In the 1960s, it was set at a 50-hour allowance per week (with exemptions for schools programmes, adult education, state occasions, Welsh language programming, and outside broadcasts of sporting events) and gradually increased by the government at regular intervals.

In 1972, the government – under Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath – announced its plan to completely lift all restrictions and limits on broadcasting hours, and allow the BBC and ITV to set their own schedules.

The programme was broadcast from the foyer of Pebble Mill, because a planned third studio was never constructed on the site, and existing facilities were fully booked for network drama production and local news.

[citation needed] One of the more frequently repeated scenes from Pebble Mill at One was in 1986, when Marian Foster introduced pop singer Owen Paul, who was to perform his hit cover of Marshall Crenshaw's "My Favourite Waste of Time".

He was expected to mime to a backing track, but as he could not hear the foldback loudspeaker as it had failed, Paul was left standing looking into the camera, while viewers heard him singing to the music.

Presenters during the show's run included Marian Foster, Donny MacLeod, Bob Langley, Judi Spiers, Jan Leeming and Paul Coia.

Later presenters included Fern Britton, Gloria Hunniford, Debi Jones, Tom Coyne, Marjorie Lofthouse, David Seymour, Magnus Magnusson, Alan Titchmarsh, Chris Baines and Josephine Buchanan.

[22][23] In its final year, an early evening version called Six Fifty-Five Special surfaced when Pebble Mill was on its summer break, presented by Sally James, Paul Coia, David Soul and Bob Langley.