TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

From TV Times - "Jack Jackson introduces personalities, news and music from the world of show business in his regular Saturday night rendezvous from the Embassy Club in Bond Street, London."

Disc jockey Jackson had created a style of presentation that would later be copied by the likes of Kenny Everett where his own patter would be accompanied and / or interrupted by appropriate lines from comedy sketches or songs.

The transition to television came naturally and the new late-night show was an instant success. Accompanied by regulars, who would later include Barbara Windsor, he and his guests would lip-sync a song, sending up the dance interpretation shows of the time like Hit Parade. Other guests would appear to plug their new release, while a "Sing With The Stars" feature was later introduced.

Each show would necessitate between 14-15 set changes which were all done live, while Jackson would try out ideas in his home recording studio in Ricksmonsworth with the show's producer Mark White.

A new version of The Jack Jackson Show began on Sunday afternoons from 16th October 1955, with his Saturday night show now re-titled On The Town and hosted by Ron Randell, but still based at The Embassy Club.

The show was used as ammunition by ITV against the BBC when the show was moved from late Sundays to Saturday evenings in direct competition to the Six-Five Special achieving an increase in its audience.

THE JACK JACKSON SHOW

ATV

24th September 1955 - 17th June 1959