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TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

One of ATV's many transatlantic shows, intended to appeal to both the UK and USA, but with emphasis on the USA, so all the UK acts would be known in the USA, but few of the USA acts would be so well known in the UK. The show was titled Showtime in the USA.


It didn't seem to be a continuous weekly show, but shown when they had been finished, or available. Despite the poor reaction from the public the show was in the safe hands of writer Barry Cryer and choreographer Lionel Blair.


From the NME 9th December 1967 "Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro, Shelley Berman, the Acker Bilk Band and Los Paraguayos star in the third of ATV's new "Showitime" series, which is being filmed this Sunday (10th) for screening in America. Guests in the first two editions included Cliff Richard, Mireille Mathieu, the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and the Dallas Bays. Already lined up for further shows to be filmed in the New Year are the Shadows, the Dave Clark Five and Kenneth McKellar. The second series of "Showtime" will 'be transmitted in Britain in the Sunday-night variety spot from early April - after all nine shows of the first series have been screened. As previously reported, Engelbert Humperdinck is in the edition which ATV puts out on December 17." This was actually broadcast on that date as 'Spotlight.'



THE BIG SHOW


ATV

7th April 1968 - 14 July 1968