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TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

A weekly magazine programme for children, very much a copy of Blue Peter, complete with real-life adventure stories, advice on pets, and for some reason, art. "A weekly rendezvous with friends old and new" is how the TV Times described the new show, which adopted pretty much all the hosts and features from the show it replaced, Lucky Dip. Tuesday Rendezvous would also give away merit badges, just like Blue Peter.


Muriel Young was one of the regular hosts, while guitar legend Bert Weedon would provide music and musical instruction, sometimes with his group The Rendezvous Instrumental Group which featured ex-Shadow Tony Meehan. His Star Record Guest of the Week feature would feature visiting pop stars like Bobby Vee, Joe Brown and Kenny Lynch.


Along with art a source of puzzlement there would also be a weekly Story of Jazz feature, hosted by Bob Wallis, hardly relevant for young kids, and even more puzzling since trad' jazz was on its way out. More relevant however was the appearance on 4th December 1962 of The Beatles, playing both sides of their debut single which, by the time of the broadcast, had been out for almost two months. But despite the intrusion of Merseybeat the addiction to trad jazz continued well into 1963. The Beatles re-appearance on the show in April 1963 was another yet reminder that things were changing. Even if the reaction by the jazz camp within the show was negative someone in the Beatles' camp must have appreciated what was going on as Muriel Young was mentioned in the liner notes of their first album, albeit in a reference to her Radio Luxembourg show. Despite its apparent success the show was cut from 55 minutes to under half an hour in 1963 to make way for the serial Sierra Nine.


Tea-time shows on Rediffusion had to progress to survive and once the series had concluded on the 24th September 1963 The Five O'Clock Club began, which would on the face of it was a very similar show, but this one included much more pop music, and surprisingly hip guests and regulars.


The show was originally scheduled for a thirteen week run, but stuck around for two years.



TUESDAY RENDEZVOUS


Associated Rediffuison

12th September 1961 - 24th September 1963