Seaside Special
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Seaside Special was a BBC light entertainment television program in the 1970s. It was an outside broadcast and was always filmed in a big top in a British seaside resort. The programme was developed by BBC producer Michael Hurll.
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[edit] The show
It was essentially a variety show, hosted by Radio 1 and Radio 2 DJs, consisting of a music act, a comedy act, and dancers New Edition and featured a beauty competition in the 1977 series.
Typical acts were the likes of Little and Large, Keith Harris and Orville, Lena Zavaroni, Bernie Clifton, Showaddywaddy, The Wurzels, Sacha Distel, Peters and Lee, The Goodies and Nana Mouskouri (to name but a few) all having put in appearances.
Some segments of the show were filmed outside the big top, including one memorable occasion when the Brotherhood of Man sang "My Sweet Rosalie" whilst sitting in a particularly unstable looking lifeboat.
The shows theme, "Summertime City", written and sung by Mike Batt, was a UK Top 10 hit in 1976.
[edit] History
Although very successful in its day, many (eg Grace Dent)[1], now regard the programme as epitomising the worst aspects of 1970s television.
The show was briefly revived in the 1980s, but by then the tastes of the viewing public had moved on (see Variety Shows history).
[edit] 1975
05 July 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
12 July 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
19 July 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
26 July 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
02 August 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
09 August 1975
location - Gerry Cottles Circus, Torbay
guests - Windsor Davies and Don Estelle (from the TV comedy It Ain't Half Hot Mum) singing Whispering Grass, Ronnie Corbett, with hosts Mike Read, and David Hamilton
16 August 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
23 August 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
30 August 1975
Location - unknown - Torbay ?
guests - unknown
[edit] 1976
19 June 1976
location - Gerry Cottles Circus, Blackpool
guests - Wendy Richard, Mollie Sugden, Frank Thornton, John Inman, (all from Are You Being Served?), Showaddywaddy and The Goodies, with hosts Tony Blackburn, Dave Lee Travis.
26 June 1976
location - unknown - Scarborough ?
guests - Dana, Jim Davidson, with host David Hamilton
03 July 1976
Location – Scarborough (American Bicentennial edition)
guests Three Degrees, Kenneth McKellar, Brother Lees, Dailey and Wayne, New Edition
10 July 1976
Location - Southsea
guests Lulu, Mike & Bernie Winters, Janet Brown, Dream Express, Ron Martin, host Paul Burnett, and New Edition
17 July 1976
Location - Blackpool
guests Al Dean, Kate T. Fields Rod Hull and Emu, Little and Large, New Edition
24 July 1976
Location - Southsea
featured acts from Gerry Cottles Circus.
guests Tony Monopoly, Paul Daniels, Cannon and Ball, Surprise Sisters, Mary Chipperfield – chimpanzee act, Jacko Fossett and Little Billy, Cimarro Brothers, host Mike Reid, New Edition
31 July 1976
Location - Weymouth
guests The Bachelors, Sacha Distel, Grumbleweeds, Keith Harris and Orville, Kenny Lynch, Jimmy Tarbuck, New Edition
07 August 1976
Location - Weymouth and Cherbourg (Anglo-French edition)
guests Brotherhood of Man, Frank Carson, Alan Randall, Child, Santus Julian troupe, Sacha Distel, New Edition
14 August 1976
Location - Torbay
guests Vince Hill, Roger De Courcey and Nookie the Bear, Patton Brothers, Fivepenny Piece, Jodie Grey, Alan Stewart, Peters and Lee, New Edition
21 August 1976
Location - Torbay
guests Roy Hudd, Moira Anderson, Don Maclean, Black Abbots, Sidney Devine, Wayne King, hosts Tony Blackburn, Dave Lee Travis, David Hamilton, Paul Burnett, New Edition
28 August 1976
Location - Torbay
guests Nicky Benton, Peters and Lee, Larry Grayson, Frankie Vaughan, Roy Hudd, Diane Solomon, Wurzels, Fiddlygig, Terry Turner, New Edition
07 September 1976
Location - probably Torbay
New Edition
[edit] 1977
11 June 1977
Location Eastbourne
First heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest
guests Ronnie Corbett, Anne Hart, Nolans, Janet Brown, Patton Brothers, Dick Sheppard, host Tony Blackburn, New Edition
18 June 1977
Location Eastbourne
Second heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest
guests Roy Hudd, Diane Traske, Don Maclean, Roger De Courcey and Nookie the Bear, Jeff Phillips, host Tony Blackburn , New Edition
25 June 1977
Location Great Yarmouth
Third heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest
guests John Inman, Ronnie Dukes, Ricki Lee, Berni Flint, Miquel Brown, Mike Hope, Albie Keen, host David Hamilton, New Edition
02 July 1977
Location Lowestoft
Fourth heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest
guests Les Dawson, Dana, Bernie Clifton, Brother Lees, Stuart Gillies, host David Hamilton, New Edition
09 July 1977
Location – unknown – East Coast ?
Fifth heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest.
guests Cilla Black, Vince Hill, Frank Carson, Dream Express, Jeff Phillips, Lennie Bennett, host Tony Blackburn, New Edition
16 July 1977
Location Bournemouth
Sixth heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest.
guests Little and Large, Bachelors, Showaddywaddy, Dave Ismay, James Boys, Shades of Love, host Tony Blackburn, New Edition
23 July 1977
Location Bournemouth
Seventh heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest.
guests Peters and Lee, Stu Francis, Michael Barrymore, Bobby Crush, Jodie Grey, host David Hamilton, New Edition
30 July 1977
Location Bournemouth
Eighth heat of Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest.
guests Val Doonican, Fiddlygig, Stan Boardman, Les Wilson, Van Buren, Greta, host Tony Blackburn, New Edition
06 August 1977
Location Honfleur
First of two programmes from France
guests Cliff Richard, Claude Francois, Half Wits, Norman Caley, host Tony Blackburn
13 August 1977
Location Honfleur
Second of two programmes from France
guests Mireille Mathieu, Boney M, Marie Myriam, host Tony Blackburn
20 August 1977 8pm to 9pm BBC1
Location Torbay
The Final of the Miss Seaside Special 1977 Natural Beauty Contest
guests Jeff Phillips, Tony Blackburn, Vera Lynn, Jim Davidson, Wurzels, Tony Selby, Patton Brothers, host David Hamilton, New Edition
27 August 1977
Location Jersey
Features the first colour TV transmission of the `Battle of the Flowers'.
guests Johnnie and Roy, Mission Hall Jazz Band, Des O’Connor, Jack Douglas, George Truzzi, Roger Kitter, Brian Taylor, Shades of Love, Californians, Page Three, host David Hamilton, New Edition
30 September 1977 6.55pm to 7.40pm BBC1
Special end of Summer edition.
[edit] 1978
08 July 1978
Location Torbay
guests Little and Large, Caterina Valente, Sheila B. Devotion, Brotherhood of Man, Showaddywaddy, Hoppe's Unrideable Mules
15 July 1978
Location Torbay
guests Clive Webb, Boney M, Joe Dassin, Plastic Bertrand, Matia Bazar, Ian Dury, Roy Walker, Peter Hudson
22 July 1978 7.35pm to 8.25pm BBC1
Location Torbay
guests Marti Caine, Roy Castle, Jean Vallee, Brother Lees, Black Gold, Colin `Fingers'Henry, Inarros Sisters
29 July 1978 8.20pm to 9.10pm
Location Torbay
guests Rolf Harris, Nicole Croisille, Smokie, Bernie Clifton, Stu Francis, Paul Nicholas, Charivari.
Rolf sang a variation of 'Flogging Molly' with the chorus
'Come day go day, Wish in my hearty it was Sunday, Drinking buttermilk all the week, And whiskey on a Sunday.'
05 August 1978 8.30pm to 9.20pm
Location Torbay
guests Jim Davidson, Roger De Courcey and Nookie the Bear, Berni Flint, Larry Parker, Samson and Delilah, Udo Jürgens, Annie Cordy
12 August 1978 8.30pm to 9.20pm
Location St Malo
guests Joe Dassin, Chantal Goya, Laurent Voulzey, Était Une Fois, Café Crème, Arlene, Tony Crosse
19 August 1978 8.15pm to 9.05pm
Location St Malo
guests Band a Basile, Chris Woodward, Arthur Scott and his Sealions, Dionne Warwick, Baccara, Alain Souchon, Annie Cordon, Patrick Juvet, Jeane Manson, Martin Circus
26 August 1978 8.10pm to 9.00pm
Location Jersey and features the `Battle of the Flowers' (again)
guests Jackie Hall, Terry Wogan, Wurzels, Stuart Gillies, Black Abbots, Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent, Bobby Bennett
02 September 1978 8.10pm to 9.00pm
Location Jersey
guests Charlie Daze, Memory Lane, Peters and Lee, Mike Burton, Dooleys, Brian Marshall, Californians, Good Vibrations, Ron Martin
09 September 1978 8.20pm to 9.10pm
Location Weymouth
guests Mike Carter, Lenny Henry, Mike Hope, Albie Keen, John Inman, Dana Gillespie, Salena Jones, Norman Collier, Bobby Crush
22 September 1978
Location Weymouth
guests Lennie Bennett, Jerry Stevens, Allan Stewart, Valerie Masters, Diane Cousins, Bobby Knutt, Turnstyle
[edit] 1979
This series was more of a Eurovision production with French, Dutch and Swiss TV companies involved as well as the BBC.
14 July 1979 at 8.15 to 9.05pm
Location Blackpool guests Little and Large, Mick Miller
21 July 1979 at 8.25 pm to 9.15pm
Location Bruges guests Boney M, Amii Stewart, Clive Webb, Chantal Goya, Patrick Hernandez, Gerard Lenorman, Jeane Manson
28 July 1979 at 8.25 to 9.15pm
Location Blackpool
guests Tony Brutus, Angels, Ken Dodd and his Diddymen, Brother Lees
04 August 1979
Location Poole
guests unknown
11 August 1979
Location Honfleur
guests Rod Hull and Emu, Plastic Bertrand, Eruption, Gibson Brothers, Santos `Loonies', Amanda Lear
18 August 1979
Location unknown
guests The Krankies
25 August 1979
Location Isle of Man
guests Frank Carson, Bobby Knutt, Diane Cousins, Tony Kent, Greg Bonham, Iris Williams
01 September 1979
Location Poole
guests unknown
09 September 1979
Location unknown
guests Lennie Bennett and Ruby Winters.
