This morning, BBC Radio 2 ran a brief trailer for the above programme, which will showcase the many and varied BBC theme tunes, composed by Mr Tony Hatch and others. Amongst the brief montage was the unmistakable strains of a certain theme tune composed by Ron Grainer and realised by Delia Derbyshire in 1963.  “Tony Hatch As Heard On TV” will be broadcasted on BBC Radio 2 next Tuesday, 1st November 2016 at 22.00 and thereafter on the BBC iPlayer for the next 30 days.

Eighty years ago tomorrow at precisely 3 o’clock, the BBC officially opened its television service and with a sharp blast of a whistle “the new wonder” was up and running. Leading comedy actress Adele Dixon sang the first song ever to have been written or recorded about the small screen when she warbled “conjured up in sound and sight, by the magic rays of light, that brings television to you”, and with that momentous recording the first ever theme tune was launched.

Since that memorable day we have heard many, weird, wonderful and whacky tunes, all designed to stay in your head like an ear worm. Leading composer Tony Hatch feels that they are a call sign, an appointment to view, as soon as you hear the opening bars, you’re rushing for the best seat in the house – and he should know as he wrote three of the most memorable, Crossroads, Emmerdale and of course Neighbours amongst many others. Throughout the next hour, he will treat you to a smattering of those familiar and unfamiliar notes. You’ll learn why hearing the opening theme to “Newsnight” always brings a smile to the face of composer George Fenton. Why Paul McCartney was furious with Cilla Black when she performed the signature tune to “Cilla” live and how “Morse Code” has been used in more themes than just “Morse”. Oh and get your pen and paper ready as Tony will be quizzing you on your sporting theme knowledge.

After this hour be prepared to have many of those brief bars, buzzing in your head all night.