Silver jubilee coverage

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 19

Silver jubilee coverage

By

KEN COATES

Both TVI and South Pacific Television have planned special programmes to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth. The most spectacular is TVl’s proposal to link with the 8.8. C. for bonfire night at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, June 7. There will also be links to Ireland, Wales, Barbados and Edinburgh Castle. Atlhough the whole programme will be transmitted live in Britain, it will not be seen simultaneously in New Zealand.

It is being recorded and will be sent to this country in time for screening by TVI on Sunday, June 12.

South Pacific Television has come up with a package which it is calling “Week to Remember.” This begins with a Rank Organisation film, “A Queen is Crowned,” screening next Monday evening.

And on Friday, June 10, the second channel will telecast, “The Queen’s Speech,” followed by a Royal procession from the Guildhall to Buckingham Palace. The festivities to be covered in the bonfire special will centre on the lighting of 101 bonfires around the coast of Britain.

The Queen will watch the lighting of fires on a giant screen in Windsor Park, and then a live link to New Zealand where Sir Edmund Hilary will set fire to a bonfire on behalf of all New Zealanders — their gesture of good will to the Queen. The New Zealand bonfire will be on the Taieri Plains, south of Dunedin where Sharon Crosbie will be the host, and will invite Sir Edmund to light the bonfire.

This will be followed by singing from the country group, "Cannonball.” Townspeople from Mosgiei, Outram, and Allenton will take part, as well as the Mayor of Dunedin (Sir James Barnes) and local body representatives. Lighting “Fires of Friendship” has its roots

far back in British history. It is based on the old beacon system used for raising troops to repulse the Vikings, Spaniards and other invaders. It took 101 of these fires lit at strategic “line of sight” points to alert defence forces.

Accompanying the lighting of fires will be a fireworks display and music from the Band of the Life Guards. Officials in Britain expect at least 200, 000 to be in the Great Park on the night.

Television One will also screen a repeat of the programme, “The Royal Family” on Sunday evening, June 5. This film, first screened in Britain in 1969 takes an intimate look at unrehearsed incidents in the lives of the Royal couple and their family.

The Queen’s jubilee speech to the Commonwealth will also be covered by TVI at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 10. Later in the month, beginning on June 27, TVI will begin a repeat, this time in colour, of “Elizabeth R” starring Glenda Jackson. This will run for six episodes in a 9.40 p.m. Monday slot.

It was first seen in black and white in New Zealand in 1972.

The prestigious 8.8. C. television series, “Royal Heritage,” described as the corporation’s major contribution to the silver jubilee celebrations, has been made available for screening in New Zealand, but will not be ballotted until August. This means it is unlikely to be seen on the successful channel until later in the year. The series, consisting of nine 60-minute programmes began screening on 8.8. C. 1 on April 21.

South Pacific Television’s "Week to Remember” includes screening of “Twenty-five Years,” on Tuesday. June 7, which comments on the structure or the monarchy and the decline of the Empire.

On the following day there is a Royal tour documentary, "She’s Our Queen, Too, You Know,” which explores the question of how enduring the Commonwealth is.