Gadzooks! (TV programme)

Gadzooks! is a British pop music television programme which aired on BBC2 from February to September 1965. It was originally produced by Barry Langford[1] and was a replacement for his previous music show The Beat Room which had run in the same timeslot on BBC2 since July 1964.[2]

The programme went through a number of name changes during its 35-episode run, originally being titled Gadzooks! It's All Happening, before changing to Gadzooks! It's The In-Crowd, then finally simply Gadzooks!.[3]

The presenters of the programme included Alan David, Lulu,[4] Roger Whittaker and future Crackerjack! presenter Christine Holmes. Recurring artistes who appeared most weeks included Liverpool singing trio The Three Bells,[5] dance troupe The Beat Girls and blind singer & organist Peter Cook (not to be confused with the comedian of the same name[6]), plus a number of special musical guests every week. Notable acts who performed on the programme included The Who, Tom Jones, Manfred Mann, Marianne Faithfull, The Animals, Chuck Berry, Sonny & Cher, The Byrds, The Four Tops and David Bowie (who appeared twice: both times under his real name of Davy Jones).[7]

No recordings of this series are known to survive.[8]

  1. ^ Steve Pafford Bowie Style 2010 "With him is TV producer Barry Langford, who reignited the long-hair debate to publicise his new BBC2 show, Gadzooks!"
  2. ^ "TV Pop Diaries - the Beat Room".
  3. ^ "Gadzooks! It's All Happening/Gadzooks! It's the in Crowd – Nostalgia Central". 16 June 2014.
  4. ^ Evans, Jeff (16 February 2017). Rock & Pop on British TV. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9781783237777.
  5. ^ "TV Pop Diaries - Gadzooks".
  6. ^ "Peter London (2)". Discogs.
  7. ^ "Search - BBC Programme Index".
  8. ^ "Sixties City - Bill Harry's Sixties - articles from the creator of iconic 60s music paper Mersey Beat".