Holiday (TV series)

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Holiday
Genre	Travel
Running time	29 minutes
Starring	Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original channel	BBC1
Original run	1969–2007

Holiday is a long-running UK television programme on BBC1, and the oldest travel review show on UK television.

The programme began in 1969 as Holiday 69, and for the first several years the year was incorporated in the programme's title, but this was discontinued in the 1990s. The first presenter was Cliff Michelmore who remained with the series until 1986. In 1974 its popularity led to ITV launching a rival show, Wish You Were Here...?.

Many presenters have come and gone over the history of the programme, the most notable being Joan Bakewell, Anne Gregg, Frank Bough, John Carter, Desmond Lynam, Eamonn Holmes, Anneka Rice, Jill Dando, and Craig Doyle. In addition, the teams of "reporters" who provided regular reviews from holiday destinations have included Sarah Kennedy, Bill Buckley, Kieran Prendiville, Fyfe Robertson, Kathy Tayler, Monty Don and Carol Smillie. The current presenter is Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

Each week, the programme consists of several reports in which one of the presenters visits a holiday resort and reviews the attractions of the region. Despite the programme's obvious attraction as escapism, over the years it has been criticised for featuring destinations that the majority of viewers would be unable to afford.

The programme has spawned several short-lived offshoot programmes, including Summer Holiday; Holiday: Fasten Your Seatbelt (1996-8, in which presenters tried out holiday-related jobs); and Holiday on a Shoestring (1999).

It was announced by the BBC in November 2006, that after a record 37 years on air, Holiday will end after it's current series finishes in March 2007.

[edit] Trivia

Gordon Giltrap's "Heartsong" was used as a theme tune until 1986^{[citation needed]}, when it was replaced by specially composed music by Simon May. This proved unpopular, and was replaced the following year by a further Giltrap composition. In 1988, Giltrap again composed new music for the series and this theme, together with incidental tracks, was used until the mid 90s.

One of the destinations visited on the very first show in 1969 was Torremolinos.