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TOTP2 (Top of the Pops 2) is a British television
British television

British television broadcasting started in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are up to 600 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content....
 music show broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two

BBC Two is the second major terrestrial television channel of the BBC, aimed at a wide range of subject matter and interests, and specialising in intelligent yet popular programme genres....
, showing archive footage from the long-running Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a long-running United Kingdom UK Singles Chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006....
 show, some dating back to January, 1964 when the program first aired on British television.

show was originally hosted by BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio radio station and the List of most-listened-to radio programs in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult contemporary music or Album-orientated rock, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres....
 DJ Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)

Johnnie Walker Order of the British Empire is a popular United Kingdom veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster.He is often referred to as "The Alternative John Peel" in recognition of his knowledge and love of music, his championing of new artists and his attributing more importance to songs he plays rather than the chat in between....
 until colleague and fellow DJ Steve Wright took over in 1997.

Wright himself never appears in-vision but provides a voice-over commentary and introduction to each piece.






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Encyclopedia


TOTP2 (Top of the Pops 2) is a British television
British television

British television broadcasting started in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are up to 600 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content....
 music show broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two

BBC Two is the second major terrestrial television channel of the BBC, aimed at a wide range of subject matter and interests, and specialising in intelligent yet popular programme genres....
, showing archive footage from the long-running Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a long-running United Kingdom UK Singles Chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006....
 show, some dating back to January, 1964 when the program first aired on British television.

Original format

The show was originally hosted by BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio radio station and the List of most-listened-to radio programs in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult contemporary music or Album-orientated rock, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres....
 DJ Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)

Johnnie Walker Order of the British Empire is a popular United Kingdom veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster.He is often referred to as "The Alternative John Peel" in recognition of his knowledge and love of music, his championing of new artists and his attributing more importance to songs he plays rather than the chat in between....
 until colleague and fellow DJ Steve Wright took over in 1997.

Wright himself never appears in-vision but provides a voice-over commentary and introduction to each piece. In 2003 the BBC started to run a daily version of TOTP2 in which celebrities chose their favourite archive performances. These celebrities, typically comedians, have included Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer
Vic and Bob

Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer , more commonly known simply as Vic and Bob or Reeves & Mortimer, are a British comedy double act....
, Phill Jupitus
Phill Jupitus

Phill Jupitus is an England comedian, cartoonist, DJ, guitarist, performance poetry and presenter of radio presenter and television presenter....
 and Jack Dee
Jack Dee

Jack Dee is an English people stand-up comedian, actor and writer, best known for his sardonic, deadpan style.BiographyEarly life...
. There have also been a number of TOTP2 specials in which a "greatest hits" show dedicated to one musician or band is put together from both archive and new footage.

Rest

In 2004, the incoming controller of BBC Two, Roly Keating
Roly Keating

Roland "Roly" Keating is the current Director of Archive Content for the BBC.He read Classics at Balliol College, University of Oxford.He joined the BBC in 1983....
, announced that the programme was to be "rested". The last showing of TOTP2 was intended to be the TOTP2 Christmas Special shown on Christmas Eve 2005 at 19:30 on BBC Two. But they have started to re-run TOTP2 on UKTV G2, now Dave since 2004 with edited versions.

Return

On 30 September 2006, TOTP2 returned to BBC Two. The new show format was similar to the earlier TOTP2, but also included live/original BBC performances. The first 50-minute special included Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado

Nelly Kim Furtado is a Grammy Award-winning Canada singer of Portuguese people ancestry. She is a singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress....
, Jamelia
Jamelia

Jamelia Niela Davis , known simply as Jamelia, is a Mercury Music Prize nominated English contemporary R&B singer-songwriter and occasional model who found fame in early 2000 after impressing music executives at Parlophone with self-written a cappella songs....
 and Razorlight
Razorlight

Razorlight are an England-Sweden indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in their home countries, having topped the charts with the 2006 single America and its parent Razorlight , their second....
, before it reverted to a 30 minute weekly format at 20:00.

It is unusual for a modern BBC programme, in that it is broadcast in the 4:3 aspect ratio
Aspect ratio

The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements, such as the length and diameter of a rod....
. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that it reuses archive material, the vast majority of which is in that format. The first two episodes were in the 16:9 aspect ratio, however, to accommodate new performances. The BBC have said that it will replace the main Top of the Pops on Christmas Day 2008, some live performances and archive footage will be shown including the 2008 Xmas No.1 (U.K. Single).

Trivia


The show's researchers unearthed a film of a band with young Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman

Richard Christopher Wakeman is an England keyboard player best known as the keyboardist for progressive rock group Yes . Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards and in the use of a rock band in combination with orchestra and choir....
 playing keyboards. The band was billed as Yes
Yes (band)

Yes are an England progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968 in music. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess....
, although they were actually Strawbs. Wakeman left Strawbs to join Yes in 1971.

On 30 December 2008, BBC Rickrolled viewers by cutting to a short clip of Rick Astley
Rick Astley

Richard Paul Astley is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Astley is married to producer Lene Bausager and has one daughter. Astley has released or appeared on recordings that have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide....
's Top Of The Pops performance, during Bros
Bros

Bros were a British boy band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, consisting of twin brothers Matt Goss and Luke Goss along with Craig Logan....
' performance of Cat Among The Pigeons.

External links