It’s 1977 in Northern Ireland; find out what people in the street are shouting about? It might not be what you expect.

Viewers in Northern Ireland might recognise David Dunseith sporting sunglasses at the end of this television advert. He began his career as a floppy haired police officer commanding the early Drug Squad. During the 1970s Ulster Television persuaded him to go from making occassional appearances to warn the public against drugs to a fully-fledged broadcaster.
 

Later poached by the BBC David Dunseith hosted Talkback the country’s daily current affairs phone in show. It was a public sounding board during difficult times often referred to as the “people’s parliament”. Covering everything from the poignant to the absurd it became a cathartic outlet during the height of the conflict and the most popular phone in show in Europe.

This material is Courtesy of the UTV Archive. 

Digitised as part of Unlocking Film Heritage.

Interviewer: David Dunseith

• Britain on Film
• BFI Player
• UTV Ireland