23/2/81: 'Yes Minister' second series on BBC2

On Monday 23 February 1981 a new series of the UK sitcom Yes Minister started on BBC2. It was the second of three series broadcast between 1980 and 1984, later becoming Yes, Prime Minister for two more seasons from 1986-1988.

The series follows the fictitious character of  Right Honorable James Hacker MP, Minister for Administrative Affairs, played by Paul Eddington, trying to keep his head above nasty political waters, and usually up against Whitehall bureaucrat Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne).

Radio Times cover for the week from 21-27 February 1981

Famously accurate in the spirit of the relationship between civil servant and politician in the early 1980s, it was allegedly Margaret Thatcher's favourite show.

sources: BBC Genome (schedule & pic.), BBC archive.


....also On This Day: the "23-F" coup d'état took place in Spain, ending the following day, and on John Peel first play of debut singles by Altered Images, Depeche Mode and New Order.