1962: CHIP CRISIS hits SOUTH WALES | Tonight | Weird and Wonderful | BBC Archive

"The chip is the chip. It is life itself!" - Gwyn Thomas

Alan Whicker visits the South of Wales, where a culinary crisis of epic proportions has shaken society to its very core - fish and chip shops are running out of chips. Esteemed playwright and author Gwyn Thomas is on hand to wax lyrical about the importance of the chip to the collective Welsh psyche, and why Wales without chips is as unthinkable as Italy without pasta, China without rice, or France without wine.

This clip is from Tonight, originally broadcast 9th April, 1962.

You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.

[hilaryepstein]

What lovely little films these are. To hear the gentleman wax lyrical about the humble chip is a joy. This is 60 years ago and they're moaning about rising prices so nothing's changed.

[MamaLinz]

A glorious interview with Gwyn Thomas!

[lazydgsf]

That’s epic, the guy waxing philosophical on the chip. Love that.

[xcloudxalt]

This man talks so stoicly about chips. I could listen to him for hours

[Veni_Vidi_Vortice]

Gwyn was on fine form that day. Alan played a dutiful supporting role.

[redbeki]

Gwyn Thomas... The philosophy of the humble chip... Fabulous...

[johnking]

Looking at the fish and chip shop you can straight away smell it, the smell of the vinegar, salt, the fish, the batter. Oh makes my heart warm. Yes, probably very unhealthy to eat every week (or every day for some people) but it is just heaven on earth the chip shop smell. Am I the only one who thinks this?

[mikeford]

Alan Whicker!! A great voice of sense and reason from way in the past!!

[Seminal_Ideas]

"In my day the fish and chip shop sold nothing but fish and chips, possibly with a little bit of evangelical grace on the side " Glyn Thomas's wit is lovely to hear.

[turbosnail]

This playwright Thomas is top craic could listen to him all day

[jeffreyhunt]

4:29 My favorite passage in this film. Rrrrreading arrround the chip!

[FordJohnes]

Absolutely fantastic. Just two blokes having a laugh.

[MonicaMovieStar]

The gentleman being interviewed is not only very smart but full of colorful speech. I could listen to him talk all day!!!

[danielintheantipodes]

I remember when they had to stop serving chips in newspaper. A very sad event indeed. Thank you for the video!

[mongolmcphee]

I’m not Welsh BUT there really is something magical about the Welsh accent. It really does something to the words. Makes all subjects more interesting.

[lazydgsf]

Can’t get enough of this film. The Alan Watts of the chip.

[matthewbland]

"....reading around the chip". Brilliant.

[MrDavey]

I really like these reminders of a world long gone

[paulhease]

"we've been up to our hips in chips..." Ha ha ha !!!! classic Welsh humor

[borderlands]

Regarding chip newspaper as educational, the only time I read a paper is when drawing a coal fire with a sheet of newsprint. Watching last week's news scorching into history is a profound experience.