Main content

God, Pirates and Ovaltineys

4 Extra Debut. Sean Street tunes back to the intense years of inter-war rivalry between commercial radio and the BBC. From 2008.

Competition between commercial radio and the BBC goes way back before the ship-based pirates of the 1960s.

Between 1920 and the Second World War, Radio Normandy and other Europe-based commercial stations had vast audiences for the likes of Roy Plomley and Christopher Stone - as well as sponsored shows like 'The League of Ovaltineys'.

Sean Street tunes back over time to investigate commercial radio, the BBC and the intense cultural and technical battles between them.

With deep archive featuring pre-war commercials and programme excerpts.

Producer: Julian May

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2008.

Available now

1 hour

Last on

Thu 24 Jul 2025 00:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra

More episodes

Previous

The Shoemakers

Next

Same Time, Same Place, Next Year

See all episodes from Archive on 4

Broadcasts

  • Sat 5 Jan 2008 20:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Wed 23 Jul 2025 10:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 23 Jul 2025 16:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 24 Jul 2025 00:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra