MICHAEL Portillo’s programme about the former Odeon cinema will be broadcast tonight on Channel 5.

In Hidden History of Britain he takes a look inside the former cinema, learns about its history and talks to Bradfordians about their memories of watching films there, dancing in the ballroom and watching top bands like The Beatles.

Among those interviewed are projectionists Dion Hanson and Graham Bird and photographer Paul Berriff who snapped images of the top rock bands when they played the Odeon.

Mr Portillo is taken on a tour of the building by historian Mark Nicholson, including across the roof and into the decaying bowels of the once-grand New Victoria cinema.

He explores how the building evolved since it was built in 1930 from a grand cinema to a music venue as the Gaumont and then in its Odeon re-incarnation before it was closed - and how campaigners rallied around to save it.

The programme will be shown at 9pm tonight.