"Public Eye" became largely forgotten and confined to archival oblivion for almost twenty years, despite being a popular favourite for a decade and a ratings-topper in its time. One episode ("Who Wants To Be Told Bad News?" from series 5) was repeated in 1989 to mark Thames Television's 21st anniversary, but thereafter nothing more happened. Thames then lost its franchise in controversial circumstances in 1992. Thames' successor Carlton Television considered remaking the series in the 1990s, but again nothing came of this. Recognition returned in 1995 when British satellite channel UK Gold (then part-owned by Thames) repeated all the colour Thames episodes from series 5 onwards. UK Gold had a policy of not showing any black and white material; thus the Brighton episodes and "Shades of White" remained unscreened.