Today voted top British programme

By Torin Douglas
Media correspondent, BBC News

The Today programme launched in 1957 and had 6.6 million listeners

Which TV and radio programmes have you most admired over the past 25 years?

It's a question that's been asked by Voice of the Listener and Viewer, which campaigns for quality and diversity in broadcasting, to mark its 25th anniversary.

Several hundred programme-makers and "supporters of public service broadcasting" were invited to name the five programmes they'd most admired.

The winners were announced at a celebration at Bafta - and the answers may prompt a lively debate.

The overall winner was Radio 4's Today programme, followed by the BBC Proms (on radio and television).

Two ITV dramas tied for third place - The Jewel in the Crown and Inspector Morse. Equal fifth came Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue and BBC Television's Planet Earth.

The top-placed TV comedy was Blackadder II.

Porridge - named by Sir David Attenborough as the greatest programme ever seen - was not included because it wasn't made in the past 25 years.

This is the full Voice of the Listener and Viewer list.

1 Today, BBC Radio 4, 2009
2 The BBC Proms, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Television, 2007 - 2008
=3 The Jewel in the Crown - An Evening at The Maharanee's, Granada Television for ITV, 1984
=3 Inspector Morse - Death Is Now My Neighbour, Carlton Television for ITV, 1997
=5 I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, BBC Radio 4, 2009
=5 Planet Earth, BBC Television, 2006
7 Blackadder II, BBC Television, 1986
8 Death of Yugoslavia - Wars Of Independence, BBC Television, 1995
9 Bleak House, BBC Television, 2005
10 Our Friends in the North - 1984, BBC Television, 1996
11 The Singing Detective - Skin, BBC Television, 1986
12 This Week - Death on the Rock, Thames Television for ITV, 1988
=13 From Our Own Correspondent, BBC Radio 4, 2009
=13 Edge of Darkness - Northmoor, BBC Television, 1985
15 World in Action - The Spy Who Never Was, Granada Television for ITV, 1984
=16 In Our Time, BBC Radio 4, 2009
=16 28 Up, Granada Television for ITV, 1984
=16 The Two Ronnies, BBC Television, 1986
=19 Dispatches, Channel 4, 2009
=19 South Bank Show - PD James, ITV, 2006
=19 State of Play, BBC Television, 2003
=19 Channel 4 News, An ITN Production for Channel 4, 2009
=19 The Thick Of It, BBC Television, 2005
=19 Newsnight, BBC Television, 1997
25 Test Match Special, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio 4, 2009

A special VLV President's Award was also made to Blue Peter, BBC Television.

What do you think of the list? Do you agree with the critics' choices? What TV or radio programme of the last 25 years have you most admired?

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