[1] It opened on 29 July 1945, taking over the long wave frequency which had earlier been used[2][3] – prior to the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939 – by the BBC National Programme.

[10] There was, however, a period of a year when the Light Programme was forced to end its broadcasting day one hour earlier at 11.00 pm.

This commenced in mid-February 1947 as an effect from the appalling winter of 1946–1947 which saw a fuel shortage in the country with the government enforcing electricity saving measures, one of which was losing one hour of broadcasting per day from the Light Programme.

[11][12] Even after the fuel shortage had ended by spring 1947, the 11.00 pm closedown each night continued as BBC Radio found itself in financial problems and needed to save money.

[13][14] The long-running soap opera The Archers was first heard nationally on the Light Programme on New Year's Day 1951,[15] although a week-long pilot version had been broadcast on the Midlands Home Service in 1950.