Victoria Wood - The Birmingham Years

The city of Birmingham played an early, vital role in shaping Victoria Wood’s comedic voice and career.

It was as a drama student at the university in the early 70s that she began to perform live on a regular basis. While working in the Sportsman pub in Harborne she was spotted playing piano by a BBC producer, leading to her first TV appearances including on ATV’s talent show New Faces. She also watched countless episodes of daytime soap Crossroads, which would later provide valuable inspiration when she created ‘Acorn Antiques’.

Ten years on from Victoria Wood’s untimely passing we are paying tribute to one of the UK’s finest and most influential comedians and writers through an afternoon bringing together rare archive material and special guests.

Onscreen entertainment will include The Camera & The Song, a 1976 episode from a BBC series which features early songs including ‘Sad Salad Sunday’. Writer Jasper Rees will share some of the gems and discoveries that came to light when researching Let’s Do It, his authorised biography of Victoria Wood, and actress Jane Wymark (Poldark, Midsomer Murders) will join us to reflect on that formative period and her enduring friendship with Wood.

The Victoria Wood programme is presented in partnership with Calthorpe Estates and National Express.