Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersSundance Film FestivalIndependent Spirit AwardsBlack History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes

  • TV Movie
  • 20182018
  • 29m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
12
YOUR RATING
The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
Documentary
Celebrating the blooper-filled BBC Christmas tapes on their fortieth anniversary. Packed with outtakes, these tapes were made to be shown at BBC Christmas parties starting in 1978. They reve... Read allCelebrating the blooper-filled BBC Christmas tapes on their fortieth anniversary. Packed with outtakes, these tapes were made to be shown at BBC Christmas parties starting in 1978. They reveal unguarded comic moments from a generation of British TV actors and broadcasters.Celebrating the blooper-filled BBC Christmas tapes on their fortieth anniversary. Packed with outtakes, these tapes were made to be shown at BBC Christmas parties starting in 1978. They reveal unguarded comic moments from a generation of British TV actors and broadcasters.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
12
YOUR RATING
    • Rhys Thomas
  • Stars
    • Lucy Montgomery(voice)
    • Joss Ackland(archive footage)
    • Samira Ahmed
    • Rhys Thomas
  • Stars
    • Lucy Montgomery(voice)
    • Joss Ackland(archive footage)
    • Samira Ahmed
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos10

    Sarah Greene in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    Phillip Schofield in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    Angela Rippon in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    John Lloyd in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    Samira Ahmed in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    Carol Chell in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    Chris Wadsworth in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    David Rixon in The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)
    The Secret Story of the BBC Christmas Tapes (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lucy Montgomery
    Lucy Montgomery
    • Self - Narrator
    • (voice)
    Joss Ackland
    Joss Ackland
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Samira Ahmed
    • Self
    Michael Aspel
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Tom Baker
    Tom Baker
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Ronnie Barker
    Ronnie Barker
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Frank Bough
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Edward Brayshaw
    Edward Brayshaw
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Tim Brooke-Taylor
    Tim Brooke-Taylor
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Carol Chell
    • Self
    Ronnie Corbett
    Ronnie Corbett
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Bill Cotton
    • Self - Interviewee
    • (archive footage)
    Michael Crawford
    Michael Crawford
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Les Dawson
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Judi Dench
    Judi Dench
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Diana Dors
    Diana Dors
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Michele Dotrice
    Michele Dotrice
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Noel Edmonds
    Noel Edmonds
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
      • Rhys Thomas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Auntie's Bloomers
    In 1978 the BBC Christmas party had a secret tape of bloopers, mistakes and outtakes. It was compiled by the VideoTape editors in BBC television centre. It was only for the eyes of BBC employees.

    For the following year, the VT editors went a bit more outlandish. Word had leaked to the press that a member of the Royal family was being lampooned. Some special clips were made especially for the Christmas party.

    I first saw some of these outtakes on Noel Edmonds The Late Late Breakfast Show. I did not know it at the time, Noel knew of these clips and realised there were laughs in these bloopers and put them out there.

    The secret tapes were made until 1998, some of the them were a bit rude. A few of the sketches were maybe prophetic. A mock John Birt dressed up as Davros who bought market forces to the BBC. In effect it was his reforms that led to the end of the secret BBC tapes. BBC television centre started to make less and less programmes, hardly any drama and eventually the BBC left the building.

    This was an interesting and informative program. It was fun and the tapes mirrored the changing landscape of broadcasting as the years went by. An era that went from the hands of the creative types to the bean counters.
    helpful•0
    0
    • Prismark10
    • Dec 26, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 23, 2018 (United Kingdom)
      • United Kingdom
      • Official site
      • English
    • Production company
      • BBC TV
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 29 minutes
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.