TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

Hosted by Kenyan singer and whistler Roger Whittaker, who previously had another tea-time pop series on BBC1 in 1968, Whistle Stop. Originally announced as Whittaker's Get Together, the series was executively produced by Terry Henebery and directed by Bruce Gowers.

Whittaker had been recording since the mid-sixties, but had only recently been a visitor to the charts with a string of hits for EMI, so was a familiar face and a trusted presenter.

The host would be joined by regular singers J Vincent Edwards, Sylvia McNeill, Ginette Reno and backed by Blue Mink Rhythm (presumably the band without the singers), dance troupe Pieces of Eight and Top Of The Pops’ backing singers The Ladybirds, Harry Rabinowitz was the musical director, while broadcasting legend Brian Matthew was the show's announcer. As well as the cream of British pop The Bee Gees, Gilbert O'Sullivan, The Peddlers, Lulu etc it also gave a few popular European musicians and singers some airspace.

Acts appeared to be singing live over a specially pre-recorded backing track, or off-camera orchestra, but there was one exception when Freda Payne lip-synched to the record versions of her two songs on the 22nd May show. Also on the same show we get our first chance to see the new-look Slade performing Get Down And Get With It.

Many acts that appeared were obviously there to plug their new release, but it was very much presented as a standard Saturday evening variety show, and to emphasise the camaraderie every edition would finish with the whole cast singing Let The Sunshine In, or later in the series, He's Got The Whole World In His Hands.

Starting off at an awkward 45 minutes, the show was extended to an hour for the 15th May 1971 show and then back to 45 minutes the following week.

Talking about the show at the Golden Rose TV festival in May 1971 Terry Henebery said "The show wasn't quite right at first, but we now feel it is one of the best programmes coming out of our studios and we think Rog Whittaker should have tremendous appeal on the Continent." Doubtless he was hoping the show would be sold abroad, but the truth was it wasn't even sold within the ITV network as several stations didn't play it and in the end it wouldn't be commissioned for a second series.

Unusually for a programme of this nature all thirteen shows still exist in the ITV archive.

WHITTAKER’S WORLD OF MUSIC

LWT

10th April 1971 - 3rd July 1971