Victoria Wood: The Secret List (BBC Four Wednesday 17 May 2023)

Victoria Wood: The Secret List airs Wednesday 17 May 2023 on BBC Four.

This is the first of two shows showcasing Victoria Wood’s favourite sketches from her debut stand-alone series, As Seen on TV.

In 2009, Victoria compiled her favourite scenes from her groundbreaking 1980s series in preparation for a retrospective of her own choosing. Until now, the list has been safely stored in her office. It has fan favourites and hidden gems, but as these two shows demonstrate, the selected sketches foreshadow an unparalleled career that spanned virtually every type of stage and screen.

In this first episode, writers like Russell T. Davies, Ken Loach, and playwright Winsome Pinnock analyse Victoria’s groundbreaking early work and discuss its lasting impact on British television and the writing community as a whole. In the meantime, Jane Wymark and Joan Armatrading reveal some of their friend’s personal life.

This investigation into the work of one of Britain’s most prolific artists is rounded out by previously unseen materials from Victoria’s personal collection, such as an early university project, rehearsal tapes, notebooks, and photographs.

Episode 1 of 2

Victoria Wood: The Secret List airs Wednesday 17 May 2023 at 9.00pm on BBC Four

Featured Image Credit: BBC Four