BBC Four is to air existing episodes of the running music show Top of the Pops from 1975. This will mark the first time these episodes will air on the channel. The 1975 episodes of Top of the Pops promise performances from acts including Kenny, The Bay City Rollers, Mike Reid, The Wombles, Roger Whittaker and Bing Crosby.
What is Top of the Pops?
Top of the Pops began airing on BBC1 on New Year’s Day 1964. Each episode featured performances (mostly mimed in the first 30 years) from bands and artists. Most were acts who had made the chart that week. The chart was revealed during the run of the show, usually concluding with the number one record that week. After dozens of eras, trends, presenters and spin-offs, Top of the Pops aired it’s regular last episode in 2006. Christmas Day episodes continued for many years after, now reduced to a yearly review show.
BBC Four has been airing classic editions since 2011, but the run started from 1976. They have also aired editions from 1968, 1971 and 1973. As of 2025, they are showing editions from 1997.
Jamie’s Reaction
It is great to see the BBC continuing to find ways to utilize its extensive TOTP archive. These 1975 editions have rarely been seen in the UK in their original form. I look down the list of names and recall that many clips have been pulled for use in editions of Top of the Pops 2 in the 90s and 00s.
Even if you have seen the performances, there is nothing quite like experiencing how they were originally presented by the likes of Noel Edmonds and Tony Blackburn. I look forward to it.
Top of the Pops 1975 will air on BBC Four at 9pm on Friday the 3rd of January 2025. It will be broadcast for the next few weeks at the same time. Please see the channel’s schedule for further information.
Will you be watching Top of the Pops 1975? Let us know your thoughts on social media, or by leaving a comment below.
