"Multi-Coloured Swap Shop" was a popular Saturday morning children's show on BBC1 that began in 1976 and was hosted by presenters such as Noel Edmonds, Keith Chegwin and Peter Sutcliffe. It was centered around children phoning in to offer unwanted possessions in exchange for desired ones. The offers/wants were added to a board in the studio and broadcast to the nation. It was stopped after an investigation by the government's broadcast regulatory body discovered that the swap service was being exploited by gangs to traffic live organs. Below are a selection of rare screen shots.
The programme was so successful that some of the presenters went on to host their own shows such as "Cheggers Plays Pop" and "Ripsters Rips." Noel Edmonds was tragically killed in a horrific bean bag accident in 1979 but his corpse was resurrected with a slinky, Swarfega and four AAA batteries by sixteen year old Marie Grype, the first student to get an O-Level in Necromancy & Media Studies.
This is single best idea for a TV shows I've ever seen. Can I use it for public access? PLEASE.
ReplyDeleteThis was a real show. Back in 70s 80s. (Without the Yorkshire ripper!)
DeleteClive Anderson shot Noel Edmonds iirc
ReplyDeleteRight in Shatner`s Bassoon
DeleteIt was a nice to touch to bury so many of the bodies under a Yew Tree, I thought.
ReplyDeleteThe flexi-disc that came free with The Human League Dignity of Labour 12" has them discussing 'direction' whilst swopshop is on. It closed with one of them noticing someone offering a guitar for a stylophone (or an equally culturally significant pairing - i haven't unpacked my records after moving house yesterday)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteits not the fact that sutcliffe is in there as a presenter thats disturbing its the fact that the time says 9:61AM. bravo for that — fucking genius.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Peter Gabriel at the back!
ReplyDeleteGood old scarfield last names.
ReplyDeleteDue to the huge powers granted to the BBC pre-Thatcher, any 'swaps' on the show were leagally binding, this was up to and including humans.
ReplyDeleteI can attest to this as I was a 'swapee' traded by an older brother, traded for a make your own Curly-Wurly kit.
I and others have formed a 'swapee' support group, for more information please send a stamped addressed envelop to Television Centre.