TV-am

TV-am launched on 1st February 1983 as the UK first national operator of a commercial breakfast television franchise. The initial launch date was set for June 1983, even thought TVAM wanted to go live in 1982, the IBA allowed the station to bring forward its start date in response to the launch of the BBC service Breakfast Time two weeks earlier.

TV-am was spearheaded by the ‘Famous Five’: Michael Parkinson, David Frost (1983-92), Angela Rippon, Anna Ford and Robert Kee. Within a month the station was facing bankruptcy, A boardroom coup followed with further cost cutting continuing which was brought sharply into focus with the Brighton hotel bombing on the British Cabinet in October 1984.