Crossroads - the Drama Of A Soap Opera - By Dorothy Hobson - 1980s

Sara has written with an enquiry:

The book, Crossroads The Drama Of A Soap Opera was published in 1982, and Dorothy Hobson was obviously at the studios in 1981 because she was there when Noele Gordon was sacked. But books like "Cultural Closure - The Arts In The 1970s", edited by Bart Moore Gilbert, claim that her interviews with the female viewers were all done in the late 1970s (or so Stuart Laing says). Is this so?

Piffle and bunk. Crossroads emerged as a popular show with female viewers when Dorothy Hobson began conducting interviews in the late 1970s, but her Crossroads-relevant interviews took place in 1981, as story-lines from 1980 and 1981 are mentioned by the interviewees - as was the character Kate Loring (arrived in 1981), and the Brownlows (the family did not arrive until late 1979).

Ms Hobson first gained access to the Crossroads studios in the late spring of 1981 - according to her book. I quote:

In the event it was not until the late spring of 1981 that I managed to gain access to Crossroads, and the period when I was watching the production and viewing with the audience coincided with the period before Noele Gordon was sacked from the company.

So, from the horse's mouth, there you have it - Ms Hobson gained access to the studios in the late spring of 1981, and then began watching the production of the show and viewing it with the audience.

Many things (in general) written about the 1970s are actually about the 1960s and 1980s. I don't know why. I sometimes think it happens too often to simply be mistakes! It's as though the '70s must be hyped!

And on the same theme...

Gary Arnold asks:

Crossroads 2003 and Beyond claims that the show went into colour in 1970 -

"The programme goes into colour enabling Meg’s dresses to be seen in all their floral glory."

But I thought it was 1969?

Yes, it was 1969 (sigh). See what I mean?