TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Hosted by ORS presenter and Radio 1 DJ Peter Powell Get Set For Summer was a replacement for Swap Shop / Superstore during the months when you're less likely to be watching TV on a Saturday morning. Talking to the Daily Mirror ahead of the debut Powell claimed that he was not a Noel Edmonds clone "I hope well provide lots of fun and entertainment.  We'll certainly be getting out and about more than Swap Shop." A rather bizarre claim about what the potential audience wanted was also made in the same article "Producer David Brown did a survey among 1,000 youngsters to find out the sort of things they wanted. The answer was clear: fashion, sport—especially motorbikes — pop and old-time silent movies. So Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy will have regular slots in the show." It just so happened that BBC2 had been showing these classics during the week. Co-presenting the show was violinist and sometime member of Jethro Tull Lucie Skeaping, who also wrote the show's theme tune. Future Blue Peter presenter Mark Curry would also co-host, while there would also on occasion be guest hosts like Pauline Black (well on her way to becoming a regular face on TV) and Suzi Quatro.

It had a traditional menu, reports on outdoor sports, hobbies, activities and lots of pop. But the pop quota was top shelf with Duran Duran, U2, Depeche Mode, ABC, The Jam, Toyah, Yazoo, Altered Images, Hazel O'Connor, Spandau Ballet etc all appearing and sometimes actually playing live in the studio.

The first series was only six shows (July to August), but it was back the following year from April (still Spring actually) up to late September, so it must have pleased the BBC schedulers, but to accommodate the time of year the title was shortened to Get Set from 19th June 1982 onwards. The second series saw just Powell and Curry left with no guest presenters, while a video vote was introduced along with a new Videopop feature. Peter Powell came and went throughout the 1982 series, eventually leaving in late summer.

By the third series in 1983 Curry was now co-hosting with Deborah Appleby, but Peter Powell was back in late May hosting his own feature, Poparound, where he would interview pop stars. Halfway through the run on 23th July 1983 the show's format and title changed again. This time it became The Get Set Picture Show with emphasis on current movies, but pop was still on the menu.

Predictably it concluded its Mum to Mud to Dud to Dad phase by changing its name yet again on 21st April 1984 when it became The Saturday Picture Show, but despite the title it would still have pop acts, usually interviewed by a returning-yet-again Peter Powell, who would also review new promo videos. Powell appears to have been replaced by Gary Davies, another Radio One DJ, who joined for the 1985 series.

It was superceded in 1987 by the long-forgotten It's Wicked.

GET SET FOR SUMMER / GET SET / GET SET PICTURE SHOW / SATURDAY PICTURE SHOW

BBC1

11th July 1981 - 20th September 1986