The story of Britain's first fast-turnaround television serial...
ATV Network is proud to 'Return To Crossroads' with a look at the award winning serial which debuted on ITV back in 1964 and was soon climbing up the television ratings. The show ultimately becoming ITV's most popular daytime series ever - a record which remains unbeaten. We also look at Crossroads Care, which was founded in the Midlands in 1973 and is now a leading respite charity.
A newspaper once claimed "Crossroads is the biggest hit of 1965" and the programme went on to be voted "Best ITV programme 1967". Throughout the 1970s the series also was bestowed gongs including winning Best TV Programme three years running in The Sun Television Awards. It wasn't just populist publications; Telegraph readers placed it as their most favourite serial in 1974 too. The show's leading lady, Noele Gordon, was crowned 'Queen of Serial' when she won numerous awards in the TV Times yearly celebration of ITV stars.
It wasn't all sweet however. Despite reaching up to 18 million viewers at teatime the UK's first full length daily serial was attacked by some critics who compared it to hit shows such as Coronation Street. Corrie at that time only aired twice a week and was produced as a continuous drama serial. Very working class Britain. Often described as 'kitchen sink drama'. Crossroads was based on the American Soap Opera format and was more escapist and melodramatic.
The key Return to Crossroads team...
The key members of the Return to Crossroads team are as follows: Narrator Glen Allen, Presenter Janet Hargreaves, Director Mike Garrett, Production and Communications Manager Maria Brabiner, Research Peter Kingsman, Camera UK Ian Westhead, Camera Australia Nick Coleman, Sound Tina Linsey, Lighting Shaun Linden, Facilities, Transport and Hospitality Manager Justin Mason and Executive Producer Doug Lambert.
Research
We've been on the streets across the UK asking you what you'd like to see from the documentary. From the stats gathered we're sure this will be a fitting tribute to a Midland institution, or as UK Gold called it, a British institution. From the research we know you want episodes concentrating on a single programme (rather than 'best of ATV soaps' which was another early idea), you want each programme to be detailed (no short soundbites and brief coverage), no 'famous' talking heads for the sake of it. Only people who were fans or connected to the programme and to not show clips that have been seen over and over.
From our time researching in Birmingham and Coventry we discovered a great deal of affection towards Crossroads, from the public on the street to the local businesses who have supported our production. It may be gone, but it certainly isn't forgotten.
Media Coverage
2011: A half-page feature appeared in long-running nationwide newspaper The Weekly News in July 2011. A photograph of Jane Rossington at Birmingham Cathedral was published along with a group shot from 1976. The article looked at the DVD idea, and the Crossroads Appreciation Society (official fan club). Quotes from a director of ATV Network Maria Brabiner featured alongside a comment by Mike Garrett in his role as manager of the fan club.
2010: When we took actress Jane Rossington back to Birmingham Cathedral it was noted in the Birmingham Mail as well as on the cathedral's own site and the local business news service.
When the fan club researchers re-discovered Walford Hall in Baschurch (the original motel location) the news was covered in a couple of stories in the local Midland papers as well as nationally in the Daily Express. The news was printed in the physical newspapers as well as on their online services.
ATV is not making any money from this production, the ATV cut of the profit is to be donated to the Crossroads Care (Caring for Carers) charity Birmingham and Solihull branch. This charity - now one of the biggest respite care groups in the world - was founded by ITV and ATV Network in 1973 after a storyline in the soap saw one of the characters confined to a wheelchair. It soon became clear that families across the country were not getting the support they needed and so ITV and ATV stepped in by launching Caring for Carers with a £10,000 investment.
Over the years ATV and ITV have continued to support the charity; including in 1989 when we produced, in association with Central Television and ITC Entertainment, a stage show to celebrate 25 years of the series and all profits from that event were donated to the caring scheme. The documentary has already seen a great deal of generosity.
The last Crossroads documentary the crew were involved with was the 2001 special which looked at the new Carlton version of series made in 2000-2003. Our researchers also were involved with the main serial production in 2000 and 2001.
Prior to this some of our team researched the Central production 'Crossroads 30 Years On' in 1994. Both documentaries at that time were for ITV1. We have also researched segments for other programmes including Drama Trails and TV Towns for ITV3 and The 50 Greatest TV Endings for SKY1. With some of the best ATV researchers who care about the Midland series' legacy we're confident this new documentary will be the most in-depth and extensive ever produced on the series.
For every critic who hated the show there were famous faces willing to stand up and defend it. None more so that comedian and presenter Bob Monkhouse who appeared in the series back in 1966 and hosted a Variety Club celebration of the saga in 1980. Other stars to enjoy Crossroads - many who went on to appear in the programme include Sue Nicholls, Ken Dodd, Bryan Mosley, Paul O'Grady, Victoria Wood, Tony Blackburn and Prince Philip who at his request visited the set.
This new documentary aims to chart the on-screen and off-screen events that shaped a show that has become a Midland institution and many of its characters have gone into British folk law. The show has, despite being off air for 20 years, proved to still be fondly remembered with ITV and Network DVD releasing over 20 volumes--that's over 300 episodes--of classic editions.
The show was devised to give the Midlands' its own serial, and also to promote the region to the rest of the UK and beyond. Something it managed with much success, Noele Gordon became an international star thanks to the serial. And many West Midland locations were shown off to their prettiest effect within the show, including the Chateau Impney Hotel, Coventry Cathedral, Birmingham City Canal, Baschurch Village, Birmingham Cathedral, Wolverhampton Speedway, Tanworth-in-Arden and Selly Oak to name only a few.
By the 1980s Crossroads wasn't alone in the soap world - other daily serials arrived on UK screens including The Young Doctors and Neighbours. Despite this the show was still deemed 'low budget' and snipes remained. At the same time Crossroads was able to command up to 16 million viewers despite not being shown on the same night or time across the UK. In Wales viewers saw the Midland serial at 5.20pm in the North East at 6.00pm and in the south at 6.30pm.
Interestingly Emmerdale Farm, which aired at 7pm, rarely managed to rate better than the ATV series; this rather disgruntled the television watchdog who frowned upon a daytime soap topping the ratings and more so beating prime time 'more polished' serials. The IBA said the motel based saga was "distressingly popular."
In the end Crossroads was revamped in 1985 making it one of the most modern soaps on British television. The show had always been more glamorous and middle class and this was re-established as the case in the mid-1980s. However ITV bosses in the Midlands were fast becoming ashamed of "soap" and decided that drama was to be the future. In 1987 Crossroads was discontinued in order for more drama slots to be allocated to the studios of ATV Centre in Birmingham.
