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Mining The Archive
The entertainment industry is currently facing a sharp paradox. While production budgets for new film and television continue to climb, the audience is fragmenting, often preferring to consume content through channels that the traditional broadcast and theatrical networks no longer control.
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This escalation in cost has forced a strategic pivot: streamers and broadcasters are increasingly looking to the past for the security of established brands and proven formats.
For rights holders of legacy libraries, this shift has opened new revenue streams from assets once considered dormant. Lower technical barriers now allow independent producers to bypass traditional gatekeepers and reach audiences directly. Neil Anthony is one of many British producers who are now realising the potential for programming that was previously thought of no value. “Television as we traditionally understood it is basically dead,” he argues. “We’ve moved into an era where viewers want to see what they want, when they want; and it’s creating a whole range of opportunities for owners and distributors of independent archives”. A case in point is the Fox-owned streaming platform Tubi, which claims to stream 1 billion hours of programming every month, and features a library of over 300,000 films and television episodes. Likewise, YouTube and TikTok are increasingly being used as digital archives by an ever-expanding number of viewers who find themselves badly served by the traditional broadcasters. Continue reading /// by Rob Brown
29 May 2026 |
British Comedy Guide
Early C4 comedy about Max Miller to be screened in Brighton
Channel 4's first ever light entertainment commission is to be screened at a Brighton cinema later this month.
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Here's A Funny Thing, which aired within weeks of the broadcaster's November 1982launch, is a filmed performance of a hit play of the same name. It stars John Bardon as legendary comedian and Brighton native Max Miller, recreating his act and telling the fascinating story of his rise to superstardom in the first half of the 20th Century.
The original play toured the UK, before enjoying a long West End run, where the recording was made. The programme aired only once, and a new restoration will now be shown at the Duke of York's Picturehouse on Tuesday 19th May. The programme's producers say: "Born and bred in Brighton, Max Miller, the "Cheeky Chappie", became the UK's highest paid entertainer as the undisputed king of music gall. In this remarkable one-man performance, the late John Bardon recreates the persona of Miller with uncanny precision. "From the loud floral suits to the lightning-fast risqué humour, Bardon captures the spark of a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand while skating on thin ice with the censors. Originally made for Channel 4, it's part-biography, part-performance, and a sincere love letter to the British seaside variety tradition. This screening at the historic Duke of York's brings Max back to the very city that shaped his wit. Don't miss this "one night only" opportunity to witness a masterclass in comedy history that has remained unseen for over forty years!" |
They add: "Max Miller was a man of contradictions: a product of the Brighton slums with almost no schooling who became one of the highest-paid stars in the country. He couldn't sing or dance particularly well, played the guitar "atrociously", and notoriously couldn't work with a script. Yet, the moment he stepped out in those outrageous costumes, he was untouchable. John Bardon's performance was hailed for going beyond simple impersonation; he played "Miller the man", drawing from original recordings, interviews, and the legendary storytelling that made Miller a hero on the variety stage."
An in-depth article on the programme and play was published by British Comedy Guide for its 40th anniversary in 2022.
An in-depth article on the programme and play was published by British Comedy Guide for its 40th anniversary in 2022.
01 May 2026
Here's A Funny Thing (Max Miller)
- Cinema Screening
We are delighted to announce that our 1982 production Here's A Funny Thing will have a special cinema screening at the Duke of York's Picturehouse in Brighton, on 19th May 2026.
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One of our very first productions it was a tv adaptation of John Bardon's acclaimed tribute to the legendary music hall comedian, Max Miller.
Broadcast by Channel 4 in November 1982, and unseen for over forty years, the programme has been lovingly restored and remastered into HD, and with a clarity and colour that we could only have dreamed of when we made it as C4's first entertainment commission back in 1981. The screening, at what is believed to be the UK's oldest working cinema, represents another landmark moment for The Bright Thoughts Company as we continue the process of making our back catalogue re-available. |
Event details:
The Duke of York's, Preston Road, Brighton BN1 4NA
19th May 2026
The Duke of York's, Preston Road, Brighton BN1 4NA
19th May 2026
11 April 2026
