For more than 35 years, The South Bank Show (SBS) has been at the forefront of British arts broadcasting. More than 750 editions have been produced on subjects as varied as Francis Bacon, The Darkness, Ian McEwan and Tracey Emin. The show aims to engage viewers with an exploration both of works and of creative personalities. It has been edited and fronted throughout by author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg – who has, largely as a result, become a central figure in British cultural life.
From its launch, SBS aimed to combine both “high” and “popular” culture, with a focus on accessibility and on achieving a mass audience. First appearing on British screens on ITV in 1978, SBS signalled its accessibility in a number of ways.