The BBC had decided that with its access to Eurovision and the new technology of
colour TV, the PAL system in this case, it could be beneficial to link up with other
European countries and co-produce potentially expensive shows. Colour TV technology
was still new and working with a country that used the same PAL system would be financially
beneficial. In fact, all of Europe, bar France would use the PAL system for colour
broadcasting.
It was suggested by Tom Sloan, BBC head of light entertainment while at the Montreux
television festival in 1969 that there could be a Eurovision Top Of The Pops each
month with participating countries sending over their number one record via Eurovision.
ATV had successfully made deals with American broadcasters for co-productions, so
maybe the BBC could do the same, but closer to home. Sweden had agreed to the idea,
with Hans Lagerkvist, programme manager of the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation claiming
"The show would be shown each month, giving viewers the best of European pop music".
Despite this idea not taking root the BBC wouldn't give up on the concept for European
co-productions.
The show was co-produced by the BBC in Britain and ZDF in West Germany, while many
of the songs used in the show had been hits in both countries. The show would be
hosted, mostly in English, by German actress Elfi von Kalckreuth (speaking German
and English) and Jimmy Savile (who barely spoke English). Despite being a co-production
between two countries it would be mostly English language acts who would take up
screen time, with only one German act appearing, and then that was on film, and even
then it was only an instrumental.
Rounding up the best British pop acts would be fairly easy for the producers, however
The Bee Gees, The Dave Clark Five and Engelbert Humperdinck, all of whom were originally
scheduled to appear in the show, dropped out. Dusty Springfield had to cancel due
to illness but is still listed in the credits. She was due to perform You Don't Have
To Say You Love Me and an introduction was recorded by the hosts. Cilla Black also
had to cancel pre-recording due to illness and was eventually represented with a
recent BBC TV clip in colour.
Although not strictly speaking a Top of the Pops production it utilises some of the
set design from the Christmas and Boxing Day shows and dance troupe The Ascot Dancers,
who only appeared to been used over the Christmas / New Year period. The orchestra
would be directed by the great Johnny Harris, while the show itself was produced
by Klaus Weising (credited as Associate Producer) for ZDF and Johnnie Stewart for
the BBC.
Recorded at BBC TV Centre on the 19th December 1969 with a small audience in attendance
and broadcast between 10.35 - 11.50 pm on the BBC in the UK. The German transmission
date and time is unknown. It is assumed they broadcast the same recording.
The UK track listing is as follows...
The Who - I Can See For Miles
Adam Faith - What Do You Want, Someone Else's Baby (live)
The Tremeloes - Silence Is Golden (live vocal over the record)
Lulu - Boom Bang A Bang (live)
Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - Midnight In Moscow (live)
The Bachelors - Charmaine / Diane (live)
Sandie Shaw - There's Always Something There To Remind Me, Wiedehopf Im Mai (German
language version of Puppet On A String) (live)
The Marmalade - Ob La Di Ob La Da (re-recorded vocal over the record)
The Johnny Harris Orchestra - Satisfaction (The Ascot Dancers)
The Kinks - Days (live vocal over the record with Ray Davies playing keyboards rather
than guitar)
Horst Jankowski - A Walk In The Black Forest (film clip)
The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother (live vocal over the record)
Helen Shapiro - Walkin' Back To Happiness (live)
Tom Jones - Delilah (black and white TOTP clip tinted different colours)
The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter (live vocal over the record - a pre-recorded insert
from 12th December session at the BBC)
Cilla Black - Anyone Had A Heart (live) (from Cilla TV show)
The Shadows - Apache
Cliff Richard & The Shadows - Bachelor Boy (live vocal over the record)
Cliff Richard - Congratulations (live)
The Beatles - I Feel Fine, Help! (Shea Stadium 1965 clip)
The Beatles - Twist and Shout (playout over credits)
After this one-off transmission the BBC would persevere with Euro co-productions.
1971's Cilla in Scandinavia was a joint production between the BBC and YLE TV1 in
Finland, NRK in Norway and SR TV2 in Sweden, Rolf Harris and Engelbert Humperdinck
had entire series co-produced with Germany's ZDF, while the music drama The Getaway,
starring Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John was a Swedish co-production.
The show has been re-broadcast in several different edits over the years by the BBC,
but due to the controversy relating to Savile it will not be repeated complete again.
