Be My Guest – Nostalgia Central

1 9 7 7 (UK)
7 x 60 minute episodes

This Saturday night summer variety series from Granada Television ran for seven weeks on ITV from 16 July to 27 August 1977.

The debut show was introduced by magician Paul Daniels, who presented Ken Dodd, Brotherhood of Man, Sacha Distel, Ronnie Dukes and Ricki Lee, and comedian Duggie Brown.

The show ended with the names of everyone who appeared placed in a hat, and a name drawn at random to determine who – a star, a musician, a comedian or a chorus girl –  would host the following week’s show and choose the guest stars.

Producer Johnny Hamp promoted it as “a big chance for anyone who has never had a show of their own”.

The host of the second week was Violet Tomlinson, the piano-playing mother-in-law of singer and comedian Ronnie Dukes. Her guests included The Drifters, Tony Christie, Ronnie Dukes and Ricki Lee (pictured), and comedian Charlie Williams.

The Drifters were chosen to host the following show on 30 July. Their guests were Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Peters and Lee, vocal impressionists The Grumbleweeds and comedian Bernie Clifton.

The host the following week (6 August) was the show’s Musical Director, Derek Hilton, who – unusually – found himself in the limelight. He chose as his guests The Four Tops, Acker Bilk, Demis Roussos, American jazz singer Salena Jones, comedians Frank Carson and Ken Goodwin, and his very own all-star jazz band, with George Chisholm and Humphrey Lyttleton.

Frank Carson was chosen to host the 13 August show. His guests were The Bachelors, Norman Collier, balladeer Vince Hill, Elaine Delmar, ventriloquist Neville King and a new comedian from Northern Ireland named Adrian Walsh.

Vince Hill hosted the next show, introducing flamboyant dancer and singer Chita Rivera, Frenchman Michel Legrand, and comedians Mike Reid and Lennie Bennett.

Lennie Bennett hosted the final show on 27 August. His guests were Roger Whittaker, The Dallas Boys, Dana, singer/dancer Peter Gordeno and fleet-fingered violin maestro Francis van Dyke.

The final show was broadcast from the Southport Theatre on the Lancashire coast.

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