One Man And His Dog

Television sheep-dog trials were not the most obvious choice for a programme, but One Man and His Dog - which began on 17 February 1976 - proved to be a popular addition to the BBC Two schedules. The Radio Times felt the need to inject some drama into its description - "with unpredictable sheep, there is always the element of chance" – but there was no need, as viewers responded to the slow pace, Phil Drabble's quiet enthusiasm and Alan Benson's soothing theme tune. At its peak, eight million people were tuning in.

In the first programme Drabble explained the history and development of sheep-dog trials, visiting several shepherds to look at how dogs are trained. The competition began the following week, with teams from England East, England West, Scotland and Wales. In the first series David Sheehan and his dog Meg won the singles trophy, with the brace trophy going to Wales, represented by Glyn Jones with Gel and Brachen.

Drabble presented One Man and His Dog for 18 years, before handing over to Robin Page. The regular series ended in 1990, but returned in Christmas specials. Drabble died in 2007, but the enduring popularity of the format led to its revival in 2013, as a part of Countryfile.