After Dark (TV Series) - Notable Guests and Programmes - Series One - Peter Hain, Clive Ponting, Peter Utley, Colin Wallace and "Secrets"

Peter Hain, Clive Ponting, Peter Utley, Colin Wallace and "Secrets"

The first ever After Dark programme (1 May 1987) was described in The Listener:

"After Dark made a historic breakthrough by rediscovering the structure of adult conversation: the ingredients are intelligence, candour and courage, and the absence of impeding structures such as television time barriers. Seven people talked live, from midnight to the early hours of the morning, on a subject dear to our hearts - and at the moment costly to our nerves - secrets. Clive Ponting, ex MOD; Anne-Marie Sandler, French psychiatrist; Peter Hain, former anti-apartheid campaigner; Colin Wallace, former army 'information officer' engaged in psychological warfare in Northern Ireland in the Seventies; Mrs Margaret Moore, widow of one of the computer scientists who have died recently in mysterious circumstances; Isaac Evans, a farmer who campaigns against bureaucratic secrecy, and T. E. Utley, Times political columnist, who still believes Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 'has a point' - all these discussed frankly their experiences and their perception of the consequences of excessive secrecy."

Nancy Banks-Smith wrote in The Guardian:

"A bit of fun, a bit of excitement, and, quite the best idea for a television programme since men sat around the camp fire talking while, in the darkness, watching eyes glowed red.... It will be many a midnight before Channel 4 comes up with the subject so on the ball as Secrets and such an enthralling group of guests. Who, you may reasonably ask, is Isaac Evans? He described himself as "a peasant up from the country".... In old age he has, with great simplicity, taken up the cause of small people ruined by secret files.... Peter Hain and Clive Ponting (were) referred to affectionately by the chairman, Tony Wilson, as "You two gaolbirds".... It was suggested that only half a dozen MI5 men were watching After Dark. "On double time," said (Colin) Wallace and gave them a wave."

The programme finished with the Beatles singing "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" Credits for this programme are listed here and an excerpt can be viewed here.