Sign in

Mark Braxton

@braxtm.bsky.social
449 followers 304 following 713 posts

Journalist, nostalgist, outdoorsist. Classic and current telly, archive posts. Radio Times writer, from Doctor Who to Detectorists and beyond.

PostsRepliesMedia
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 19h
Pulp fiction... The Singing Detective is being shown, with a new introduction by Janet Suzman, from tonight at 10pm on BBC Four. Here's the beautiful original @radiotimes.bsky.social cover illustration by Mark Thomas.
1153
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Favourite companion... Happy birthday to bubbly Katy Manning, here playing Jo Grant on the set of the #DoctorWho story The Mind of Evil. Photographed in 1970 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social @manningofficial.bsky.social
091
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Good morning.
050
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
(Tim Brooke-Taylor in The Goodies, photographed by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social)
020
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Happy birthday to Nicola Bryant 🎂 photographed on 24 April 1986 during production of the #DoctorWho story The Trial of a Time Lord. Photo by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
3183
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Porridge: 50 Years of Laughs... Tonight at 7pm on 5. Photo of Patricia Brake, Ronnie Barker and June Ellis taken on 29 September 1974 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social, during rehearsals for Men without Women.
251
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Brian Blessed, 90 today. Photographed pre-beard as PC "Fancy" Smith in Z Cars on the Ealing backlot on 12 December 1961, by @radiotimes.bsky.social.
150
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Jacques Tati, born #OTD in 1907, who brought the great Monsieur Hulot to the world, photographed by Don Smith on 14 November 1971 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
020
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
"Jerry, I'm a married woman." "Well so am I." The neighbours cement their friendship with some Peapod Burgundy in the Good Life episode The Wind-Break War, first seen #OTD 50 years ago. Photo of Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington taken in 1975 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
040
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Left speechless... The Goodies indulged in a spot of mime #OTD 50 years ago. Location photo taken by Don Smith on 1 April 1976 for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
020
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The memorable #Doctor Who adventure The Hand of Fear began #OTD 50 today. Earlier in the day, Tom Baker and the-soon-to-leave-the-show Elisabeth Sladen had been on Swap Shop, also 50 today, to promote the story. @radiotimes.bsky.social www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do...
171
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Happy birthday to the estimable Ian McNeice. Ian was very kind to chat with @radiotimes.bsky.social last year about the RSC, his friend Bob Peck, being directed by "Zebedee" and working on a TV masterpiece... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/edg...
062
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Happy 50th birthday, Swap Shop! 🦖 🎂 "Who's calling on line one?" Why, it's John Craven, who's come to join the @radiotimes.bsky.social party...
0123
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Dame Esther Rantzen (1940–2026). Photographed for @radiotimes.bsky.social in 1978.
180
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"A rare treat..." The fantastic character actor Ronald Lacey, born #OTD in 1935. Photographed as 'Arris during rehearsals for the Porridge episode Storm in a Teacup, with Peter Vaughan as "Genial" Harry Grout. PLUS The bit you never really see – only hear! Another @radiotimes.bsky.social exclusive.
092
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Hymn to Her... A night of pop excellence celebrating Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders begins tonight at 8.45pm on BBC Two.
041
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
That's torn it... Remembering Ronnie Barker, born #OTD in 1929 – photographed by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social on 5 May 1971.
050
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Happy birthday to Felicity Kendal, a delight to talk to last year about the Good old days... Photo taken on 9 November 1975 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/go...
070
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Good morning, everyone.
081
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Fawlty Towers began in this week 51 years ago. Last year I was delighted to get co-writer and co-star Connie Booth's take on this classic sitcom for @radiotimes.bsky.social
050
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The height of cool... David McCallum, born #OTD in 1933, spoke to @radiotimes.bsky.social in 2022 about some very cool projects, from Colditz to The Great Escape and The Man from UNCLE to Sapphire and Steel... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/dav...
172
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Second to no one... Farewell to Stephanie Cole. Photo taken on the set of Open All Hours in April 1985 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
080
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Four candles at 50! 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🎂 The Two Ronnies' classic sketch aired for the first time #OTD in 1976. It was written by Ronnie Barker under the pseudonym of Gerald Wiley. Sketch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cma... And you can read more about the Rons here: www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertain...
2119
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A first-class production... Postman Pat is 45 today! 🎂 📮 Last year @radiotimes.bsky.social paid tribute to the genius animator who moved him and Jess around Greendale: www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/mag...
181
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Happy birthday to Clive Merrison. Clive was Sherlock Holmes to Michael Williams' Dr Watson on Radio 4 (I found this sweet feature about them from 1998). @radiotimes.bsky.social
2121
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
We saw them there, too, Donna, just six weeks ago.
130
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
"I really do think that the comedy becomes richer as we go on," producer John Howard Davies told @radiotimes.bsky.social as The Good Life returned for a new series on Friday 50 years ago. illustration by Barry Fantoni.
020
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Remembering Radio Times's star photographer Don Smith, born #OTD in 1932, pictured in 1992 with a Rolleiflex camera bought around 1954 for £126 when he was earning £8 per week. Plus one of Don's classic portrait shots, of comedian Tony Hancock. @radiotimes.bsky.social
0113
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
"Maybe we are all a bit Reggie..." The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is 50 years old today. What a joy it was to ask fan, writer and Reggie collaborator Simon Nye all about the classic sitcom for @radiotimes.bsky.social: www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/re...
0164
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Fancy a little light reading..? Coming very soon: The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin at 50. Stay on this channel. @radiotimes.bsky.social
0121
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
We Three Kings... What an amazing privilege it was to see the reunion of Kathy, Charles and Nan – Hayley Mills, Alan Barnes and Diane Holgate – and hear their memories of making Whistle Down the Wind, after a BFI screening with a theatre full of fans. Thank you, Josephine Botting, for organising it.
072
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
I remember this @radiotimes.bsky.social illustration and billing, and how excited I was for a new season of #DoctorWho, as though it was yesterday. The Masque of Mandragora by Louis Marks is 50 years old today. www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do... @patrickmulkern.bsky.social
090
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Remembering Pauline Collins, born #OTD in 1940. Photographed on 3 January 1969 with Polly James for the Comedy Playhouse pilot of The Liver Birds. @radiotimes.bsky.social
081
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Derek Fowlds, born #OTD in 1937, photographed as Bernard Woolley in Yes Minister on 1 February 1981 by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
082
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
West Sussex this afternoon. Invigorating.
040
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Mr Saturday Night... Starsky and Hutch star David Soul, born #OTD in 1943, photographed in November 1976 by Jeremy Grayson for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
030
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Oo-er! @radiotimes.bsky.social photos, taken by Don Smith, of the gifted and very funny actress Pat Coombs, who was born #OTD 100 years ago.
061
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
A wander down memory lane... @radiotimes.bsky.social celebrates The Duchess of Duke Street, nearly 50 and still doing well on Saturday nights... www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/duc...
130
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Today is yesterday Everyday in Metroland* John Betjeman Night, full of archive treats, starts tonight at 10pm on BBC Four. Photos by @radiotimes.bsky.social *Words by OMD.
182
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
"He was a consummate actor and I think his performance was outstanding. It deserved the Bafta. Spielberg saw him in Edge of Darkness and took him off to do Jurassic Park, which was amazing." Ian McNeice on his co-star Bob Peck, born #OTD in 1945. Photo by Andrea Cringean for @radiotimes.bsky.social
2224
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Ah, wonderful, Neil.
131
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Happy birthday to Sylvester McCoy! 🎂🪐Photos as the seventh #DoctorWho by @radiotimes.bsky.social. A few months ago I asked him about the 1996 Movie and his time in the Tardis: www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/do...
090
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Good afternoon from Kew Gardens.
071
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Ah... Ludwig! The new series starts tonight at 9pm on BBC One. Does anyone else still think of the 1977 animation when seeing that name? I can't help thinking there are a few nods to it in the @radiotimes.bsky.social photoshoot by Rob Parfitt.
0101
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
RHS Wisley today.
151
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Boom! Boom!.... Happy birthday to Sir Tony Robinson, photographed as Private S Baldrick in Blackadder Goes Forth by @radiotimes.bsky.social
070
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Human after all... The fantastic Fulton Mackay, born #OTD in 1922, photographed as the no-nonsense Mr Mackay in Porridge, sharing a laugh with Ronnie Barker's Fletch. Photo taken by Don Smith for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
061
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Happy birthday to Elizabeth Estensen 🎂 Photographed with her Liver Birds co-star Nerys Hughes on 25 January 1975 for @radiotimes.bsky.social
030
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Capital gains... magnificent views and a friendly atmosphere on a Saturday stroll from Borough Market to Westminster...
050
Mark Braxton @braxtm.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Working under pressure... Remembering screenwriter Terry Nation, born #OTD in 1930, photographed by Don Smith in 1972 judging a Dalek competition for @radiotimes.bsky.social.
081