“Sit” TX: Feb 1, 1986
Live from TVS Maidstone
Ethel Davis: Sandi Toksvig
Dawn Lodge
Neil Buchanan
Kim Goody
Harry Stern: Nick Staverson
Thanks to:
Dave VJ & Max LX – Hardrock Soul Movement & Spin Off, Dacia Concessionaires Ltd, Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy, Prof Ian Fells – Dept of Chemical Engineering Newcastle University, Madness, PGL Young Adventure Ltd, Sophie Ryder, Frank Sidebottom, Neil, David, Jonathan, Katie, Kelley, Joanna, Deep Fried Scampi
Film: The Quest
Band: Madness
Sandwich Quiz:
Frank Sidebottom v Chris Foreman from Madness
Originally Devised by: John Dale
Script Associate: Nick Symons
Associate Producer: Tim Edmunds
Executive Producer: J. Nigel Pickard
Producer: Jeff Dowson
Director: Janie Grace
TVS Production
© 1986 Television South plc
13 Comments
I love how Ethel meets up with TVAM's Wide Awake Club after their program went off-air, quite an interesting start to the program.
This also marked the first appearance of Frank Sidebottom appearing on No. 73, he would later make recurring appearances for the last 2 series afterwards, also including 7T3.
I don't know if I'm grateful or pleased at watching this — I must be feeling both! I'm watching it like it's new 😀As a six year old I was dipping in and out (but I'm working now so I'm still dipping in and out!).
I really would love to know what they're up to now — producers of Pointless, take note! I believe that is filmed in Maidstone too (see where I'm going here…?)
Frank Sidebottom credited as "Francis Sidebottom" has me laughing out loud
Madness! (In more ways than one.) One of my favourite bands right there. I don't think I've ever seen Chas Smash playing the sax before, though. Thanks ever so much for sharing – please keep up the great work.
got to be honest, the older i get the more i feel sorry for number 75……
Madness? They feel me with gladness. Thankyou for this tremendous upload. More please!
1986!
Back when Stephen Duffy didn’t want to talk about being a founding member of Duran Duran.
Fantastic to see Madness actually performing songs from their 1985 album, live. Almost all of their TV appearances during this era were mimed.
Sandi Toksvig's improv skills dealing effortlessly with the bodged linkup with the Wide Awake Club at the start. I don't think many people would have actually latched on that there was a problem, the way she covered for it. I remember reading something a few years ago about someone who was involved with an episode and had watched the rehearsals. When the show went live, someone forgot all their lines in a scene which didn't involve Ethel at all. Apparently, Sandi just strolled onto the set without hesitation, made up an entire routine which went nothing like what was scripted, casually bailed everyone right out of it. Anyone who has never seen her on Whose Line Is It Anyway might not know just how skilled she is at improvisation. But those skills ran right through No 73.
"A singing video?" Go back to bed, Harry, you're still drunk!
Those Nutty Boys Madness occupy the cellar today! They play their latest single, a cover of Scritti Politti's "Sweetest Girl", which had just entered the Singles Chart at No. 51, it would peak at No. 35 later in the month. They close the episode with "I'll Compete", the opening track from their then current album Mad Not Mad.
The band – Suggs, Chas, Chrissy Boy, Kix, Bedders and Woody (Barso having left the band at the end of 1983) – are accompanied by keyboardists Seamus Beaghen and Terry Disley and backing vocal group Afrodiziak – Claudia Fontaine, Naomi Thompson and Caron Wheeler.
Suggs appears to think he's on the Wide Awake Club when he ends the first musical number by saying "What are we?"