The archive team at ITN has discovered a rare live 1960s television news bulletin announcing Sir Winston Churchill’s death, which has been digitised by Cinelab Film & Digital.
The 30-minute bulletin, presented by ITV newsreader Andrew Gardner, was a special news broadcast which aired on ITV at 2.20pm on 24th January 1965.
According to ITN, the footage would have been captured by a film camera recording the film from a TV screen. It is one of a small number of examples of live 1960s television that exist.
Matt Harris, archive content lead at ITN discovered the reel while going through boxes of old recordings. It had a cloth strip across it with a short description typed along the side.
“Given the technical difficulties of recording live television at the time, it’s exceptionally rare and important to have any live broadcasts from this period, let alone covering such a historically important event,” said Harris.
“It’s one of many treasures stored in our vaults, including the first TV satellite broadcast from the US, and early bulletins covering the Vietnam War.”
The restoration of the bulletin has been funded by the International Churchill Society, which will release and exhibit the full broadcast in due course, said ITN.
A clip can be watched below.
