Heartbeat and Beyond: Memoirs of 50 Years of Yorkshire Television

By John Fairley and Graham Ironside

In 1968 a group of young people took over a derelict trouser factory in a rundown part of Leeds and set about producing programmes that were to define the British television world of the late 20th Century.

These included the investigative documentary series First Tuesday, Darling Buds of May, Whickers World, Dont Ask Me and Heartbeat.

At the same time they attracted, indeed often created, stars of international fame such as James Mason, Catherine Zeta Jones, Alan Whicker, David Jason, Magnus Pike and David Frost.

Fifty years on, their achievements and experiences, often dramatic and frequently absurd, make for fascinating behind-the-scenes reading. This book paints a colourful and entertaining picture of the making from virtually nothing of one of the greatest television channels of all times.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Nov 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781473896710

John Fairley

John Fairley has written numerous books on equestrian art including The Art of the Horse, Racing in Art and Great Racehorses in Art and is joint author of The Monocled Mutineer, which became a celebrated BBC television series.A noted documentary and sports television producer, he was Director of Programmes at Yorkshire Television.Born in Liverpool, within sight of the Grand National course, he served as an RNVR officer aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Albion. A scholar of The Queen's College, Oxford, he is married, with three daughters, and lives in the Yorkshire racing town of Malton.