Get Ahead

Get Ahead was a BBC Television programme running from 1958 to 1962 which offered a prize of £5,000. This was awarded to a contestant's idea for an entrepreneurial project for a profitable business. It was an early forerunner of programs such as Dragons' Den on BBC2.

The program was sponsored by the News Chronicle, a form of indirect advertising which would not have been permitted for commercial stations (such as ITV), as this is prohibited by the Television Act 1954.[1]

The programme was presented by Peter West. A panel of senior business experts judged the merit of the award and included Sir Miles Thomas, who had been chairman of BOAC[2] and the British offshoot of Monsanto, the American chemical company at the time.

References

  1. ^ The Contemporary Review. Volume 198. A. Strahan. 1960. p. 413. http://books.google.com/?id=cWUQAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22get+ahead%22+bbc&q=%22get+ahead%22+#search_anchor. Retrieved 2009-08-22 
  2. ^ Thomas, Sir Miles (1964). "Out on a Wing"", an autobiography. London: Michael Joseph. pp. 370.