TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Pre-ITV era 1950 - 21st September 1955

1950

Friday 28th April 1950

BBC Kaleidoscope

Petula Clark

Sunday 18th June 1950

BBC Sunday Serenade

Petula Clark

Friday 11th August 1950

BBC Starlight

Petula Clark

Sunday 1st October 1950

BBC For The Children

Josh White sings

Friday 3rd November 1950

BBC Kaleidoscope

Petula Clark

Friday 24th November 1950

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Joe Henderson

Friday 1st December 1950

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Joe Henderson

Friday 8th December 1950

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Joe Henderson

1951

Saturday 17th November 1951

BBC Top Hat Rendezvous

Josh White

Friday 14th December 1951

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Friday 21st December 1951

BBC Kaleidoscope

Petula Clark

Tuesday 25th December 1951

BBC Christmas Party

Petula Clark

1952

Monday 4th February 1952

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Monday 18th February 1952

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Sunday 2nd March 1952

BBC Daily Mail Television Awards

Petula Clark

Tuesday 4th March 1952

BBC The Monster of Killoon

movie with Petula Clark

Saturday 26th April 1952

BBC On Show In Manchester

Petula Clark

Wednesday 14th May 1952

BBC How Do You View

Jimmy Young

Wednesday 28th May 1952

BBC How Do You View

Jimmy Young

Wednesday 11th June 1952

BBC How Do You View

Jimmy Young

Wednesday 16th July 1952

BBC A Flight Of Fancy

Jimmy Young

Wednesday 30th July 1952

BBC Petula Clark

Tuesday 12th August 1952

BBC Leisure and Pleasure

Jimmy Young

Monday 13th October 1952

BBC Petula Clark

Saturday 25th October 1952

BBC This Is Showbusiness

Jimmy Young

Tuesday 16th December 1952

BBC Petula Clark

Thursday 25th December 1952

BBC Christmas Party

Petula Clark

1953

Tuesday 13th January 1953

BBC Petula Clark

Friday 24th July 1953

BBC Pet's Parlour

Petula Clark

Tuesday 8th September 1953

BBC The 1953 Radio Show

Petula Clark

Friday 11th December 1953

BBC Starlight

Annette Klooger

Also this year

BBC Shop Window (September 1953)

The King Brothers

1954

Friday 1st January 1954

BBC Hollywood Hit Parade

Compilation of MGM musicals

Frank Sinatra

Wednesday 13th January 1954

BBC unknown show

Rosemary Clooney

Tuesday 9th March 1954

BBC Four O'Clock In The Morning Blues

contents unknown

Friday 12th March 1954

BBC Hollywood Hit Parade

Compilation of MGM musicals

Frank Sinatra

Tuesday 4th May 1954

BBC Jazz Session

From the Ice Rink, Streatham, London

The Humphrey Lyttelton All-Stars

Humphrey Lyttelton (trumpet)

Wally Fawkes (clarinet)

Bruce Turner (alto-saxophone)

George Chisholm (trombone)

Micky Ashman (bass)

Fitzroy Coleman (guitar)

Eric Delaney (drums)

Mike McKenzie (piano)

and Marie Bryant

Friday 7th May 1954

BBC Garrison Theatre

Petula Clark

Saturday 26th June 1954

BBC Three's A Crowd

Petula Clark

Tuesday 29th June 1954

BBC Music Music Music!

quiz with Petula Clark

Friday 13th August 1954

BBC Time For Dancing

Jimmy Young

Monday 29th November 1954

BBC Jazz Session

Dill Jones (piano)

Joe Muddel (bass)

Eddie Taylor (drums)

Bert Courtley (trumpet)

Bill Le Sage (vibes)

Friday 17th December 1954

BBC Cabaret

Petula Clark

Saturday 18th December 1954

BBC The Crosby Christmas Hour

Bing Crosby

Rosemary Clooney

Tuesday 21st December 1954

BBC London Town

Len Hunt's Archer Street drum shop featured in an article

Saturday 25th December 1954

BBC Christmas Party

Petula Clark

1955

Sunday 2nd January 1955

BBC Children's Television

Petula Clark

Monday 3rd January 1955

BBC Quite Contrary

Ruby Murray

Saturday 8th January 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Frances Day & The Seven Knights

John Hanson

Wednesday 12th January 1955

BBC Face The Music

Glen Mason

Thursday 13th January 1955

BBC Twelfth Night Out

Alma Cogan

Friday 14th January 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Petula Clark

Saturday 15th January 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his band

BBC The Benny Hill Show

Alma Cogan

Four in A Chord - Waiting At The Gate For Kate

Monday 24th January 1955

BBC Show Case

The Peter Crawford Trio

Mel Taylor - Everything I Have Is Yours, How Deep Is The Ocean

Bethe Douglas - You Were Meant For Me, The Man That Got Away

Tuesday 25th January 1955

BBC Is Jazz Music?

live jazz from the ballroom of the ice rink, Streatham, London

Hosted by Denis Preston

Humphrey Lyttelton and his Band

Duke Diamond and The All Stars:

George Chisholm (trombone)

Harry Klein (baritone sax)

Eric Delaney (drums)

Bruce Turner (alto sax)

Jack Fallon (bass)

Cedric West (guitar)

Mike McKenzie (piano)

Wednesday 26th January 1955

BBC The David Nixon Show

Johnnie Grey and his rhythm band

Saturday 29th January 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Monday 31st January 1955

BBC Quite Contrary

Ruby Murray

Monte Ray

Mantovani and his orchestra

Saturday 5th February 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Georgia Brown - The Man Who Got Away, Bal Petit Bal

Sunday 6th February 1955

BBC This Is Television

Presentation of the Daily Mail National Television Awards for 1954-1955

Pearl Carr

Monday 7th February 1955

BBC Three New Faces

Eartha Kitt (on film)

BBC Rhyme and Rhythm

Tony Brent

Tuesday 8th February 1955

BBC The Sing In His Workshop

David Franklin

Wednesday 9th February 1955

BBC Face The Music

Elisabeth Welch

Saturday 12th February 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

BBC The Benny Hill Show

Alma Cogan

Wednesday 16th February 1955

BBC Bing Crosby

An edited version of the previous years' Christmas show (18th December 1954)

Saturday 19th February 1955

BBC Ralph Reader Presents It's A Great Life

Elisabeth Welch

Betty Reilly - Hey Mambo, Rain

The Hedley Ward Trio - Who Dat?

Sunday 20th February 1955

BBC unknown show

The Dave Lavey Band

Saturday 26th February 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Monday 28th February 1955

BBC Quite Contrary

Ruby Murray

Muriel Young

Margaret Mitchell - Oh My Beloved Father, I Speak To The Stars

Ronnie Hilton - A Blossom Fell, I Still Believe

Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra

Saturday 4th March 1955

BBC Variety Parade

The Waldron Sisters

Tuesday 8th March 1955

BBC A Star Is Born

The premier of the movie with Judy Garland

Wednesday 9th March 1955

BBC Henry Hall Invites You To Face The Music

Eve Boswell - Baby It's Cold Outside

Four In A Chord

Saturday 12th March 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

BBC The Benny Hill Show

Alma Cogan

Four-in-a-Chord

Thursday 17th March 1955

BBC The Centre Show

Ruby Murray

Saturday 19th March 1955

BBC Ralph Reader Presents It's A Great Life

Eugenie Baird - Melancholy Baby, Limehouse Blues

Monday 21st March 1955

BBC Show Case

The Londonaires

Wednesday 23rd March 1955

BBC From Our Library 'London Pride'

Music composed and played by Larry Adler

BBC Starlight

Petula Clark

Friday 25th March 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Pearl Carr

Saturday 26th March 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Monday 28th March 1955

BBC Music For You

Cy Grant

Thursday 31st March 1955

BBC Dance Music Through The Ages

The Nat Temple Orchestra

Saturday 2nd April 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Jerry Wayne - Face Of An Angel Heart Of A Devil

Billy Anthony - Don't Need This House No Longer

Tuesday 5th April 1955

ITV Jazz Interlude 7.00 pm - ? (A test transmission shown via the Sutton Coldfield and London transmitters)

Music from six amateur jazz musicians from the Midlands

Friday 8th April 1955

BBC Frank Chacksfield

Saturday 9th April 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

BBC Saturday Night Date (first edition)

Ruby Murray

Thursday 14th April 1955

BBC Leave It To Jackson

hosted by Jack Jackson

Jimmy Young (possibly)

Saturday 16th April 1955

BBC Children's Television

The Alberts

The King Brothers

Monday 18th April 1955

BBC Show Case

Morris, Marty and Mitch (a comedy and music trio featuring Marty Feldman)

Edna Savage

BBC Rhyme and Rhythm

Alma Cogan

Saturday 23rd April 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Thursday 28th April 1955

BBC Edmondo Ros Entertains 8.30 - 9.00 pm

Saturday 30th April 1955

BBC Children's Television: Sugar and Spice

The Alberts

The King Brothers

BBC The Appleyards

The Phoenix Jazzband

Monday 2nd May 1955

BBC Face The Music

The Keynotes

Patti Lewis

Tuesday 3rd May 1955

BBC Starlight

The Beverley Sisters

Wednesday 4th May 1955

BBC Children's Television

Chris Barber's Jazz Band

BBC Evergreen

The Copa Cousins

BBC Leave It To Jackson

hosted by Jack Jackson

Friday 6th May 1955

BBC Down In The Valley

Kurt Weill musical drama

Saturday 7th May 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Monday 9th May 1955

BBC Bless 'Em All

Vera Lynn

Wednesday 11th May 1955

BBC Off The Record 9.00 - 9.30 pm (first edition)

Hosted by Jack Payne

The Four Aces

George Shearing (possibly)

Saturday 14th May 1955

BBC Children's Television

The Alberts

The King Brothers

BBC Leave It To Jackson (first of three shows) 8.15 - 8.45 pm

DJ Jack Jackson 'talks' to stars using the cut up technique he developed on his radio show

Jimmy Young

BBC Secombe's Here

Harry Secombe

Shirley Eaton (as a singer)

Saturday 21st May 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Tuesday 24th May 1955

BBC Starlight

Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson

Wednesday 25th May 1955

BBC Off The Record

Ronnie Aldrich & The Squadronaires - South Rampart Street Parade

Nelson Riddle - Brother John (presented in 'symbolic' form)

Lita Roza - Two Hearts Two Kisses (NB Due to unavailability on the night of transmission her vocal had been recorded three weeks' before and Stanley Black and his Orchestra played live in the studio accompanying her recording)

Jack Bentley - record reviewer talks about listening to records

Frankie Vaughan - Wildfire

Vera Lynn

Winifred Atwell - interviewed in Australia (NB the interviewed failed due to technical problems)

Mel Gaynor

Barbara Lyon - Stowaway

Saturday 28th May 1955

BBC Children's Television

The Alberts

The King Brothers

BBC Variety Parade

The Deep River Boys

Monday 30th May 1955

BBC Face The Music

The Song Peddlars

BBC This Is Dancing 10.00 - 10.45 pm

The Carl-Alan National Dancing Awards for 1954-1955

Kathy Lloyd (singer with Ted Heath's band)

Tuesday 31st May 1955

BBC Top Town

Steve Race

Thursday 1st June 1955

BBC Leave It To Jackson

hosted by Jack Jackson

Friday 3rd June 1955

BBC Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

The Nat Temple Orchestra

BBC The Centre Show

The Iris Long Show

Saturday 4th June 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

Tuesday 7th June 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Teddy Johnson

Andy Stewart

The Morris Little Quartet

BBC Rhyme and Rhythm

The Copa Cousins

Wednesday 8th June 1955

BBC Off The Record

Anne Shelton

Jimmy Young

Pat Kirkwood

Shani Wallis

Eric Delaney

The Stargazers

Friday 10th June 1955

BBC Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

Saturday 11th June 1955

BBC Saturday Night Date

Alma Cogan

BBC Everybody Swing

The Jolly Waggoners

Square Dance Band

BBC The Howerd Crowd (Frankie Howerd)

The Tanner Sisters

Friday 17th June 1955

Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

Saturday 18th June 1955

BBC Jigsaw

George Firestone and his Quintet

BBC The Ted Ray Show

Bruce Trent - Unchained Melody, song from Kismet

Monday 20th June 1955

BBC Double Date

Jack Parnell

Wednesday 22nd June 1955

BBC Off The Record

The Beverley Sisters

Ruby Murray

Johnny Brandon

Diana Decker

Ronnie Harris

Ray Burns

Ted Heath and his Music

Friday 24th June 1955

BBC Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

Saturday 25th June 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Georgia Brown - Mon Homme

Cherry Wainer

Earl and Vaughan

Monday 27th June 1955

BBC Face The Music

Jerry Allen and His Trio

Joyce Blair

Tuesday 28th June 1955

BBC Great Yarmouth

The Beverley Sisters

Ronnie Ronalde

Friday 1st July 1955

BBC Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

Sunday 3rd July 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Alma Cogan - Just Give The Fool A Chance, Dreamboat

Wednesday 6th July 1955

BBC Off The Record

Hoagy Carmichael

Eddie Calvert

Monty Norman

Wally Stott

Edmundo Ros and his Latin-American Orchestra

Thursday 7th July 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Teddy Johnson

Friday 8th July 1955

BBC Bath-Night with Braden

Pearl Carr

Wednesday 12th July 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Georgia Brown

Friday 15th July 1955

BBC Music For Romance 8.00 - 8.30 pm

Mantovani

Sunday 17th July 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Frankie Vaughan

Wednesday 20th July 1955

BBC Off The Record

Jean Carson

David Hughes

The Ray Ellington Quartet

Tony Brent

The Kentones

Joe Henderson

Thursday 21st July 1955

BBC unknown show

Stan Broughton and his band

Friday 22nd July 1955

BBC The Centre Show

Michael Holliday

Saturday 23rd July 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Morris, Marty and Mitch (NB Morris had fallen over during the live broadcast and broke his wrist, but only found out when he went to play a guitar)

Russ Henderson's Trinidad Music

Bethe Douglas - Ten Cents A Dance

Monday 25th July 1955

BBC Face The Music

Lizbeth Webb

Saturday 30th July 1955

BBC The Saturday Show

Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra

Dorothy Squires

Sunday 31st July 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Joan Regan

Wednesday 3rd August 1955

BBC Off The Record

Beatrice Reading

Stanley Black and his Orchestra

Stanley Black - piano solo feature

Don Harper (Australian violinist)

Dennis Lotis

Johnny Dankworth Orchestra

Suzi Miller

The Johnson Brothers

Friday 5th August 1955

BBC Music For Romance

Anne Shelton

Tuesday 9th August 1955

BBC Garrison Theatre

Petula Clark

BBC Two Plays

includes The Girl, with music by Larry Adler and lyrics by Lawrence Benedict

Wednesday 10th August 1955

BBC Pocket Edition Variety

Jimmy Young

Joan Savage

Ken Morris

The Coronets

The Steve Race Quartet

Friday 12th August 1955

BBC Pocket Edition

Jimmy Young

BBC Music For Romance

Ron Goodwin and his Concert Orchestra

Sunday 14th August 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Ronnie Hilton

Wednesday 17th August 1955

BBC Off The Record

The Stargazers

Bill McGuffie

Ray Burns

Bethe Douglas

Margaret Bond

Vic Lewis and his Orchestra

Friday 19th August 1955

BBC Music For Romance

Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra

Saturday 20th August 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Maria Pavlou (appeared on the show despite a current stay in a clinic in London)

BBC Saturday Night Date

Jill Day - From This Moment On, Whoopee, I Get A Kick Out Of You, One Of Those Things, You Should Know

Friday 26th August 1955

BBC Starlight

Shirley Abicair

BBC Music For Romance

Dennis Lotis

BBC Jack In The Box

The Phil Tate Orchestra

Sunday 28th August 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Alma Cogan

Monday 29th August 1955

BBC Starlight

Jimmy Young

Tuesday 30th August 1955

NB Much of the day's output is broadcast from The National Radio Show

BBC Children's Television

Shirley Abicair

BBC Starlight

Carole Carr

BBC Off The Record

Max Bygraves - Anyone Can Be A Millionaire

Eve Boswell - No Such Luck

Vera Lynn - sang a song written by children's writer Roberta Leigh

Petula Clark - Fascinating Rhythm

Humphrey Lyttelton and his Band - Fish Seller

Cast of Water Gypsies

Harold Smart

Saturday 3rd September 1955

BBC Secombe Here

NB From the National Radio Show

Ruby Murray - The Irish In Me, I'll Come When You Call

Monday 5th September 1955

BBC Dancing With The Stars

Dorothy Squires

Ken Morris & Joan Savage

Thursday 8th September 1955

BBC Max Bygraves

Bert Weedon

Friday 9th September 1955

BBC We Got Rhythm

'An All-Coloured Musical Review'

Hutch

Nancy Holloway

The Southlanders

Russ Henderson's Trinidad Steel Band

Eddie Lynn

Saturday 10th September 1955

BBC The Saturday Show

Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra

Des O'Connor - Friendship, That's How A Love Song Is Born

Pat Rainey - From This Moment On, When I Fall In Love

Sunday 11th September 1955

BBC Holiday Hotel

Joan Regan

Monday 12th September 1955

BBC Children's Television: A Plateful of Trouble

Morris, Marty and Mitch

BBC Off The Record

Norman Wisdom

Jimmy Young

The Kirchin Band

Tuesday 13th September 1955

ITV begins a test transmission from their Croydon transmitter from 6.00 pm, at 11.15 pm they broadcast 'Programme Parade'. A Daily Mirror report the following day explained that the show, hosted by Cecil Lewis, was a look around the Wembley studio of Associated-Rediffusion. Lewis told assured the audience "If anyone's looking in, this is only a test. This isn't a programme, We just want to see what comes out of the Croydon transmitter." The show lasted fifteen minutes before the audience were then taken to the Granville Theatre, Waltham Green for 'Laurie Lister's Late Night Show' featuring Morton Fraser among others. That was in turn followed by fifteen minute samples from the American drama series "Four Star Playhouse."

Saturday 17th September 1955

BBC Variety Parade

Gene Baxter - Love Walked In

Lorrae Desmond - You Should Know, songs from Palmy Days, & Dave King

Monday 19th September 1955

BBC Pocket Edition

The Ray Ellington Quartet

BBC Garrison Theatre

Vera Lynn

AR unknown show

a variety show was broadcast as a test a few days' ahead of the official launch of the station

Tuesday 20th September 1955

BBC Wilfred and Mabel Pickels

Vera Lynn