If you have ever wondered what was on TV the day you were born, you can now easily find out. The BBC has launched a searchable online archive where you can browse the listings from every copy of the Radio Times ever published, going back to 1923.
The BBC Genome Project, which launched on Thursday, takes users to a full plain text TV listing for any given day in the space of just four clicks.
You can search for any keyword you like, making it an invaluable tool for researching our evolving attitudes to a variety of issues, or tracking the careers of actors, writers and directors. But, judging by the response on Twitter, that will come later. For now, it’s about finding out what was on TV the night you made the move from foetus to baby.
The most amazing thing about @BBCOne's programming on the day I was born was the 1115-1300 showing of Ceefex pages http://t.co/SO2ICrBfzW
— Jake Johnson (@jakepjohnson) October 16, 2014
Figure skating was on BBC 1 when I was getting born apparently. Fascinating. http://t.co/Wq9nWAJLgM
— John Burnett (@zobby) October 16, 2014
BBC1 on the day I was born. Apologies to my mother for making her miss International Superstars with Rene Arnoux http://t.co/FabcBagPb3
— Richard Crossan (@crossan_richard) October 16, 2014
It’s good to see The Wombles was on television the day I was born. It all makes sense now. http://t.co/w4S7Sb9BGx
— Owain Betts (@OwainBetts) October 16, 2014
DELIGHTED a documentary about Soviet television was on the day I was born. http://t.co/xBnLLAjbQ8
— Stephen Leng (@steveleng) October 16, 2014
The results can be fascinating. Looking at my own birthday, 9 July 1987, it’s clear at a glance that ridiculous contemporary programme titles such as Channel 4’s Scrotal Recall are nothing new; that night alone I had my pick of The Trouble With Sex or Boogie Outlaws: We’ve Kissed the Bums of Angels, the latter advertised with the enigmatic words: “The band don’t want to be heroes any more. They don’t want the money, they’ll give the tapes back. But how, and where, and will anyone let them?” I fear I’ll never know.
In fact, it’s striking how little has changed. EastEnders is on, as always, teased in the listings with the quote: “Round here we fight dirty and have you got a fight on your hands.” There’s a documentary about ferries – Port Out, Starboard Home – which wouldn’t feel out of home in this week’s schedules, as well as a familiar magazine travel show, and a very male Newsnight helmed by Peter Snow. You could almost mistake the entire thing for this week’s timetable, if it weren’t for the lack of reality TV.
Still, there’s definitely no must-watch telly on the list. So I don’t feel too bad for making my mum miss out.
What was on TV the day you were born? Find out here and let us know in the comments below
