From Music Week

 

Top Of The Pops is returning to TV screens for its annual Christmas Day appearance with a studio line-up exclusively comprised of UK artists.

 

Although the show was axed after more than 42 years as a weekly fixture in July 2006, it has continued to have a presence on the BBC One December 25 schedules ever since and this year is no exception with the programme due to go out that day between 2 and 3pm.

 

Being recorded this Monday (December 12) at BBC Television Centre in London, the hour-long programme will include among its performers Example, Pixie Lott, Rizzle Kicks, Ed Sheeran, The Wanted and Will Young. Professor Green featuring Emeli Sande, Olly Murs, Noah & The Whale, The Vaccines and whoever wins The X Factor final on Sunday will also feature.

 

The way the calendar falls this year with December 25 on a Sunday means the Official Charts Company’s Christmas chart will come out on Christmas Day itself and Top Of The Pops is due to unveil who is number one on the countdown just before the Queen’s Christmas Message is screened.

 

The programme will be hosted by Fearne Cotton and Radio 1 Top 40 host Reggie Yeates who said: “Hosting the yearly specials of Top Of The Pops with Fearne Cotton is one of the highlights of my year; it’s always such a thrill to present such a loved show.”

 

Cotton added: “I’m so happy Top of the Pops is back for another Christmas special. It’s a wonderful tradition that I’m so proud to be part of. Great bands, live music and a sprinkling of fake snow thrown in to the mix! It’ll be lovely teaming up with my old mate Reggie Yates again, too. See you Christmas Day.”

 

In addition to the Christmas Day special, BBC Two will screen what is being billed as an affectionate tribute to the first ever Top Of The Pops host Sir Jimmy Savile who died in October just two days before what would have been his 85th birthday. Sir Jimmy Savile at the BBC: How About That Then? will include archive material from the legendary music show and will go out on what was its traditional airtime of 7pm on a Thursday on December 28.

I would usually say YES for another TOTP return, but looking at that line-up I'm really not that sure...

The only bearable ones on the list are Noah and the Whale.

AKA, no American acts would perform nor Barbadians who are currently living in London.

 

I'm happy Noah and the Whale get this exposure, L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N is the biggest selling alternative song of the year according to MTV Rocks.

I like that it's an all british line up as we tend to feel the need to slot Americans in to everything and there's some great UK talent out there that get's shoved to the side... however, I'm not sure I'm over the moon with the actual line up. It's TOTP though so It'll be on even if I sit through it bored. :lol: Hopefully Little Mix wins X-Factor to make it bearable for me.

 

 

hmm, I'm surprised Jesse J isn't on there - what with The Voice about to come and all.

 

And hopefully they'll show the Jools Holland showing of Someone Like You. It would sort of seem wrong not to have the biggest selling single/album/artist on TOTP - unless there's a new years one too

 

Case in point - there's not many women performing this year is there?

Edited December 9, 201113 yr by Knightr634

I like that it's an all british line up as we tend to feel the need to slot Americans in to everything and there's some great UK talent out there that get's shoved to the side... however, I'm not sure I'm over the moon with the actual line up. It's TOTP though so It'll be on even if I sit through it bored. :lol: Hopefully Little Mix wins X-Factor to make it bearable for me.

 

Looking at the year to date chart it comes across as misrepresentative of the market. Americans still dominate. And for a 'best of' type of show the Christmas TOTP usually is, they haven't booked anyone to perform the biggest 5 songs of the year. (Sadly, Adele who could have made the entire line up a bit more legit is unwell)

 

 

Revealing the #1 on the show is going to spoil the Sunday Chart show on Radio 1, bit of a sore point.

Rubbish line-up - why not just play a TOTP2 Christmas-themed one hour special and then do a top 10 countdown at the end to the new Xmas number one?

Ha, I always thought Noah the Whale were American, no idea why!

 

There's a surprising lack of One Direction/JLS on that list! Not that I'm complaining, just thought they would be certainties!

Ed Sheeran, Olly Murs and Will Young (If he performs Jealousy & not Come On) are the best of a very average bunch IMO (Do like Pixie but she's awful live), The Wanted don't excite even if I like most of their songs. I sort of like Rizzle Kicks songs but they don't excite me either. Haven't heard Noah & The Whale live I don't think so not sure with them. The rest are crap though <_<

Edited December 9, 201113 yr by Rob Summers

 

Suprised Coldplay and Jessie J or even James Morrison aren't there TBH.

Murs is on so I'm happy, he'll be doing Heart skips a beat with Rizzle kicks by the looks of the somewhat congested lineup. The Vaccines... I'm at a loss to see why they're on, so overated. And I see Pixie Lot is still surviving on the fact that no one knows she doesn't sell records.

The Vaccines are an odd choice, given that they've hardly set the charts alight this year, although it is a welcome addition. Whoever does their TV plugging deserves a massive Christmas bonus.

Is there any point of having the charts on Christmas Day if TOTP is going to spoil it?

Yes, because there are 39 other records in the top 40 :P

Ed Sheeran, Olly Murs and Will Young (If he performs Jealousy & not Come On) are the best of a very average bunch IMO (Do like Pixie but she's awful live), The Wanted don't excite even if I like most of their songs. I sort of like Rizzle Kicks songs but they don't excite me either. Haven't heard Noah & The Whale live I don't think so not sure with them. The rest are crap though <_<

 

I'm sure Will will sing Jealousy Rob. :dance: Come On would be virtually unknown seeing as it's commercial airplay has been poor.

Suprised Coldplay and Jessie J or even James Morrison aren't there TBH.

 

Coldplay did Christmas Lights on TOTP last year. They needed to change it up

Is there any point of having the charts on Christmas Day if TOTP is going to spoil it?

 

They're only spoiling one position. There's 39 others R1 will still announce :P

 

-x-

 

Pretty crap line-up but glad to see Example, Ed, Olly, Noah And The Whale and The Vaccines on there. The latter is a bit of a WTF moment but I'm all for any extra publicity for The Vaccines.

Edited December 9, 201113 yr by Bré

Once you take into account that its Top of the Pops we're talking about, the line up isn't that bad :P

The Vaccines are an odd choice, given that they've hardly set the charts alight this year, although it is a welcome addition. Whoever does their TV plugging deserves a massive Christmas bonus.

Definitely a welcome addition. Maybe it's an acknowledgement of the fact that music is about more than just the charts. The Vaccines have been very busy on the festival circuit this year.