Kevin Billington

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

A series of television plays, some original, some based on pre-existing plays or novels.

This "Play on One" story depicts Jack and his farming family in West Wales. They have built up their dairy herd with vast loans and are then told they must cut back on milk production and slaughter some of the herd. The community launches a campaign against the quotas, but Jack takes the law into his own hands.

A fiftysomething English banker falls for and has an affair with an Irish waif from the wrong side of the tracks, causing him grief both professionally and personally.

Pirates take over a lighthouse on a rocky island. They then execute a devious plan to cause ships to run aground, pillaging their wrecks. A lone member of the lighthouse crew survives, and he deperately fights their plot. A shipwrecked maiden that avoids the pirates slaughter soon complicates the situation.

Fresh-faced young Michael Rimmer worms his way into an opinion poll company and is soon running the place. He uses this as a springboard to get into politics and in the mini-skirted flared-trousered world of 1970 Britain starts to rise through the Tory ranks.

Henry is a proud monarch who flies in the face of the church in seeking to divorce Queen Katherine and marry Anne Bullen. As cardinal Wolsey, the powerful Lord Chancellor of England, attempts to bend Rome to the King's wishes, the court reverbates with political intrigue and accusations of treachery.

The life of young newlywed, Fern O'Neil, is turned upside-down when her husband is called home to visit his dying father in Ireland. When she fails to receive a phone call from her husband, she contacts the airline and discovers he was not on the plane. Further investigation reveals that her husband is not who she thought he was. Her search ultimately takes her all the way to Ireland, where her sanity and, of course, her story come into question.

A documentary on the pop music and culture of the 1960's, featuring film and video clips of 60's-era performers.

After her young son accidentally drowns, a woman has a breakdown and is finally placed in a mental hospital. After her release, her husband takes her for a weekend at a secluded country mansion, hoping to help her recover. However, things at the mansion aren't quite what they seem to be, the couple begin to feel an uneasy and oppressive presence, and the mother starts to see things that may, or may not, be hallucinations.

The local social cricket team are up to bat and sometimes it seems they are one batsman short of of an eleven. There are good secrets and not so good secrets that come to light during the course of the day. Roger is the ultimate captain rallying his troops whilst ignoring his greatest strength, Miriam, who makes the 'fantastic' teas with or without the 'non-compulsory' help. The days builds to a climax where it seems that everything must change forever. But will it?

A young female journalist in London falls in love with a married orchestra conductor.

A historian writing a biography of Isaac Newton spends a Summer with a dysfunctional family in Co. Cork, Ireland.

A romantic tragedy about two turn-of-the-century couples - one American, one British - who regularly vacation together at a spa in Germany.

Documentary following British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, as he returns to India for the first time in decades. He discusses his youthful experience teaching in an Indian college and writing for a Calcutta newspaper, and reflects on the changes in India since those days.

The second of two programmes on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War. Five years ago he was an illiterate, penniless labourer called Manuel Benitez. Today he is 'El Cordobes', a millionaire matador who earns more than the Beatles. This documentary film looks at the daily life of this remarkable man who has become the idol of modern Spain.