Sion a Sian: Dathlu 50 - Y Stori Sion a Sian: Dathlu 50

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-1964.

-In the TWW studios, a groundbreaking

-TV series was launched...

-..in the Welsh language.

-Here's the view

-of one of the company's directors.

-In my mind, the most loved programme

-was Sion a Sian.

-I'll never forget Sion a Sian.

-The staff in Pontcanna

-should be applauded...

-..for creating a series

-for the common people.

-The Welsh language isn't waning

-amongst the college population.

-It's waning

-amongst the common people.

-TWW created a series

-to encourage the common people...

-..to use the language

-more frequently.

-Hello,

-and a warm welcome to you all.

-I hope you're all well.

-The first programme was broadcast

-live at around 4.30pm.

-Close the door, Sara.

-Does your husband

-criticise your cooking?

-Sometimes, often or never?

-Never.

-I was similar to Henry VIII.

-I had numerous princesses.

-Hello and welcome to a new series

-with a new co-presenter.

-Mari Emlyn.

-I still miss Sion a Sian.

-It was an honour to work

-on the series.

-Was she a blonde,

-a brunette or a redhead?

-Brunette.

-It was most certainly not

-a programme for the upper class.

-It was a programme for the common

-viewer, made by the common viewers.

-If one of Nerys's co-workers arrived

-at work with his flies undone...

-..would Nerys tell him?

-..would Nerys tell him?

-

-Definitely.

-The audience enjoyed seeing

-the humour between the couples.

-A lot of humour is evident between

-the couples on the programme.

-There's nothing

-they can do about it.

-How often does your husband

-bring you a cup of tea in bed?

-Never!

-It's such a simple concept.

-No matter when you watch it,

-it's simplicity is its success.

-Please welcome Grant and Berwyn.

-A programme for the common viewer

-with common viewers taking part.

-Correct! 1,400.

-Come here, come here!

-Give me a kiss.

-The first presenter

-was Dewi Richards.

-Sion a Sian is now a firm part

-of the nation's history.

-Here's the crew

-from the first 20 years reminiscing.

-'64-'68.

-The first programme

-was broadcast live.

-At about 4.30pm.

-From then on, it was hard going.

-We recorded four shows

-every Saturday afternoon.

-Into the studio at 9.00am

-and leaving the studio at 9.00pm.

-Your assistant was Meriel.

-Meriel at the start.

-It was all about Dewi

-taking the Mick out of me!

-It was the 1960s. I wore hot-pants.

-Hot-pants, and Courreges fashion.

-Feather boas.

-I still have the feather boa -

-here it is.

-Here's the feather boa.

-One time, when I was wearing

-this feather boa...

-..the end of the feather boa

-got caught in the box door.

-The feather boa was draped

-around my neck. I couldn't move.

-There were feathers everywhere.

-Dewi laughed until he cried!

-The early sets

-weren't very sophisticated.

-My job was to operate the box.

-It was in the middle of the set,

-towards the back.

-There was a curtain mechanism

-at the front of the box.

-Every time someone approached the

-box, I'd pull it to open the door.

-When they left the box,

-I'd close the door.

-To do that, I'd sit on top of the

-box with a piece of wood in my hand.

-The audience could see me

-and they'd have a laugh...

-..watching me

-opening and closing the door.

-If people in Ffostrasol knew

-I was being paid to do that...

-..they'd have collapsed!

-In September,

-I went to North Wales with Jenny.

-He was a two-timer!

-Meriel Davies was on Sion a Sian

-at the time, but she was a teacher.

-I didn't want to take

-Meriel's job...

-..but she couldn't be released

-from work.

-They wanted to do an outside

-broadcast of 15 programmes...

-..across Wales and I did

-Sion a Sian with Dewi Richards...

-..the butcher from Ystalyfera.

-Vaughan Evans was the next

-presenter.

-He was joined by Elfira Austin

-from Patagonia.

-Elfira would pay the guitar

-at the end of the show.

-Every now and then,

-Vaughan would fill in with a joke.

-Two mothers standing outside the

-house talking about their children.

-One says to the other...

-.."Our Jane is engaged

-to an X-ray specialist."

-The other said, "She's lucky -

-no-one else saw anything in her."

-Laugh, mun!

-Apart from the monetary prize

-and the jackpot...

-..there were other prizes on offer.

-I found a carpenter

-from Criccieth...

-..who could make lovespoons.

-We gave away wooden lovespoons

-as prizes.

-There were two balls in the

-lovespoon to represent the couples.

-A slate clock - a square clock

-on real slate on one series.

-For the next series,

-we had a kitchen plaque.

-That was very nice.

-The clock was very sought after.

-The money wasn't important to them -

-they wanted the clock...

-..even when they missed out

-on the jackpot.

-Caernarfon's mayor, IB Griffith,

-was the next presenter.

-Here's what happened with me.

-I couldn't believe it. I was asked

-to take charge of Sion a Sian.

-I would strut proudly

-around Caernarfon.

-Then I found out they'd offered

-the job to about 20 other men first!

-University deans, council chairmen -

-they'd all been offered the job.

-In 1972, a young farmer

-from Llanilar, Dai Jones, took over.

-I was working on the auditions

-in the studio one night.

-Hello, and a warm welcome to you.

-I didn't know who was coming

-until I saw the list.

-Dai was one of the names

-on the list. I already knew him.

-I wanted him to fill the role but

-I didn't know if he was good enough.

-But the rest is history.

-John is very honest. He can't hear

-any music through his headphones.

-Can John hear the music now?

-Is he OK?

-Close the door, Sara. OK then.

-The welcome he gave

-the contestants when they arrived...

-..it was if they were the exact

-people he wanted to see and meet.

-Ifor, good luck to you both.

-Concentrate on the bank.

-During the past year, has your wife

-lost weight, stayed as she was...

-..or put on a few pounds?

-She's lost weight

-because she had a baby!

-The most risque questions

-were questions such as...

-..what does your husband

-wear to bed?

-The word 'bed' was enough.

-We'd burst out laughing.

-Those types of questions

-reflected society.

-It made people laugh

-from their bellies.

-That added to the enjoyment -

-it was innocent, enjoyable fun.

-Hello, and welcome to

-a new series of Sion a Sian.

-A new series and a new co-presenter.

-Mari Emlyn.

-I was similar to Henry VIII.

-I had numerous princesses.

-All of them were excellent.

-Had I been single, I wouldn't have

-minded being married to them all!

-They were wonderful.

-I worked with Jenny for

-the longest period. She's so dear.

-Being with Dai on Sion a Sian

-wasn't like working.

-It was fun. Dai was a comedian.

-He was a farmer, he knew people...

-..he knew just about everyone

-in rural Wales, even back then.

-He knows more by now.

-We just got on so well together.

-I was happy working with him.

-As winner of the Blue Riband...

-..in the Ammanford National

-Eisteddfod two years earlier...

-..Dai had more than one feather

-in his cap.

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-# I go to bed at dusk

-and get up again at dawn

-# I go to bed at dusk

-and get up again at dawn... #

-After the first week,

-we received a letter.

-I should be singing

-at the end of the programme.

-# Over the highest hill #

-We had so many requests.

-By the next recording,

-when we filmed three programmes...

-..Janice Ball had joined us.

-Well, I'll be totally honest

-about her, she's a sweetheart.

-If I'd been shouting

-at the sheep and sheepdogs...

-..and my voice wasn't perfect,

-she would adapt the songs for me.

-She'd play any key,

-depending on how I felt...

-..she'd play any key.

-# When the sun sets

-over the hills at dusk

-# The twinkling stars

-can be seen in the night sky... #

-Well, I think that was

-an unique experience.

-We got on so well together.

-I decided what he'd sing,

-how long the piece should be.

-What key should it be?

-Sometimes, the key would change

-in the middle of the song...

-..to suit his voice.

-We had so much fun together

-over the years.

-The singing, everything was special.

-# Sweet Elen

-# Elen

-# Do you remember the shining star?

-# Sweet Elen

-# Elen

-# Do you remember the night? #

-As the years passed by, with over

-700 songs during my 17 years...

-..we ran out of Welsh songs.

-People like Eifion Lloyd Jones

-and Gwyndaf Evans...

-..wrote words for Scottish,

-Irish and English folk tunes.

-I wasn't being very helpful.

-Depending on the length

-of the programme...

-..I'd write three or four verses

-accordingly...

-..but when time would run out...

-..he'd have to sing three instead

-of four and two instead of three.

-It was hard enough

-singing something...

-..you were used to singing

-in English in Welsh.

-When someone told you half way

-through the programme....

-..there's only time to sing

-half a song...

-..I'd need an idiot board.

-That didn't work every time.

-I remember one time, the floor

-manager held the board upside down!

-I was trying to read it

-with my head on its side.

-Fortunately,

-we'd found a new co-presenter...

-..when we were filming

-up here in Mold.

-Her name was Rosalind,

-and Rosalind never forgot her words.

-# This country belongs to you and I

-# This country

-belongs to you and I #

-The producer, Ieuan Davies, decided

-to take the show on the road...

-..with the groupies.

-Off we went, Janice Ball

-acting as Dai's accompanist...

-..Dai and myself.

-We toured Wales -

-halls, churches and chapels.

-Sometimes, we had to change

-in front of the chapel deacons.

-Tables covered

-with sandwiches and cakes...

-..and Jan and I

-changing in front of them!

-Once, on a cold January day...

-..we were down in Letterston.

-What caught our attention

-was the hearse.

-Dai said,

-"Dear me, what's happened?"

-A man came to the window and told us

-that someone had passed away...

-..in the audience

-while they were waiting for us.

-Dai said, naturally, that it would

-be best if we postponed the evening.

-"Oh, no, no, the show must go on,"

-replied the man.

-We went, "Oh!"

-"Once the hearse has gone,

-it's what he would have wanted.

-"He would have wanted us

-to continue."

-I remember that evening.

-We arrived and a member

-of the audience requested...

-..we sing

-Pwy Fydd Yma Ymhen Can Mlynedd?

-After 17 years at the helm,

-Dai's tenure came to an end.

-S4C then decided it was time

-to resurrect the series.

-We recorded some pilot programmes

-in the studio.

-We tried to change the show's image.

-We sent the information

-to our audience research.

-The research was returned.

-The favoured presenters for

-the new series were Gill and Ieu.

-The second couple are Owie

-and Gladys Hughes from Llangefni.

-It had been off the screen

-so it needed a modern makeover.

-HTV decided that the couples

-didn't have to be married.

-You could be

-a co-habiting couple...

-..you could be engaged

-to be married.

-I remember when we did the pilot,

-the audition process...

-..I had a different co-presenter

-and she introduced the couple.

-"So-and-so and so-and-so

-come from wherever.

-"They live together

-and plan to get engaged."

-There were around 200 members

-of Merched y Wawr in the audience...

-..and they all tutted!

-I said, "What did you have

-for breakfast - trill?"

-They sounded like 200 budgies.

-They couldn't accept it - this

-couple were openly living together!

-This was the 1990s.

-Right, Gill, the first couple.

-Right, Gill, the first couple.

-

-Dai and Gwen Morgan from Aberaeron.

-She was tall and glamorous,

-she looked like Farah Fawcett...

-..and Katie Price.

-Her husband looked like a simpleton.

-There was something odd

-about his hair.

-Before the programme,

-I introduced myself to them.

-I asked him about his work and he

-said he was a butcher in Aberaeron.

-"OK, fine."

-Gill introduced them on the snow.

-I knew something wasn't quite right.

-We had a little chat

-before the questions.

-"Welcome to the show.

-I hear you're a..."

-Part-time butcher.

-No.

-No.

-

-"Sorry?" I said.

-"I thought you were a butcher.

-OK, what do you do?"

-You're unemployed.

-You're unemployed.

-

-I'm unemployed.

-Oh, my God!

-Everything was starting to unravel.

-I thought it would stop eventually.

-They were cheating -

-you could hear them coughing.

-And flirting.

-He's singing in the box.

-Can you hear him?

-He went into the booth

-and I placed the cans on his head.

-His hair slipped off!

-This was all going on...

-I felt so sorry for him.

-I tried to stick it

-back on his head.

-The only thing that was going

-through my head at the time...

-..was how on earth

-would they edit this together.

-I was talking to myself

-while this was going on.

-"Ieu, just carry on presenting.

-Just do it."

-Thank you, Gill.

-After around half an hour,

-through the corner of my eye...

-..I saw a commotion in the audience.

-Well done.

-I knew it!

-I saw two men walking out

-and I turned...

-Adrian and Paul - Y Brodyr Bach.

-I couldn't believe it.

-We met in 1988.

-We've been a couple for 24 years.

-Our first couple come from Cardiff.

-Please welcome Grant and Berwyn.

-Sion a Sian is quite

-an old format these days...

-..but aspects of it have evolved

-as society has evolved.

-The Sion a Sian doors are open

-to couples who are yet to marry...

-..and same-sex couples.

-We've been told

-that the two of you snore.

-How would you describe

-Grant's snoring?

-Does he purr like a little cat?

-Like a motorbike

-starting its engine?

-Or a rhinoceros?

-As long as we, as producers,

-have interesting couples...

-..the series

-will run and run and run.

-Here we go.

-Here's the question.

-You're in a restaurant.

-You're given a dirty knife.

-What do you do?

-Clean it on the tablecloth...

-..complain

-and ask for a clean knife...

-..or complain and walk out?

-Complain and ask for a clean knife.

-Complain and ask for a clean knife.

-

-Correct! 1,400.

-Come here, come here.

-Give me a kiss.

-1998 - Owie and Gladys Hughes won

-the jackpot for the second time...

-..on the most successful series

-ever seen on Welsh television.

-Sion a Sian.

-Anyone who wanted to take part

-was offered the chance.

-It's not a programme

-for the important people.

-When is your husband

-most likely to have a bath?

-First thing in the morning,

-after work or before bed?

-It's a simple format.

-Couples from across the country...

-..competing and finding out

-how well they know each other.

-Do you sit on the sofa together,

-sit apart or does it vary?

-Sit apart.

-Who looks after the money

-in your house?

-You, him or both of you?

-Me!

-Me!

-

-Correct.

-They're the stars.

-We enjoy hearing what they tell us.

-They're the TV gold.

-Sion and Sian.

-Sion and Sian.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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