TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

It's back to Television Centre and the next instalment of Lulu's descent into Light Entertainment purgatory. It was odd that only the BBC served up this kind of entertainment, ITV bypassing it altogether, preferring to use comedians or all-round entertainers as hosts with musical guests rather than musical hosts with guest comedians.

Lulu would play host to and sing duets with It Ain't Half Hot Mum's Michael Bates, emu jockey Bernie Clifton, Dad's Amy's Ian Lavender, wrestler Jackie Pallo, actor Richard O'Sullivan, mic' dropper Norman Collier, Billy Dainty, Ray Allen and Lord Charles, Basil Brush and Dickie Henderson. Plainly the producers might have been more at home with Crackerjack.

However, Lulu had been awarded the honour of recording the new James Bond theme The Man With The Golden Gun which she belted out twice during the series. As usual, any major BBC variety host who had a record out could find short cut to Top Of The Pops and sure enough Take Your Mama For A Ride was promoted on the show in March.

The rest of the mid seventies were a succession of Andy Stewart Shows and Seaside Specials while she waited for a long overdue revival.

LULU

BBC1

4th January 1975 - 5th April 1975