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Through the Square Window

Through the Square Window

By: Samira Ahmed
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A podcast guiding you through the UK television we watched in decades gone by, presented by cultural journalist Samira Ahmed and TV journalist Graham Kibble-White.2025 Art
Episodes
  • EPISODE 14: September 1992
    Sep 9 2026

    This month Samira Ahmed and Graham Kibble-White are looking at programmes from September 1992...

    But first, an announcement! We're now on Patreon and you can find us at www.patreon.com/squarewindowpod. Please do consider signing up to our 'Round Window' tier for additional episodes and newsletters from Through the Square Window.

    Now to this month's viewing choices...

    07:13: Benjamin Zephaniah's Dread Poets Society, a 30-minute drama for BBC2's ScreenPlay strand.

    22:22: Bob Holness' big board quizzer, Blockbusters.

    38:24: Broke, an episode from BBC2's excellent Present Imperfect documentary series, following two men attempting to stave off bankruptcy.

    47:31: The debut of Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, hosted by Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin.

    You can also find us on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@squarewindowpod, where we've put together a playlist for this episode.

    And finally, here's that link to Diane Morgan and Maxine Peake taking speech elocution lessons.

    If you would like to contact the podcast, please drop us a line on email@squarewindow.co.uk

    Our website is: www.squarewindow.co.uk

    This is a Square Window production, with music by Local Teenagers. Podcast logo by Stuart Manning.

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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • EPISODE 13: Joy Whitby
    Aug 12 2026

    In March 2026, Samira Ahmed and Graham Kibble-White visited the home of Joy Whitby to talk about her 60-plus years making children's television.

    Starting in BBC Radio as a studio manager in the 1950s, Joy moved into television in 1962, where she would go on to create Play School in 1964, devising the series and casting the presenting line-up. The following year, she launched Jackanory. She moved to London Weekend Television in 1967, where she produced The Growing Summer (1969) and Catweazle (1969). In 1970, she set up her own freelance company, Grasshopper Productions, and created the drama Grasshopper Island. Moving to Yorkshire Television in 1975, she oversaw a range of children's programmes - including The Book Tower, Behind the Bike Sheds and The Giddy Game Show, as well as A Pattern of Roses, which featured Helena Bonham Carter in her first screen appearance.

    Our conversation covers all of these programmes, plus Joy also talks about her difficult relationship with the BBC following her departure, facing down sexism in her career, and working with Tom Baker.

    For more on Joy's work, visit her website, www.grasshopper.co.uk.

    If you would like to contact us, please drop us a line on email@squarewindow.co.uk

    Our website is: www.squarewindow.co.uk

    This is a Square Window production, with music by Local Teenagers. Podcast logo by Stuart Manning.

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • EPISODE 12: July 1996
    Jul 8 2026

    This month Samira Ahmed and Graham Kibble-White are looking at programmes from July 1996...

    05:26: The satirical show The Friday Night Armistice, hosted by Armando Iannucci with Peter Baynham and David Schneider.

    20:40: The Carol Vorderman-presented delve into the occult, Out of this World.

    32:44: An episode from the fifth series of the sitcom Men Behaving Badly.

    42:29: The opening instalment of drama Takin' Over the Asylum.

    If you would like to contact the podcast, please drop us a line on email@squarewindow.co.uk

    Our website is: www.squarewindow.co.uk

    This is a Square Window production, with music by Local Teenagers. Podcast logo by Stuart Manning.

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    57 mins
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