That's interesting. 1981 was the year I first saw Top of the Pops. The episode I saw definitely had Adam and the Ants at number one with Prince Charmng and quite possibly had Ottawan doing Hands Up and The Tweets doing their Birdie Song. Anyone know if that episode has been Yewtreed?

Found it! 1st October 1981 with Mike Read as host! Hooray for the UKIP fascist!

a very sad TOTP for me, still vivid in my mind after 35 years. Everything seemed more emotional for me, and the happier-sounding hits didn't get through to me till the new year really.

 

 

Time for the next instalment, and a show overshadowed by the assassination of John Lennon just three days before broadcast. Richard Skinner is the host, going for the geography teacher look. Someone forgot to tell him that most people had colour telly by then.

 

Earlier in the day, the Blue Peter team lit the first candle on their Advent Crown. Do they still do this? It’s a 40-minute programme this time, so there will be more cuts.

 

A great start to the show with Adam & The Ants. In a failed early attempt to introduce karaoke, they displayed the lyrics to the audience.

 

First riveting interview of the evening is with birthday boy, Jermaine Jackson.

 

The obligatory Showaddywaddy appearance has been cut. Someone’s in trouble.

 

Still, that means the quality is maintained with Madness.

 

I don’t remember this Status Quo song at all - apart from its resemblance to most of their other songs. It’s a good boogie apparently.

 

We finally get a mention of the news about Lennon, followed by some up-to-date news.

 

We would have had Matchbox doing a rockabilly version of Over The Rainbow mashed up with You Belong To Me but we have been spared that particular treat. Ah well,….

 

We move on to The Police with a song whose title must be a tribute to Eurovision. Sting keeps his shirt on this time.

 

It’s the purple bit of the chart rundown.

 

Classic stuff from Queen at number 20, complete with Brian Blessed. Not so long ago, Gordon was a moron. Now we’re being reassured that Gordon’s alive!!!

 

The red bit of the rundown finishes with Stray Cats at number ten. Obviously, they have the best haircuts this week.

 

The top nine rundown ends with Abba still at number one. Altogether now “Super Dooper,,,,” Oh,we’re getting the credits over the number one.

 

There’s only one way this particular episode could have ended. Instead of a chart hit, we get John Lennon’s Imagine without that white piano.

A new Christmas episode of TOTP2 is scheduled to air on BBC Two on Saturday at 9:45pm :)

 

Mark Radcliffe returns with another special Christmas edition of Top of the Pops 2, delivering a smorgasbord of festive delights straight from the BBC vaults.

 

Trawled from the depths of the BBC archive treasure chest, there are some Christmastide gems to get you in a festive mood this season, including rarely seen footage of Sir Tom Jones frolicking in the snow, a classic Top of the Pops Christmas performance from superstar Adele and Britpop legends Pulp wigging out in Christmas attire to their classic Common People.

 

And while you wrap your presents and write your cards, enjoy a unique performance from the much-missed late Cilla Black.

 

Plus it wouldn't be TOTP2 Christmas without a smattering of some perennial favourites such as Wizzard, Slade, Wham, Jona Lewie, The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl and the inimitable Shakin' Stevens!

 

So sit back and enjoy a festive feast of Christmas treats from Top of the Pops of Christmas Past...

This Saturday??

 

But early for this, I usually enjoy watching this after coming home from the pub on Xmas eve at around 8-8.30 - very Christmassy time.

 

Looking forward to it though and I'm sure we will get plenty of repeats before the end of the month.

That's much too early...and annoying as we will be out. Think I'll tape it and watch it on the 23rd or some time closer to Christmas!

 

I was wondering a bit whether John Lennon would even be mentioned on the show - when Starting Over was at 21 on the rundown they didn't seem to even acknowledge it. But then it all went dark (or grey in the case of Richard Skinner) at the end. Not sure if a lot of it had already been recorded before the news came through?

 

At least no Abba at number one next week...

That's much too early...and annoying as we will be out. Think I'll tape it and watch it on the 23rd or some time closer to Christmas!

 

I was wondering a bit whether John Lennon would even be mentioned on the show - when Starting Over was at 21 on the rundown they didn't seem to even acknowledge it. But then it all went dark (or grey in the case of Richard Skinner) at the end. Not sure if a lot of it had already been recorded before the news came through?

 

At least no Abba at number one next week...

That's what I think happened. I suspect it was recorded earlier than normal that week (Lennon was killed on a Monday / Tuesday night). If you look at the news section, there was no audience in shot, so that part may also have been recorded later. The only strange thing is that the rundown couldn't have been recorded until the Tuesday, so they would have known the news at that time.

The Story of 1981 - Friday 8th January 21.00 - 22.00

TOTP Big Hits 1981 - Friday 8th January 22.00 - 23.00

Thanks for the info, is it not usually on New Year's Day?

I notice December 1980 was when Kate bush peaked at 29 with 'December will be Magic Again', does she perform this on TOTPs?

Thanks for the info, is it not usually on New Year's Day?

 

It's probably because the New Years Day edition was hosted by DLT and sadly given today's news that he has lost his appeal the BBC won't

be changing their decision not to show his shows unfortunately.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europ...n-34269019.html

Edited December 8, 20159 yr by Santa Mark

We move on to mid December and an episode hosted by Simon Bates. With no school programmes, BBC1 didn’t have any programmes until the lunchtime news at 12.45. At 14.00, it closed down again for almost two hours.

 

The Beat get things underway. Another middling start. Things could get a lot better, or they could get a lot worse. They have, on the other hand, set the “convincing miming” standard rather low.

 

The first guests are self-proclaimed comedians Little And Large.

 

The editor gets special bonus points this week. That choir and the Barron Knights have both been cut. It was probably the first time ever that an appearance from the Barron Knights marked an upturn in quality. It’s also the only time that leaving Little & Large in has been the better option.

 

Back on course now and it’s a return to ska with The Specials.

 

Time for an advert for the new TOTP album and news of the Not The Nine O’Clock News album, followed by Gary Numan in the studio. Yes, he’s performing a song called Wreckage just after getting a pilot’s licence.

 

On to the first (yellow) part of the chart rundown. Note the lack of any festive classics.

 

A repeat showing for Robert Palmer, still searching for those clues, has also been cut.

 

Next, it’s a return to the barrel. Chas & Dave are the latest to be scraped from the bottom and the first to survive the editor’s knife.

 

The next bit of the chart rundown (green now) then it’s back to the barrel. It’s The Nolans.

 

The top ten rundown pauses for the magnificent Jona Lewie. His real name is John Lewis, so he started the John Lewis Christmas tradition many years ago.

 

We end with John Lennon, one of many greats who had to die before getting a number one song, a solo number one in his case. Legs & Co have done a new routine for it with festive costumes. Oh dear.

 

That’s it for 1980. The Christmas and New Year’s TOTPs are Yewtreed, so we won’t be seeing them. The usual preview of the coming year, 1981, will be shown over Christmas before the shows themselves (apart from the ones they can’t show) resume in January.

Think someone said the preview show is t on until Jan 8th.

I won't have such things said about Little and Large and Chas and Dave - both favourites of mine as a youngster! At least Eddie's jokes were bang up to date and based on the top 10...not that funny, but up to date!

Can I ask did Wizzard have a TOTPs performance in December 1973?

Xmas Day. BBC4. 10.05 pm - TOTP Christmas 1975

10.55 pm - TOTP Christmas 1979.

 

 

Assume these are the originals but always thought 1975 had been wiped.

Can I ask did Wizzard have a TOTPs performance in December 1973?

 

Not on the Year end shows, that was See My Baby Jive, and I maybe Angel Fingers, but Roy & the gang did at least 2 prior to that, dressed as Santa.