When it comes to television series set on Tyneside, most of us will be well familiar with the likes of Vera, Spender, Byker Grove, Inspector George Gently, Our Friends In The North, When The Boat Comes In, Auf Wiedershen, Pet, and Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?
But what about the Tyne Tees series, The Paper Lads, which hit the airwaves 45 years ago? Broadcast for the first time on Wednesday, August 24, 1977, at 4.45pm across the whole ITV network, the Daily Mirror's listings section provided the briefest of descriptions of the inaugural episode, "Round One - a new series about youngsters on a paper round".
Charting the adventures of a group of teenage news deliverers on Tyneside, the show was largely shot on location, mainly in Gateshead, and there were two series made - the second screening in 1979 - each with seven episodes. The show was described by Tyne Tees as “a nice, lively blend of excitement, drama and humour, and definitely for all ages”.
