1961: FIRST MAN IN SPACE - British People React

On the 12th of April 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin - a former Soviet airforce pilot - became the first human being to reach space. The pioneering achievement was front-page news all over the globe. What did members of the British public think when they first saw the extraordinary headline "Man In Space"?

This clip is from BBC News, originally broadcast 12 April, 1961.

[dliap]

i love that she didn't care which country had done it, she was just excited that it was achieved

[Chance_Rice]

That last guys is how we Americans think all British people look and talk

[positivelynegative]

She thought it was fantastic even though she thought the guy was sacrificed into space to make it happen. 🤣

[Terra]

"I think there'll soon be a man on the Moon at this rate"
*8 Years Later*
"Houston, the Eagle has landed"

[rzilgintoro]

lol that last guy, like from Monty Python sketch

[TheTerribleGamer]

Damn how spot on was the second person thats insane

[matteoj]

Never mind the spaceman, I can't bear to watch this knowing what has become of Britain now.

[Keir_lain]

People were so well mannered and well spoken back then, the only thing I like about hose times, everything else was bad

[omwadenbach]

Глядя на космический завтрак, становится как-то легче на душе. Я будто сижу прямо перед вами и все земные проблемы остаются позади. Кто знает, может, ваш канал и мою депрессию вылечит полностью. 😊

[scoodeles]

If only the could see the kind of space technology we have today

[nutterbuttergutter]

I wonder if these people saw the worldwide live broadcast of the moon landings 8 years later and if they did what their reaction to man being on the moon was.

[Anthony_Stockton]

The first guy looks like Kier starmer wearing glasses 😂

[davehoward]

The last bloke is the most english lookin man in england😊

[victorsauvage]

Brits true spirit of comradery with socialits

[jasonayres]

"I think there'll soon be a man on the moon at this rate."
Soon enough.


And conspiracy theories to follow.

[soyb]

Who's grandma is she
She's beautiful 😍

[RobertHarrison-cnok]

Michael Palin selling papers before his Monty python breakthrough 😅😅😅😅😅

[alec]

Are you referring to that foreign space johnny chappy !?

[tsr]

BBC interviewing "British people" - just outside Broadcasting House probably !

[brucenicoll]

Now all is needed is to send the USA government up there now and come back