I stayed up last night to watch Decidion '79 on BBC4. It was the full election coverage from 1979, broadcast from 11.55pm to 4.55am. The memories came flooding back. That was my first election. I was 18 years old.

Oddly enough, while watching it, I had the sense that, outside, the world was different. We were on the verge of major changes, and new hopes. I totslly relived the atmosphere of the day.

David Dimbleby looked incredibly young, and there were a lot of old guys with pipes - and Robin Day with his cigar.

I remember that I made my decision only a week before the vote. There were also local elections in which I voted for the Dog Lovers Party and the Law and Order Party.

It was great fun - in 1979 and last night.

I watched it and liked it to.
But gasped in horror and irony when I realised they were going to show the whole 4 hour outcome programme afterwards!
A step of nostalgia slightly too far I felt.

I, too, watched the programme from around 2:30am onwards.

David Dimbleby was a lot less pompous and establishment-esque in those days!

I wasn't around in 1979 but in around 2004, BBC Parliament showed the Decision 79 programme in its entirety. Last night's edit didn't show any of the coverage from when it returned from 7am onwards (and ended about 9 hours later!)

There were some delightful moments in that second part that wasn't shown- including a live link-up to a secondary school where the children were given the chance to pose questions to Robin Day. His answers were very witty and clever.

For me, the highlight of last night's programme was the crazy heckler at Jim Callaghan's count!