TOTP returns at Christmas

[Pip Madeley]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7699262.stm

Cowell wants to take TOTP to ITV

X Factor judge Simon Cowell has said he would like to buy the rights to the Top of the Pops from the BBC and broadcast it on ITV. "I would rather it came to us than just sit in the dustbin," he said.

On Tuesday, the BBC announced The Top of the Pops Christmas Special - a regular fixture in the festive viewing calendar - will not be shown this year.

"If the BBC wanted to do a deal, and I can get ITV to buy it and broadcast it, I'd put it on ITV," said Cowell. Speaking at the 14th National Television Awards in London on Wednesday night, he said he would be approaching the BBC. "Possibly tomorrow," he added. On Thursday, the BBC said they haven't been approached by Cowell.

Cowell has joined a growing number of people, including Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and pop act The Ting Tings, calling for the show's return. "It's been a good year for music and I think it's part of the tradition. It's not as though people aren't interested in music at the moment," said Cowell. "Maybe we could make it a bit more interesting," he said.

Last year's Top of the Pops seasonal special featured such acts as Girls Aloud, the Proclaimers and singer Kate Nash. The BBC will screen eight special episodes of the programme's archive spin-off, TOTP2, rather than a Christmas special this year. Top of the Pops was decommissioned in 2006 after 42 years on the air.

Si & Simon will enjoy the eye candy in the background of the news clip...

[Milky Tears]

I was going to start a thread about this the other day...



but would've ended up posting something about how Simon Cowell should be shot for crimes against the UK music industry*/destroying my Christmas Number One lovin' childhood. He is a **** of the highest order and there's nothing to stop him putting Cowell's Christmas Countdown on ITV1 at 2pm on Christmas Day if he wanted to. It's just more useless spurt from him and Clifford.

HE REALLY IS A SQUARE-HEADED, SAGGY-MOOBED, CUT MY OWN/PAINTED ON HAIR, CAMP-VOICED, SHORT-ARSED ******.

I look forward to some big scandal utterly destroying his career. Just a shame I probably have to wait another 5-10 years/until he falls out with Max Clifford!

To summarise...

I don't think TOTP on ITV1 is a cool and awesome idea.


* possibly world entertainment industry

[Rob McCow]

Cowell has joined a growing number of people, including Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and pop act The Ting Tings, calling for the show's return.

Andy Burnham and The Ting Tings? That's a formidable army capable of taking on the Spartans from the movie 300!!

Cowell is so lovable. What a star.

[Simon R]

I can't see the BBC selling the rights. I still believe that like Doctor Who before it all it takes is for the right people to be in the right place at the BBC and then it'll be back.

Cowell should do his own version or bring back CD:UK and put it on saturday evening to catch the X-Factor audience.

[Si Hunt]

Yes I have to agree. Unfortunately for us, part of owning something is the right to hold it back and not make it until you want to. As with Who, I think the BBC would rather wait and bring it back when they feel like it, than have someone else re-launch it.

We can only hope that Cowell's bid tells them that this show is needed back NOW, and they quietly put wheels into motion to make it again.

Really, though, it's not rocket science. The only reason it went wrong in the first place was bad management. Not downloads, or iPods, or more TV stations. Stick to the golden TOTP rules (only acts on who are rising or new entries, a handful of performances, some videos and a Radio 1 DJ presenter) and put it on at a decent time (Friday or Saturday at 5pm). The later editions of the old show were awful, featuring performances from dreadful bands who hadn't even got a record deal. Andi Peters just destroyed the show by changing it. Some things don't HAVE to move with the times.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

From the NME -

Axed BBC music show 'Top Of The Pops' could be in line for a comeback.

The programme stopped broadcasting in 2006 but still had a Christmas special and sister show 'Top Of The Pops 2' on the TV.

However the BBC recently announced they would be halting the Christmas special much to public dismay - Simon Cowell even offered to transmit it on ITV.

However despite this it seems the show could return in the future.

Speaking to Timesonline.co.uk the head of music entertainment for BBC TV, Mark Cooper, said: "I would personally love to have a weekly music show on the BBC. It's a sleeping beauty. One day it will come back, in the way that 'Top Gear' and 'Doctor Who' came back.

Cooper added it would not be reinstated due to ratings figures, explaining: "It's probably no longer the case that 'Top Of The Pops' can be revived on the basis of it being an entertainment programme - instead it may have to be judged as a public service."

One unnamed music industry insider explained the programme would have to get with the times.

The source said: "There is only one chance for a comeback, and the programme will fail again if it returns exactly as before. It needs to be more populist and have exclusive content, new songs, that can be put up on YouTube and shared around the internet."

So it's not coming back then.

[WhiteCrow]

Has Cowell reasoned the X-Factor bubble is bursting?

[Si Hunt]

Why would he, it isn't.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

The source said: "There is only one chance for a comeback

Like Doctor Who you mean? *cough* TV Movie *cough!*

and the programme will fail again if it returns exactly as before. It needs to be more populist and have exclusive content, new songs, that can be put up on YouTube and shared around the internet."

Argh!!! No no no no no! It doesn't need to change, it was fine as it was! It only got axed BECAUSE they changed it and started putting on "new songs" that nobody had heard of! The whole POINT of TOTP is it celebrates the hits of the week! Why does nobody realise that? And it never, EVER needs to change.

Si.

[Paul Monk]

Surely Top of the Pops by its very nature is populist (is that even a word?)
Its covers the top 40 which is the measue of the music buyers favourite songs of the week. How is that not populist. Yes they could divert some of the time to exclusives and maybe a bit to alternative genres of music but then they always did that. This guy is talking out of his backside.
Pip and I were watching a Top of the Pops presented by Jarvis from 1995 the other day and there was nothing wrong with it I thought. We also got quite nostalgic about the ITV Chart Show and its Amiga powered facts.

[Pip Madeley]

We also got quite nostalgic about the ITV Chart Show and its Amiga powered facts.

SPONSORED BY TWIX.

[WhiteCrow]

People love music - it's something they like to talk about, and get excited about.

The problem is how do you make a 30 minute program a must see when there are dozens of dedicated music channels?

Top of The Pops has brand and status, which is why I suspect the high trousered one wants to bring it back. And not for instance The Roxy (oh that will sort the men from the boys who can remember it). The music industry has changed. These days it seems like a record gets 4-6 weeks airplay on radio before you're allowed to buy it. TOTP:2008 needs to reflect that.


Personally I'd be a bit more excited to be told they were bringing back The Old Grey Whistle Test ... which'll really sort the men from the boys!

[Si Hunt]

Music may have changed, but the charts these days are surprisingly old fashioned. If anything, chart patterns in the era of downloads have returned to how they were in the 1980's and before, when a record entered low, climbed and then peaked, rather than in the nineties and the age of 'straight in high and drop like a stone'. I can't see why TOTP can't therefore play the big hits of the Top 10 as it always did.

As for competition from music channels, the coup with TOTP would be exactly the above - seeing the top 10 acts perform. Music channels usually only offer videos, and in an unpredictable random stream. TOTP's very nature (having to have an act on to perform that no one had heard of a week ago) could still make it exciting. The videos of the Top 10 may have been circulating on music channels for months before they hit, but performance shows are still rare, and it's not uncommon for a Top 10 record never to have been performed on TV. This is where a new TOTP could score exclusives.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

And just like that, it's back!

Music show Top of the Pops is to return to the BBC over the Christmas holiday period - despite earlier promises it would not be brought back. The Top of the Pops Christmas Special and Top of the Pops New Year's Eve Special will both be presented by Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates. A BBC spokesman said the show would return "bigger and better".

The U-turn comes after calls from pop stars and politicians to reinstate the much-loved music show, which ran for 42 years before being cancelled in 2006. The Christmas special will feature performances from some of the biggest artists of 2008, before counting down to the Christmas number one. The New Year's Eve show - which will review the year in music - is the first time the corporation has shown such a special.

Both shows will appear on BBC One, though transmission times are not yet known. BBC One controller Jay Hunt said: "With shows on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, Top of the Pops has never been bigger. The shows will form the centrepiece of a massive musical offering during the festive season that we hope viewers are really going to enjoy."

Host Fearne Cotton said: "I am beyond excited at the thought of a return to the mighty TOTP studios for these one-off shows. Reggie and I feel truly honoured to be able to introduce this year's number one - both shows are going to be huge."

The BBC said, however, the show would not be returning for a regular series. "This does not signal the return of Top of the Pops," the spokesman said, adding that the show was "not up for sale".

[Rob McCow]

How the f?($ can you make Top of The Pops BIGGER?! A cinema release? It's like saying 'It's gonna be WIDER than ever!'

All they need to do is get the best bands in the studio and show the best videos.

Can they make people care about the Top Ten again? Not with Fearne Bloody Cotton presenting they can't!

[Paul Monk]

Get Jarvis back to present them all!

[SiHart]

Getting Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates back in is just a hlaf hearted effort! Who wants to be reminded of the half arsed failure they made of the show? Get the DJs back in I say!

Si xx

[Milky Tears]

"I am beyond excited at the thought of a return to the mighty TOTP studios for these one-off shows. Reggie and I feel truly honoured to be able to introduce this year's number one - both shows are going to be huge."

Beyond excited? Why does she need to open her mouth?

[Rob McCow]

both shows are going to be huge... bags of s*it.

Oh yes.

[WhiteCrow]

I'm sure I made a comment on their choice of presenter this morning, but I think Fearne-Cotton-lovin' Pip Madeley has deleted it!

Even though he probably has more of realistic chance with Dot Cotton. "You were my Queen of Hearts when you appeared in the Pertwee classic Time Warrior!".

[Pip Madeley]

I'm sure I made a comment on their choice of presenter this morning, but I think Fearne-Cotton-lovin' Pip Madeley has deleted it

I haven't deleted anything, Mike, I posted this morning, edited the thread title and turned my laptop off.

An apology would be nice though.

[Milky Tears]

I apologise for mocking The Cotton, Pip.


She's fine until she opens her mouth.*




* apart from the knobbly knees...

[Carol Baynes]

Pip and I were watching a Top of the Pops presented by Jarvis from 1995 the other day and there was nothing wrong with it I thought.

God, I remember watching that episode like it was yesterday. Very good he was too.

TOTP woul dbe very welcome back, but as Si says, it has to do what it used to do well- celebrate the week's hits. Nowt else.

[Simon R]

We watched it and it was okay. I can't think of anything else to say about it.

[Si Hunt]

It was very probably great, given that I was bound to not like all the acts. Just great popular music, sung live (mostly). Reggie and Fern were great, and it was like the days of old. The only thing that let it down was not having a Chart Rundown of the Singles of the Year, a few dissapointing mimed performances from people who should have known better (I'm sure Leona wasn't live) and an odd feeling of nervousness rather than excitement (maybe it was the mysterious silence behind the linking parts).

But this proved they could bring it back tomorrow and it would be a hit.

Si.