The very first episode of Newsnight was never actually broadcast – the programme was kept off air for days. Here, Newsnight’s first ever editor and presenter reunite to explain why. Subscribe to our channel here: https://goo.gl/31Q53F

Newsnight has reunited Peter Snow, the programme’s first presenter, and George Carey, its first editor, at the BBC’s Written Archives Centre to look back on what made the programme so unique – and so difficult to air.

A union dispute about the merging of Current Affairs and News kept the programme off air for two days after it was originally billed.

George Carey said he instructed the team to “go for news stories, things that haven’t been on the news agenda”.

One BBC observer said “the weather was his favourite item”.

Produced by Stuart Denman.

Newsnight is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs TV programme with analysis, debate, exclusives, and robust interviews.

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