Some sources (well TOTP2) claim that this strike was partly responsible for the fall of glam rock and the rise of disco - people had to listen to music elsewhere. Despite this gift ITV still failed to come up with a decent format for presenting pop music - peak time was a wasteland, the only competitors being on children's TV (Shang-A-Lang, Lift Off, 45 etc.) or late at night.

ROBIN NASH replaced JOHNNIE STEWART in the mid-70's. A graduate from the light entertainment department, he continued to adhere to the rules laid down by Stewart in the 60's. However, he then had to contend with punk. This caused problems on the programme - many acts used to enter the charts one week and disappear the next, meaning that the programme often featured a large proportion of acts that very few people had heard of. As we entered the late 70's there seemed to be a marked lack of enthusiasm about the programme - sets looked

of the studio, with a large screen in the corner and the audience behind the acts, to give the programme more of an epic feel. However the first incarnation of this stage involved the audience behind the acts sitting, which looked absolutely awful. After a few weeks, they removed the seats. Lots more visual effects were used , and the chart rundown became much more frantic and excited. Importantly, the audience were give a much more pivotal role - they were forced to dance, cheer & applaud, rather than standing staring as they had done in the past. All the changes added to the atmosphere, amd TOTP became a true event again.

Seemingly Hurll, had decided that TOTP could never be a serious music programme, and just got on with making it a massive family entertainment. The rules were still adhered to though, so we were able to see acts like The Smiths & The Stanglers

performing on the same sets with the same flashing lights and same audience as everyone else, which added to its innocent charm (helped by the presenters' cheerful inane personas, Richard Skinner heralding the first programme of the Smiths with "Here are a couple of Charming Men!")

1981 saw further changes - live performances were pioneered, adding to the excitement. Thungs could now go wrong at any minute, and it was all part of the fun. The same year also saw the return of the late John Peel, the programmes finest presenter. Peel had made a terrible mess of his first programme in 1968 (a performance that has now been thankfully wiped), but Hurll invited him back with the opportunity to take the piss out of everything.