TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 -
Ross' shortest run on TV to date, a mere four months before the plug was pulled and that included a month long break.
Starting off on a Sunday night the show drew the stars straight away with a live set and interview with Phil Collins on the first show, but the mixture of chat and music that worked so well before for some reason didn't work so well this time around. Thankfully, controversy came to the rescue. On the third shows a discussion about the UK rave scene suddenly became a bondage session when one of the participants in a gesture worthy of the suffragettes handcuffed himself to the host. Ross, despite a verbal warning to the guest, kept remarkably composed throughout and was cut free during the commercial break.
Despite some top shelf musical talent the show would really be remembered for its comedy. Knock Down Ginger would be a Celebrity Squares quiz show played out by comedians and actors including Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Charlie Higson, Kathy Burke and Paul Whitehouse. Reeves had done something similar with Square Celebrities on The Tube a few years' before.
After a New Year break the series came back in February 1990, but now moved to a more familiar Friday night spot, but it wouldn't save the show. After a stint guest hosting the Wogan show for the BBC he would be back on Channel 4 with Tonight With Jonathan Ross.
ONE HOUR WITH JONATHAN ROSS
C4 / Channel X
5th November 1989 -
