Concept and creative process
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it was Britain’s number one pop show, ‘Top of the Pops’! Originally broadcast weekly on BBC1 from 1964 to 2006, ‘TOTP’ became the world’s longest-running music show. Following the launch of the BBC1 full colour service in November 1969, ‘TOTP’ was quick to seize the opportunity to enhance its on-air brand image and embraced the use of colour in the studio and in its title sequence. The 1970 ‘TOTP’ titles were specially shot live action in a studio with a dancer performing to the music and shots of a Perspex model Logo and a second model for the Number One slot, both filmed on a revolve. The footage from the shoot was optically separated, coloured and re-assembled and intercut with streaked shots of the ‘TOTP’ Logo and the blur of the spinning Number One ident.