TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

In late 1973 London Weekend had decided to give the then perceived graveyard shift of Saturday morning TV a tryout. They commissioned Saturday Scene, hosted by Sally James. It was not much more than a collection of cartoon shows, pop promos and occasional pop guests, all linked by James in a continuity style later adapted by BBC's "broom cupboard" in the 1980s for weekday tea-time programming.

Proving popular it was expanded to accommodate other shows, eventually giving time to both Supersonic and London Bridge. Writer and broadcaster Michael Wale was given a twenty-five minute segment in which he would interview visiting pop stars, film stars and directors, plus filmed articles on fashion, politics, sport and giving time to anyone on the plugging trail. It was targeted at an older audience than that of Supersonic, so looked a little out of place, but at least the idea of the show proved popular. It brought us everything from Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam discussing Monty Python an the Holy Grail, Ken Russell talking about his movie of The Who's Tommy, Mary Whitehouse, Rob Davis of Mud talking about yoga, the band Hello and their hobby of candle making, Roy Wood discussing his love for painting, and a cooking with the stars spot featuring Sparks.

Mike Smith, the producer of London Bridge, later took over the production of the whole of Saturday Scene, while the London Bridge concept would be later expanded into The London Weekend Show, starting on 28th June 1975 and, like its predecessor, incorporated into Saturday Scene, albeit for the first week.

LONDON BRIDGE

London Weekend

28th September 1974 - (probably) 10th May 1975