In the late 1960s, the BBC was looking to create a popular early evening TV magazine show, bringing together regional news programmes for the first time. The resulting show was the successful Nationwide, fronted by Michael Barratt, who has died aged 94.
The programme turned local presenters into national figures – with Barratt as the ringmaster. It was conceived by an inspirational news editor, Derrick Amoore, who had spotted that audience figures remained high while regional programmes were on. “The show understood the great strengths of regional loyalty and accents, so the regions became well known and feted,” said Barratt.
