Hovis in HD: Digitally remastered version of classic ‘Boy On The Bike’ advert that gave Ridley Scott his big break returns to our TV screens 46 years after it was first shown

• Film, crowned ‘most iconic UK advert of all time’ last month, will be shown on ITV
• The renowned director Ridley Scott launched his career with the original advert  
• He will remaster it in conjunction with British Film Institute (BFI) national archive

A digitally remastered version of Hovis’s classic ‘Boy On The Bike’ advert, which gave Ridley Scott his big break, will return to our screens today 46 years after it was first shown. 

The short film, which was crowned the ‘most iconic UK advert of all time’ last month, will be shown on ITV this evening.

Scott, who launched his career by directing the original advert, has remastered it in conjunction with the British Film Institute (BFI) national archive.

Ridley Scott´s advert for Hovis featuring a boy pushing a bike (pictured) has been re-mastered for a new generation 

The ‘Boy on the Bike’ first aired in 1973 and tells the story of a little boy pushing a bike loaded with bread up a cobbled hill.

The advert was named the UK’s ‘most iconic’ in April after research firm Kantar surveyed more than 1,000 consumers on the most heart-warming and memorable advert.

Hovis said it hopes to introduce the advert to a new generation who still appreciate its ‘core message of hard-work, family and the strength of community’.

The advert has been revamped through a 4K digital restoration, while its score of Dvorak’s New World Symphony has been re-recorded by a new generation of the original Ashington Colliery brass band.

The ‘Boy on the Bike’ first aired in 1973 and tells the story of a little boy pushing a bike loaded with bread up a cobbled hill. Pictured is the remastered version 

Director Scott said: ‘I’m thrilled that the ‘Boy on the Bike’ is still regarded as such an iconic and heart-warming story which remains close to the heart of the nation.’ Pictured: The original advert being shot 

Jeremy Gibson, marketing director at Hovis, said: ‘The values of our brand have never been more relevant, so we decided to remaster and relaunch our ‘Boy on the Bike’ advert.

Carl Barlow, who starred as the Hovis Boy when he was a child actor  

‘Despite being over 46 years old, recent research has found that the advert is as good today as it’s always been and differs from adverts focusing on broader entertainment.

‘We are seeing a mass movement across the country celebrating craftsmanship, traditional products and UK produce, and this advert is one of the most iconic examples of a brand celebrating the ties that bind us as communities and as a country, drawing on tradition but informing our future.’

Director Scott said: ‘I’m thrilled that the ‘Boy on the Bike’ is still regarded as such an iconic and heart-warming story which remains close to the heart of the nation.

‘I remember the filming process like it was yesterday, and its success represents the power of the advert.’

The advert was remastered at the British Film Institute, where a slide is seen with colour being re-added 

Ridley Scott, who directed the original advert, appearing in a promotional film for the remastered version 

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