
1 9 7 9 (UK)
16 x 90 minute episodes
Debuting on Saturday 6 January 1979, this short-lived show from LWT aimed at teenagers and “young adults” was hosted by Steve Jones – with his pleasantly bland, inoffensive, and rather unadventurous style – assisted by Elvis Payne – a second year student at Essex University who seemed to be there via some Government-sponsored youth employment project.
The show – which featured segments on cinema, sport and pop music, interviews with celebrities, games for competitors in the studio, and write-in competitions for viewers at home – was transmitted only in the London, STV, Grampian Television and Border Television regions, while the rest of the country watched Tiswas.
Guests on the show included Michael Jackson, Cliff Richard, Kate Bush, Shakin’ Stevens, Ian Dury, Dusty Springfield, The Clash, Generation X, Michael Aspel, Penelope Keith, Eleanor Bron, Lorraine Chase, and Max Wall.
A segment on the show called ‘Keep or Heap’ was basically an updated version of Juke Box Jury with a panel of teenagers listening to three new records and voting each one a ‘Keep’ (“Hit”) or ‘Heap (“Miss”).
The final show aired on 5 May 1979 as Tiswas became broadcast across the entire ITV network. Steve Jones went on to host the LWT game show, The Pyramid Game, from 1981 to 1984, and then from 1989 to 1990.
Hosts
Steve Jones
Elvis Payne
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