Journalists on strike at BBC Television Centre, August 7th 1985. Copyright: TUC Library

This Sunday (7th August) will mark the anniversary of the National Union of Journalists strike at the BBC in 1985. Journalists walked out on strike in opposition to the decision of the BBC Board of Governors to ban the broadcast of a Real Lives documentary on the issue of Northern Ireland. The NUJ argued that the decision was overt censorship following pressure from the Home Secretary, Leon Brittan. The programme was eventually broadcast with several amendments. The strike included some journalists working at ITN, who struck in solidarity with their BBC colleagues.

The photo above shows (from left): the broadcaster Claire Rayner, radio DJ Mike Smith and BBC presenter Jeremy Paxman, amongst others.