November 29, 20231 yr Author Aside from televised festival footage, can anyone list what BBC/ITV shows still have an element of a live performance by a major artist? This can include talent shows such as Strictly as well as late night talk shows. Later... with Jools Holland/Hootenanny Strictly The One Show Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway The Graham Norton Show The Jonathan Ross Show Michael McIntyre's Big Show Comic Relief/Children in Need BBC New Years' Eve show The National Lottery's Big Bash Brits/Mercury Prize coverage The Voice UK (and that was just for the final last year) This Morning/Lorraine sometimes do, but not very often. I think that's about it, bar the very occasional one-off things like 'An Audience with Kylie'.
November 29, 20231 yr The audience shows usually are on in December too! The Royal Variety too I guess!
November 30, 20231 yr The problem Top of the Pops is always going to have is the 18-25 age group grew up in a post-totp world so holds no nostalgia for them and those of use old enough to remember it as a weekly show have reached the modern music is rubbish age. My issue with the Christmas totps of recent years is the number of songs on the show that never got into the Top 40. To me totp is all about the Top 40, anything that didn't make the Top 40 shouldn't be on the show. Furthmore, the majority of acts on the show either seem to be an Ed Sheeran clone or a David Guetta clone which really doesn't put modern music in good light. It seems to be more artists that the BBC want to ram down our throats than ones doing well in the charts.
December 1, 20231 yr The Christmas specials did become like that but probably because that’s the artists they could get to perform at that time.
December 1, 20231 yr Sounds Like Friday Night was a bloody awful box ticking exercise, up there with the ill fated Tim Kash relaunch of TOTP that ultimately killed off the weekly show 20 years ago. I've come to accept now that the BBC with the way it's heading aren't gonna prioritise a mainstream chart music show in their schedules. I suppose at least we have the 90s TOTP reruns starting now which is some comfort.
December 1, 20231 yr I agree I’m glad there’s some sort of show but surely the classic TOTP format wouldn’t be hard to achieve with local acts like Sam Ryder, Becky Hill and Jax Jones! You just answered why they don't do it because who wants to watch Sam Ryder and Becky Hill.
December 3, 20231 yr I think there would be a huge appetite for an old school Xmas day TOTP… the reason rating went down (in my opinion) is because they kept moving it earlier and earlier in the schedule. If it was on later in the afternoon people would watch and enjoy it. There is so much great music and I am sure many artists would love the prime time exposure. I just think the BBC gets it wrong…. The review show last year was terrible, and very boring. And basically was obsessed with Glastonbury. I’m all here for a proper TOTP - sadly I doubt that will ever happen again
December 3, 20231 yr Author I think there would be a huge appetite for an old school Xmas day TOTP… the reason rating went down (in my opinion) is because they kept moving it earlier and earlier in the schedule. If it was on later in the afternoon people would watch and enjoy it. There is so much great music and I am sure many artists would love the prime time exposure. I just think the BBC gets it wrong…. The review show last year was terrible, and very boring. And basically was obsessed with Glastonbury. I’m all here for a proper TOTP - sadly I doubt that will ever happen again The New Years 2019 episode was on at around 17:00… it only received 1.6m viewers though (1.5m live).
December 3, 20231 yr I agree that most things later in the afternoon on Xmas day are ratings champions because everyone is at home whereas at 12 midday many are at mass and visiting family
December 20, 20231 yr Author It's currently set to air on BBC Two on December 28th at 18:30. This has since been confirmed!
December 21, 20231 yr Anyone know when all the Christmas TOTP 2 episodes show? They're not showing any of them apart from the "Christmas Hits" compilation. I think they're all getting a bit old. Surprising they haven't made a "Christmas at the BBC" yet.
December 21, 20231 yr Anyone know when all the Christmas TOTP 2 episodes show? There hasn't been a new episode since 2015. Maybe you are referring to the previous episodes.
December 21, 20231 yr One other thing I will say on this... last weekend ITV showed a highlights package from the Capital Jingle Bell Ball that was at the O2 a couple of weeks ago, hosted by Roman Kemp, Sian Welby and Chris Stark off the Capital breakfast show. I have to say, I'd be here for ITV airing this annually. It was a good mix of both current artists who have had hits this year (Jax Jones, Tate McRae, Tom Grennan, Leigh-Anne) along with a mixture of retro favourites (Busted, S Club, Take That) and it felt to the touch like the Christmas Day TOTP used to. It got the right mix and the right presentation and I've not felt that way watching a current pop music show on telly in a long time.
December 21, 20231 yr There hasn't been a new episode since 2015. Maybe you are referring to the previous episodes. Yeh that’s what I meant - they usually show an old one. As Acerben said the Xmas hits show is on but Ive that one taped since last year lol
December 21, 20231 yr One other thing I will say on this... last weekend ITV showed a highlights package from the Capital Jingle Bell Ball that was at the O2 a couple of weeks ago, hosted by Roman Kemp, Sian Welby and Chris Stark off the Capital breakfast show. I have to say, I'd be here for ITV airing this annually. It was a good mix of both current artists who have had hits this year (Jax Jones, Tate McRae, Tom Grennan, Leigh-Anne) along with a mixture of retro favourites (Busted, S Club, Take That) and it felt to the touch like the Christmas Day TOTP used to. It got the right mix and the right presentation and I've not felt that way watching a current pop music show on telly in a long time. A bit Smash Hits Poll Winners Party isn't it? They showed the Summertime one earlier in the year too.
December 21, 20231 yr I only just realised that Top Of The Pops Xmas is still happening this year. I had previously looked at all the listings from 23rd to 26th December and when I didn't find it I concluded that they had axed it, but apparently it's been shunted to the 28th this year. I feel like they are deliberately trying to make it harder to find with each year, so as to bring the remaining audience down quicker and justify killing it off completely. I didn't mind it being on late on Christmas Eve lst year as those of is that wanted to stick to our tradition and watch it during Christmas Day could still stream it on the day, but they have made that impossible this year (unless it goes on iPlayer a few days ahead of the broadcast?) meaning that for the first time since 1966 it is impossible to watch a new Top Of The Pops special on the big day itself.
December 21, 20231 yr I only just realised that Top Of The Pops Xmas is still happening this year. I had previously looked at all the listings from 23rd to 26th December and when I didn't find it I concluded that they had axed it, but apparently it's been shunted to the 28th this year. I feel like they are deliberately trying to make it harder to find with each year, so as to bring the remaining audience down quicker and justify killing it off completely. I didn't mind it being on late on Christmas Eve lst year as those of is that wanted to stick to our tradition and watch it during Christmas Day could still stream it on the day, but they have made that impossible this year (unless it goes on iPlayer a few days ahead of the broadcast?) meaning that for the first time since 1966 it is impossible to watch a new Top Of The Pops special on the big day itself. I think it's technically a better slot this year though really. And I think if they didn't want to do it at all they'd just stop.
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