We’ve been on a roll for the first two months of 1980 with no interruptions to the repeat run on BBC Four, but the long dark shadow of Operation Yewtree had to cast its gloom over the run sooner or … read more
“Hi there! You’ve joined us just in time as we punch out more pop on this week’s edition of Top of the Pops!” Well, that was lucky. Imagine if we’d turned up late for a 35-year-old TV show. After the … read more
Oh for heaven’s sake. “Direct from Lake Placid, you’re very welcome to the Top of the Pops studio and another great show!” That’s right, the Winter Olympics are still in full swing and consequently the BBC’s entire output has been … read more
“Thank you, Mr Voice, and welcome to Friday night, it’s Top of the Pops!” Ah, the sweet essence of BBC Four trolling Simon Bates because (a) the pre-show announcer was quite obviously female and (b) depending on which showing you’re … read more
Well now, who’s this handsome young fella rocking the Captain Kremmen beard and massive, slightly tinted glasses look? It’s only Steve Wright on his first TOTP hosting gig, a position he would cling onto for the whole decade before becoming … read more
“Well hi there!” Yes, hi Kid. The artist still known as “Kid” Jensen is back again, looking more serious than last time in a jacket he might have borrowed from Simon Bates. This week Jensen fails to wish us “Good … read more
“Thirty seconds earlier and I could have been on Tomorrow’s World,” laments Mike “Hello chums” Read, dressed somewhat nattier than Simon Bates was last week in what appears to be some kind of Two Tone shirt. Ironic really, given that … read more
“Hello and welcome to Top Of The Pops.” Phew, rock ‘n’ roll, right kids? This week we’re in the large, manly hands of housewives’ favourite Simon Bates, author of Fifty Shades of Beige and director of the award-losing independent film … read more
“Good evening and good welcome to a host of hits on tonight’s Top of the Pops.” Disappointingly, Kid Jensen’s attempt to introduce the phrase “Good welcome” to the language was as doomed as his parting “Goodbye and good love” a … read more
“Welcome to the sound of the ’80s!” enthuses Peter Powell, resplendent in a very ’70s canary yellow v-neck sweater. Of course very little has changed; despite the ten foot tall “1980” at the back of the stage where Madness are … read more
