I Love the '70s (UK TV series)
I Love the '70s is a television mini-series produced by the BBC that examines the pop culture of the 1970s. It was broadcast in ten hour-long episodes, one dedicated to each year, with the first episode, I Love 1970, premiering on BBC Two on 22 July 2000, and the last, I Love 1979, premiering on 23 September 2000. On the original broadcasts, each episode was followed by the host introducing a film from that particular year.
The series proved successful and thus was followed by two similar series, I Love the '80s and I Love the '90s, both of which aired during 2001.
The "I Love..."-series spawned a US version, aired by VH-1. Part of the series was repeated in the spring of 2012 on BBC Two as part of a special season dedicated to the 1970s.
The episode 'I Love 1975" is the only episode that was interrupted due to a power failure on 30 June 2001, and as concluded as part of the years that BBC Two suffered problems (2000, 2001, and 2003).
Topics covered by year
1970
Host: Jimmy Savile. Opening titles: "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne.
- Raleigh Chopper
- Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
- Clangers
- The Goodies
- M*A*S*H
- Dubreq Stylophone
- 1970 FIFA World Cup
- Kes
- The Railway Children
- Midiskirt/maxiskirt
- Triumph Stag
- The Beatles break-up
- Diana Ross leaves The Supremes
- Simon and Garfunkel break-up
- The Jackson 5
PIF of 1970: Joe & Petunia
Flashback Commercial of 1970: Cresta - Singing Polar Bear (actually aired in 1972)
1971
Host: Britt Ekland
- Space Hopper
- The Banana Splits
- Shaft
- Clackers
- Get Carter
- Novelty Songs
- Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)
- Middle of the Road
- Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep
- Harvey Smith
- Decimal Day
- Crossfire
- Corgi Toys
- Jackie Stewart
- The Liver Birds
- Hot pants
1972
Host: David Cassidy
- David Cassidy & Donny Osmond
- Sweets
- The New Seekers
- Love Thy Neighbour
- Action Man
- Roller Skates
- Magpie
- Mark Spitz
- The Harlem Globetrotters
- Cabaret
- The Joy of Sex
- Cosmopolitan
- Marc Bolan
PIF of 1972: Learn to Swim
1973
Host: Noddy Holder
- Slade
- Bruce Lee
- Kojak
- Mastermind
- Sweet
- Man About The House
- Mike Yarwood
- England failure to qualify for World Cup '74
- Uri Geller
Flashback Commercial of 1973: Vymura Wallpaper
1974
Host: Roobarb & Custard. Opening titles: "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman Turner Overdrive.
- Roobarb
- The Six Million Dollar Man
- The Bionic Woman
- Mud
- Alvin Stardust
- Super Noodles
- Angel Delight
- Vesta Ready Meals
- Slimcea bread
- John Conteh
- Pong
- Videocassette recorders
- It Ain't Half Hot Mum
- Package holidays
- Blazing Saddles
- Ford Capri
- Pan's People
- The Wombles
1975
Host: Dennis Waterman
- Jaws
- The Sweeney
- Barry Sheene
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Happy Days
- David Essex
- Jim'll Fix It
- Starsky & Hutch
- Bay City Rollers
- Saturday afternoon Wrestling
1976
Host: Kermit the Frog. Opening titles: "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. Ending credits: "Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton.
- The Muppet Show
- Long hot summer
- Ice Lollies
- Björn Borg
- Tina Charles
- ABBA
- Brotherhood of Man
- Lip gloss
- Punk fashion
- Peter Powell (kite)
- Convoy
- Citizens' band radio
1977
Host: Carrie Fisher. Opening titles: "Star Wars Theme" by Meco.
- Star Wars
- Saturday Night Fever
- Skateboard
- Blue Jeans magazine
- Pot Noodle
- Take Hart
- Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee
- The Sex Pistols
- Space Dust
- The Professionals
1978
Host: Lynda Carter. Opening credits: "Blame It On the Boogie" by The Jacksons. Ending credits: "Teenage Kicks" by The Undertones.
- Grease
- The Boomtown Rats
- The Incredible Hulk
- Soda Stream
- Blake's 7
- Kate Bush
- Top Trumps
- Simon
- Hot Gossip
- Space Invaders
- Dean Friedman
- Wonder Woman
Flashback Commercial of 1978: Glenryck Pilchards
1979
Host: Bo Derek. Opening credits: Pop Muzik by M. Ending credits: After the Love Has Gone by Earth, Wind and Fire.
- 10
- Quadrophenia
- The Dukes of Hazzard
- Hot Gossip
- Holly Hobbie
- Monkey
- Picture & coloured vinyl discs
- Gary Numan
- Ska
- Madness
- The election of Margaret Thatcher
Flashback Commercial of 1979: Barbie