Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary is a series of 21 episodes commissioned as part of the Dadarama series for the launch of Channel 4. Presented here is a selection of episodes made by the late Ian Breakwell. The producer and commissioner Anna Ridley writes:

Ian had decided that he wanted to develop his “Continuous Diary” for television. Annalogue, my production company, received an initial budget to produce several episodes as a pilot. Despite C4’s free-wheeling philosophy, I guess the idea was “risky’ especially as the Channel had yet to launched. The pilot received a very favourable response and full production commenced […]. Ian’s “Continuous Diary” episodes were of varying running times, the shortest being 2’46” and the longest 12’39”, with a total duration of 2 hours and 17 minutes. Some draw on Ian’s existing Diaries and adapted; others were made especially. “13th May 1984”, for example, is about the London Marathon and was shot on that day whilst the marathon was taking place and transmitted the following day. Ian decided on a transmission schedule of one episode per evening Monday to Friday preferably after the pubs closed! I think he both wanted his audience in a mellow mood and not to have to curtail his own time in the pub, one of his evening rituals.

Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 2) Untitled 2:46 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 3) The Walking Man 5.05 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 7) Untitled 5:03 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 9) Oct 12 1982 6:55 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 10) Growth 12:39 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 13) 13 May 1984 8:19 mins
Ian Breakwell’s Continuous Diary (Programme 21) The Birthday after the Night Before 10:55 mins