Victoria Wood (died #OTD in 2016), performing The Ballad of Barry and Freda (Let’s Do it).

BBC 2 is 60 years old.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: A “Knocker Up”. They were paid to wake people up for work in the morning. Only reliable people owning a clock or watch took on the role (1900). 📷google images

USA No.1 on this day in 1980: Blondie - Call Me youtu.be/StKVS0eI85I?si… via YouTube

UK No.1 on this day in 1959: Buddy Holly- Doesn't Matter Anymore youtu.be/ygBo9Fmq5l4?si… via YouTube

20 April 2021. Les McKeown died (aged 65). He was the lead singer of the Bay City Rollers, during their most successful period in the 1970s, when they had 2 UK chart toppers with Bye Bye Baby and Give a Little Love and a US No 1 with Saturday Night.

20 April 2016. Hugely popular comedy writer and star performer Victoria Wood died of cancer (aged 62). Wood was best known for her BBC sketch Acorn Antiques, and the BBC comedy series, Dinnerladies. She won 5 BAFTA awards. Her most famous song was the hilarious, Let’s Do It.

20 April 1999. 15 people (including the 2 gunmen) were killed in the “Columbine High School massacre”. The perpetrators were school students. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in US history, but mass shootings in the USA have subsequently become commonplace.

20 April 1992. Benny Hill died (aged 68). His comedy shows were hugely popular when broadcast from 1955 to 1989. Hill described his comedy style as “seaside post card humour”. He had a UK Christmas No.1 hit in 1971 with, Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in The West).

20 April 1991. Steve Marriot (aged 44), was tragically killed in a fire at his home. He was the lead singer and guitarist of the rock bands, Small Faces (1965–1968 and 1975–1978), and Humble Pie (1969–1975 and 1979–1983).

20 April 1969. The last episode of ITV series, Joe 90, was broadcast. It follows 9 year-old Joe McClaine, who becomes a spy after his adoptive father invents a device capable of transferring expert knowledge to a human brain. There were 30 episodes.

20 April 1968. Tory Right-winger Enoch Powell gave his infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech, warning against the dangers of mass immigration. It was regarded as racist as Powell only highlighted non-white Commonwealth immigration. The Times described it as “an evil speech”.

20 April 1964. Andy Serkis was born in Ruislip, Middlesex. He’s best known for his animated performance capture roles, notably, as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. He also played Ian Dury in the biopic, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.

20 April 1964. BBC 2 launched, but did not get off to a good start as programmes were interrupted due to a power cut at Battersea Power Station in London. It was Play School at 11:30 AM on the following day that was the first official programme on BBC2.

20 April 1961. Nicholas Lyndhurst was born in Emsworth. He’s best known for playing Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses. He also appeared in many other dramas and sitcoms including: Goodnight Sweetheart, New Tricks, Going Straight, Butterflies, and The Two of Us.

20 April 1961. President John F Kennedy sent a memorandum to Vice- President, Lyndon B Johnson, which began the process that ultimately led to the Apollo 11 moon landing on 20 July 1969.

20 April 1939. The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was illuminated and decked out for the extensive celebrations of Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday. The highlight of the day was a huge march past by troops with new military equipment, which was reviewed by Hitler on the Unter den Linden.

20 April 1938. Peter Snow was born in Dublin. He presented BBC2’s Newsnight from 1980 to 1997. Between 1969 and 2005, he was the key analyst of general election results, presenting in his trade mark flamboyant style. His son is historian and TV presenter, Dan Snow.

20 April 1924. Comedy actor Leslie Phillips was born in London. He frequently played posh, lecherous characters using his “Ding Dong” and “He-llo” catchphrases. He also appeared in the Carry On and Doctor in the House film series, and in the BBC radio comedy series The Navy Lark.

20 April 1912. Irish-born novelist Bram Stoker died (aged 65). He’s best known for the gothic novel, Dracula, which tells the story of Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England to find new blood and spread the undead curse. This is opposed by Abraham Van Helsing.