TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Filmed at the Palais, Hammersmith in London and hosted by band leader Phil Tate it was an attempt to bring a little of the popular music dance scene to people's homes. Each week there would be a 'Find The Singer' contest where a member of the viewing public could win £100. There was also a Lucky Spot Quiz and Jackpot. EMI's Columbia Records' also offered a recording test for the finalists from the first series. Two bands would be featured each week, those of host Tate and Lou Preager.

The Find The Singer aspect was very popular, with both Preager and Tate auditioning about 150 singers per week. Preager told TV Times in March 1957 "We are looking for people who could possibly make a hit record. Applicants must not be offended if they come along here with extremely good, well trained voices and yet are not picked." With a wry smile, he added : "You only have to listen to some of today's discs to realise that you don't exactly need operatic training to make a hit record." The audition process would suffer the same affliction that subsequent talent shows would have, singers singing the same few songs.

However with the advent of rock and roll shows like Cool For Cats made it look a little quaint. Even though the show itself had finished, it's show-within-a-show feature Find The Singer was given a life of its own on Associated Rediffusion running from 27th February to 26th June 1959, with the winner receiving £1000 and a contract with Gala Records.

As arcane as the show may seem now, the idea would be continued into the sixties with shows like Ready Steady Go, into the late eighties with The Hitman and Her, and today with Strictly Come Dancing.

PALAIS PARTY

Associated Rediffusion

8th June 1956 - 3rd July 1958