Lambeth Fantastical - May 2025
Eurovision and Supersonic on the Southbank
On Saturday 17th May, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest that evening, I will marking the 65th anniversary of the hosting of the contest at the Royal Festival Hall with a guided walk exploring songs and artists that have a connection to Waterloo, the Southbank, and Lambeth.
When the Netherlands, winners of the 1959 contest, declined to host the 1960 contest on the grounds of cost, the UK, which had come second with 'Sing Little Birdie' by Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnstone, stepped into the breach. The Royal Festival Hall, chosen as the venue, was almost a decade old, having been built for the 1951 Festival of Britain.
This was the fifth Eurovision Song Contest and the third time the UK had entered a song. The UK entry, 'Looking High, High, High' was sung by Bryan Johnstone, younger brother of Teddy Johnstone.
The host was Katie Boyle and the commentator, Lambeth born David Jacobs, well known the time for the hit pop show, Jukebox Jury. The producer of the show was Innes Lloyd who went on to take over as the producer of Doctor Who in 1966.
Thirteen countries entered songs, making it the highest number of entries to date. The show went out live on the BBC on Tuesday 29th March in front of an audience of 2,500 in the Festival Hall and an estimated 30 million television viewers across Europe. In comparison to the marathon it is these days the show lasted a mere one hour and twenty minutes. The French entry, Tom Pillibi by Jacqueline Boyer, came first with 32 votes. Following in his brother's footsteps, Bryan Johnstone came second with 25. The 1960 contest was the first where the winner of the previous year handed the trophy to the new winner, a tradition that had become firmly established ever since. Following the contest an English version of Tom Pillibi was recorded by Julie Andrews.
Fifteen years later, at the Southbank television studios, a stone's throw away from the Festival Hall another pop related TV show was launched. Supersonic was given two series and broadcast a total of 58 episodes. It was presented by record producer and pioneering pop video director Mike Mansfield from the TV control room rather than the studio itself. He introduced the acts by counting in the action and giving the order for the cameras to roll.
The show's theme song was written and performed by Beckenham born Andy Bown, former member of The Herd and future member of Status Quo. Airing in 1975 and 1976 the show featured the major glam rock artist of the era performing in front of an audience of teenagers from the local South London areas. Unlike, the BBC's Top of the Pops, the artists invited to appear on Supersonic often got to do more than one performance on a show and were not limited to their latest chart hit, B sides, album tracks and previous hits were equally welcomed.
The live performances recorded for the show were then used in 1978 for an American series called 'Twiggy's Jukebox' with model and actress Twiggy inserted in place of Mike Mansfield as show presenter.
For more Southbank pop trivia and rock facts, stories of singers and their songs join me for my upcoming Eurovision and the Southbank Playlist guided walk on Saturday 17th May.
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