The Day The Top of Pops Was Killed

07/26/2011
. (Gibson) "Forty-two years ago I said welcome on the very first Top of the Pops," said Sir Jimmy Savile as he introduced the last-ever edition of the BBC's long running pop music flagship, Top of the Pops.

It was on this day in 2006 when assorted presenters from over the years as well as 200 audience members gathered to film the final show. The BBC had decided some months previously that TOTP could no longer compete with the plethora of 24-hour music channels available to fans. And indeed it was 42 years since Savile welcomed Britain to the program from a dis-used church on Dickenson Road in Manchester. The Beeb didn't expect the program to last more than a few episodes and originally commissioned just six shows. But after audiences saw the first episode, it was obvious that the mix of studio and filmed footage tied to a chart rundown was a winner.

The Rolling Stones kicked off the proceedings in 1964 with "I Wanna Be Your Man," followed by Dusty Springfield crooning "I Only Want to be with You," then the Dave Clark Five with "Glad All Over," the Hollies with "Stay" and the Swinging Blue Jeans doing "Hippy Hippy Shake," all in the studio. On film came Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Freddie and the Dreamers, and finally, The Beatles, with that week's #1, "I Want to Hold Your Hand." more on this story

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