Hovis 'Bike' advert 1973 (Britain's favourite TV ad)

FROM: http://www.quickrelease.tv
HI-RES VODCAST: http://tinyurl.com/yrf278

In 1973, Hovis produced what became one of the all-time classic TV adverts, a delivery boy freewheeling down a cobbled northern hill.

In fact, the ad was shot on Gold Hill of Shaftesbury, Dorset. The director was (Sir) Ridley Scott. He later went on to direct Bladerunner, Alien, Thelma & Louise, and Gladiator.

The original boy on the bike, Carl Barlow, then 13, is now a 48-year-old fireman.

He said: "It was pure fate that I got the part as the Hovis boy. I was down to the last three, and it turned out that one of the two boys couldn't ride a bike, and the other wouldn't cut his hair into the pudding bowl style - it was the Seventies after all. As the only boy who could ride a bike and would cut his hair, I got the part."

The ad is also famous for its soundtrack. In Britain at least, Dvorak's 'New World' symphony - rearranged for brass - says 'Hovis' and 'good, plain Northern values.'

Like many classic adverts of the 1970s, the Hovis 'Bike' advert was produced by iconic advertising agency Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[chalkeywhitey]

In my day I used to have to carry my bike just to save the rubber on the tyres

[johnjnukemsheridan]

xD Well..that wuh luxury, wuh that! When I wuh a lad, wi ad tuh get up a month ago. Lick tar off th'rord fer 'er breakfast. Wash it down wi a bottle uh 2nd 'and bleach. Wark 700mile tuh work barefoot on 'ot coal, all up 'ill. Wer wi got a punch from t'boss n' ha'penny a year fer 'er trouble. Wark 800 mile, up hill all th'way home. Wer dad give us a thick ear, a fat lip, un sliced us in 'alf wi a bread knife. 367 days a year. And we wuh greatful.

[xIVARSITY]

I know, bloody lower middle working class!!

[xIVARSITY]

in my day we ate the cobbles!

[deckard97]

DAMN-i thought so.I am a fan of both

[barry8472]

At least you had a bike. When i was a lad you had shoes which were so holy they could go to church

[Chazland]

luxury...in my day i had to carry my bike coz it had no wheels

[michael marshall]

narrator is Ian Holm, the android in alien

[NebulousWeb]

You should go read a history book, then tell us which era you're referring to, because over the last thousand years 'Britain' has had radically different heritage and identity, most of which you wouldn't like at all. Further, some countries and cultures are stagnant and still as ignorant and barbaric as they were a thousand years ago. You should be glad that Britain is fortunate enough to be on the cutting edge of change, and that you have currently have a relatively comfortable, secure life.

[olier1]

This is the first commercial to be shot by Ridley Scott, I think

[thecobracarnivalclub]

its a shit hole