That Was the Year That Was

Jan Leeming narrates a look at controversies, scandals and surprises in TV, film, music and politics in 1988, including Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses igniting a literary and religious firestorm and Ian Paisley daring to heckle the Pope. On the global stage, US president Ronald Reagan and USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev reshaped geopolitics, while a soundbite from Tory MP Edwina Currie dented the UK's confidence in eggs, leading to a nationwide salmonella scare.

Controversies, scandals and shocks in TV, film, music and politics, when a royal reunion proved divisive, Uri Geller demonstrated his fork-bending talents, and Cosmopolitan magazine was launched. A Clockwork Orange and Last Tango in Paris shocked cinema audiences, while did Jesus Christ Superstar did the same on stage.

Jan Leeming narrates a look at controversies, scandals and surprises in TV, film, music and politics from 1990, when Mark Fowler rocked Walford with a dramatic return to EastEnders and a sitcom about Adolf Hitler was pulled off air after just one episode. The Poll Tax riots caused chaos on the streets of London and it was the end of the road for Britain's longest serving prime minister when Margaret Thatcher resigned. Heavy metal band Judas Priest were accused of hiding subliminal messages in their songs, and pop duo Milli Vanilli's career came to a dramatic end when it was revealed they were nothing more than a mime act.

Controversies, scandals and shocks in TV, film, music and politics, when the violent protests that had shocked France, Czechoslovakia and the US arrived in Britain after a peaceful demonstration against the Vietnam War erupted into the Grosvenor Square riot. On TV, the confusing finale of The Prisoner had viewers up in arms, the contentious opinions of Alf Garnett appalled many, and Kirk's kiss with Uhura in Star Trek was hailed as the first interracial kiss on mainstream US television. Narrated by Jan Leeming, with contributions by Paul Nicholas, John Sergeant, Stephanie Beacham, Nick Hewer, Anne Hegerty, Arlene Phillips, Penny Smith, Daliso Chaponda and Mark Little.