First watched : Summer 1975
This summertime variety show started in July 1975 and lasted for the rest of the decade. Hosted by Radio One DJs the show alternated between British seaside resorts and presented pop and comedy acts under a big top or occasionally, if weather permitted, on an open air stage. Dance troupe New Edition filled in the gaps. The theme tune was Mike Batt's Summertime City - his only hit as a performer under his own name.
The musical guests tended towards the middle of the road with a bias towards pop disco acts like Boney M and the Gibson Brothers though there were occasional surprises like Ian Dury and the Blockheads at Torbay. Abba also appeared early on in Torbay with the girls in short print dresses performing Waterloo and forthcoming single S.O.S. Future Top of the Pops producer Michael Hurll cut his teeth on the programme.
The show is a good source of clips for those "look at these things our parents enjoyed- aren't they racist, sexist, tasteless etc" type of shows. The outside performances often looked like a flimsy excuse to film oft-goose-pimpled girls in swimwear and on the very first edition Ken Dodd was assisted on-stage by a bikini-clad girl called ahem "Knockers" . The 1977 series had a running beauty contest .
The later series went more European with some broadcasts from Honfleur and St Malo , a recognition of changing holiday choices that eventually did for the programme before it became The Good Old Days.
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