Save Time Team campaign gets Boycie backing
Save Time Team campaign sees over 1,000 signatures and celebrity support as fans of the show try to persuade Channel 4 to give the long running archaeological series a reprieve from the axe.
2013 sees the 21st series of Time Team air on the network however it is also to be the shows last after two decades on air. At the end of last month fans of the show launched a campaign to save the series fronted by Tony Robinson. (Pictured, right).
“Its an amazing programme and is only one of its kind, there is a programme in the works called Dig Village but there is nothing better than watching archaeologists and metal detectorists unearthing history on a Sunday afternoon. Get behind us and lets at least go down fighting, having 20 series shows there is interest to still carry it on, maybe Channel 5, Yesterday or the Discovery UK channel could take it on?” Says Lee Brady who is campaigning to keep the show on air.
Now fans of Time Team say the campaign has even been noticed by celebrities – with Only Fools And Horses actor John Challis the latest to join the Save Time Team campaign.
The actor known for playing as Boycie on the iconic BBC sitcom has expressed his desire to help the Save Time Team campaign, with the star also signing the online petition and re-tweeting the details of the campaign to his followers on Twitter. The online petition has well over 1,000 signatures currently, since it launched two weeks ago. Lead campaigner Lee Brady has now also started a Facebook, Twitter and Official website promoting the cause.
Channel 4 have stated while Time Team will no longer air as a series there will be future single-episode specials. The programme has already produced 40 one-off ‘event TV’ moments which include live editions. The broadcaster also promises that the series will continue to be repeated on More4 and occasionally Channel 4.
Twenty years of Time Team will be celebrated in the last programme of the final series. The digs have provided a wealth of information and research material currently stored by Wessex Archaeology. Channel 4, along with the programme makers Videotext and Picture house TV will work to maintain this archive as part of Time Team’s academic legacy.
To sign the petition please click here the website can be found here and John Challis on Twitter is here.
Why stop making a programme and then show another (dig village) about exactly the same subject? So basically channel 4 are scrapping it because of the name?????
I’m sorry this doesn’t make sense!
S A Rogers
C4 cancelled TT. Then the producer behind Time Team (Tim Taylor) started a
new project (Dig Village) which Channel 4 have nothing to do with.
It was just Tim Taylor filming it with an ipad. Recently Professor Mick Aston
have also become involved.Dig Village is so far only available at youtube and facebook.
Having made a programme with Time Team at my site in 2006 which was aired for the 2007 series of which I took an active part over the three days and appeared throughout the programme I must say that it seems crazy to axe such a great concept that has worked so well for over 20 years. It inspired me to launch my own archaeology/history Youtube channel Tvpresenter4history which very quickly was made a youtube partner channel and has enjoyed over 600 subscribers and over half a million viewers since its launch back in 2007. Having written, presented and produced over 360 films my site has proved that the public love and want more archaeology at the click of a mouse or the remote control !!!