over the world, at least in Finland,"
"The Slim John episodes were supported (at least in Finland) with a 26-part radio programme, an LP record/open reel tape/c-cassette and two books. These books contain the language lessons, the complete dialogue from the series and a photo from every episode." (SourceLink opens in a new window)
Article: 'English as a strange language: Slim John' Link opens in a new window
Follow Me (1973, BBC TV & British Council)
YouTube LinksLink opens in a new window
Accompanying maaterial:
Gaderer, H. and Lonergan, J. (1980) Follow Me. Media Teaching Manual. Year 1. Units 1-30. Vienna: Verband Österreichischer Volkshochschulen.;
Gaderer, H. and Lonergan, J. (1980) Follow Me. Media Teaching Manual. Year 2. Units 1-30. Frankfurt am Main: Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e. V.
Reminiscence by Kathy Flower,Link opens in a new window former presenter of the programme on Chinese TV
Follow Me Again! (BBC TV & British Council)
No video availabe