New Faces
Encyclopedia
New Faces was a British television
talent show
popular in the 1970s and 1980s, presented originally by Derek Hobson
. It was produced by ATV Network Limited
for the ITV
Network. The first run of the show was from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978 and was recorded at the ATV Centre, Birmingham
. The show was noted for its theme tune, "You're a Star!", performed by singer Carl Wayne
, formerly of The Move
, and it was eventually released, becoming a minor hit.
Winners occasionally went on to greater success in television entertainment. Many top entertainers began their careers with a performance on this programme. The acts were evaluated by a panel of experts, including Clifford Davis, Ingrid Pitt
, Mickie Most
, Alan A. Freeman
, Clive James
, Muriel Young
, Ted Ray
, Ed Stewart
, Jack Parnell
, Arthur Askey
, Noel Edmonds
and Tony Hatch
. Davis, Most and Hatch were especially notorious for being "hard" on contestants. Four judges would make up the panel each week. Tony Hatch made the headlines after one edition for giving a contestant whose act solely consisted of a repetitive and elementary 12 bar blues riff a score of zero. Hatch was deemed 'mean' for this.
Contestants received marks out of ten from the four judges in three categories such as "presentation", "content" and "star quality" - The "star quality" category was later replaced by "entertainment value". The highest score any act could attain was thus 120 points. Patti Boulaye
was the only act who ever attained the maximum mark, doing so in the programme's final season. It was seen as a 'tougher' version of the long-running talent show Opportunity Knocks, also shown on ITV.
Whereas, Opportunity Knocks relied on public votes, New Faces had a panel that judged the acts - the act who had the highest total went through to the next round.
One winner, Marti Caine
, returned to present the show when it was revived briefly in 1986 by Central Television. Her catchphrase was bellowed at the voting studio audience: "Press your buttons... NOW!". The show also featured a panel of experts including the journalist Nina Myskow
, who often made critical comments. In this incarnation, the home audience decided who won by sending in postcards (phone voting was soon introduced by BBC rival Bob Says Opportunity Knocks), though, the audience did vote for its favourite act using a gigantic lightboard known as Spaghetti Junction
lighting up to a varying degree as they pushed their buttons.
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
popular in the 1970s and 1980s, presented originally by Derek Hobson
Derek Hobson
Derek Hobson is a TV and radio broadcaster and journalist, best known as the original host of ITV's New Faces, which introduced, among others, Lenny Henry, Victoria Wood, Jim Davidson, Les Dennis and Michael Barrymore to a Saturday night audience of more than twelve million viewers.Recently, he...
. It was produced by ATV Network Limited
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
for the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
Network. The first run of the show was from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978 and was recorded at the ATV Centre, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. The show was noted for its theme tune, "You're a Star!", performed by singer Carl Wayne
Carl Wayne
Carl Wayne was a British singer and actor. He is best remembered as the lead vocalist of Birmingham rock group The Move during the 1960s.-Early days:...
, formerly of The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, and it was eventually released, becoming a minor hit.
Winners occasionally went on to greater success in television entertainment. Many top entertainers began their careers with a performance on this programme. The acts were evaluated by a panel of experts, including Clifford Davis, Ingrid Pitt
Ingrid Pitt
Ingrid Pitt was an actress best known for her work in horror films of the 1960s and 1970s.-Background:Pitt was born Ingoushka Petrov in Warsaw, Poland to a German father of Russian descent and a Polish Jewish mother. During World War II she and her family were imprisoned in a concentration camp...
, Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
, Alan A. Freeman
Alan A. Freeman
Alan A. Freeman was an English record producer, remembered for being Petula Clark's producer from 1949 until 1963, when his role was taken over by Tony Hatch...
, Clive James
Clive James
Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
, Muriel Young
Muriel Young
Muriel Young was a British television continuity announcer, presenter and producer.-Early life:...
, Ted Ray
Ted Ray (comedian)
Ted Ray was a popular English comedian of the 1940s, 50s and 60s....
, Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart is a radio broadcaster from England. His real name is Edward Mainwaring but he is known by the nickname Ed Stewpot Stewart.-Early life and career:...
, Jack Parnell
Jack Parnell
John Russell Parnell was an English bandleader and musician.-Biography:Parnell was born into a theatrical family in London....
, Arthur Askey
Arthur Askey
Arthur Bowden Askey CBE was a prominent English comedian.- Life and career :Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey , secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden , of Knutsford, Cheshire...
, Noel Edmonds
Noel Edmonds
Noel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...
and Tony Hatch
Tony Hatch
Anthony Peter "Tony" Hatch is an English composer, songwriter, pianist, music arranger and producer.-Early life and early career:...
. Davis, Most and Hatch were especially notorious for being "hard" on contestants. Four judges would make up the panel each week. Tony Hatch made the headlines after one edition for giving a contestant whose act solely consisted of a repetitive and elementary 12 bar blues riff a score of zero. Hatch was deemed 'mean' for this.
Contestants received marks out of ten from the four judges in three categories such as "presentation", "content" and "star quality" - The "star quality" category was later replaced by "entertainment value". The highest score any act could attain was thus 120 points. Patti Boulaye
Patti Boulaye
Patti Boulaye is a British singer, actress and artist who was among the leading black British entertainers in the seventies and eighties...
was the only act who ever attained the maximum mark, doing so in the programme's final season. It was seen as a 'tougher' version of the long-running talent show Opportunity Knocks, also shown on ITV.
Whereas, Opportunity Knocks relied on public votes, New Faces had a panel that judged the acts - the act who had the highest total went through to the next round.
One winner, Marti Caine
Marti Caine
Marti Caine, born Lynne Denise Shepherd was an English actress, dancer, presenter, singer, writer, and comedienne who gained fame from the television talent show New Faces and became a major variety star....
, returned to present the show when it was revived briefly in 1986 by Central Television. Her catchphrase was bellowed at the voting studio audience: "Press your buttons... NOW!". The show also featured a panel of experts including the journalist Nina Myskow
Nina Myskow
Nina Myskow is a British journalist and TV celebrity who appeared on New Faces and was also a columnist for The Sun and The News of the World under the byline "The Bitch on the box" in the 1980s...
, who often made critical comments. In this incarnation, the home audience decided who won by sending in postcards (phone voting was soon introduced by BBC rival Bob Says Opportunity Knocks), though, the audience did vote for its favourite act using a gigantic lightboard known as Spaghetti Junction
Gravelly Hill Interchange
Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known by its nickname Spaghetti Junction, is junction 6 of the M6 motorway where it meets the A38 Aston Expressway in Birmingham, England.- Overview :...
lighting up to a varying degree as they pushed their buttons.
Famous winners & contestants
- Marti CaineMarti CaineMarti Caine, born Lynne Denise Shepherd was an English actress, dancer, presenter, singer, writer, and comedienne who gained fame from the television talent show New Faces and became a major variety star....
- Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
- Multiple wins. - Michael BarrymoreMichael BarrymoreMichael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
- Dave AllenDave Allen (comedian)David Tynan O'Mahoney , better known as Dave Allen, was an Irish comedian, very popular in Great Britain, Australia, and Canada in the 1960s and 1970s. He also became known in the United States through repeats of his shows on public television. His career had a major resurgence during the late...
- In the original BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series. - Joe PasqualeJoe PasqualeJoseph Ellis "Joe" Pasquale is an English comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!...
- 2nd in 1987. Joe won his heat but he came second in the final. - Roy WalkerRoy WalkerRobert "Roy" Walker is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor...
- The Chuckle BrothersChuckle BrothersBarry Elliott and Paul Elliott , better known as the Chuckle Brothers, are British comedians. They are best known for their work on their BBC show ChuckleVision, which celebrated its 21st anniversary in March 2010 with a tour called An Audience with the Chuckle Brothers, which started in January...
(1974) - Malandra BurrowsMalandra BurrowsMalandra Elizabeth Burrows is an English actress and singer.-Early life:Burrows' first name, Malandra, is a portmanteau of her parents' names, Malcolm and Sandra. Her mother encouraged her at an early age to begin dancing; she initially trained under Billy Pearce's mother Jean...
- 1974, youngest winner at 9 years old. - Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah BandBonzo Dog Doo-Dah BandThe Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band are a band created by a group of British art-school denizens of the 1960s...
- Carline and WallingMike WallingMike Walling is an English comic actor and screenwriter.He began his career as an English teacher at Holland Park School in London. In the mid-1970s, while still a teacher, he won a British TV talent contest, New Faces, with a comedy double act called "Mr Carline & Mr Walling." He immediately...
- Victoria WoodVictoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
- Terry St. Clair - 1974. http://www.terrystclair.com
- Vinny Cadman
- Roger De CourceyRoger De CourceyRoger De Courcey is a British ventriloquist best known for performing with Nookie Bear. He was the winner of the 1976 New Faces televised talent competition grand final....
and Nookie Bear - Winner of the 1976 Grand Final. - Nicol and Marsh's Easy Street - Runners-up in 1976.
- Mick Miller
- Les DennisLes DennisLes Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...
- ShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
- Jim DavidsonJim Davidson (comedian)Jim Davidson OBE is a British comedian, actor and television presenter. He has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment, particularly of British service personnel in conflict zones.- Biography :The son of a Glaswegian father, Davidson was born in...
- Gary WilmotGary WilmotGary Wilmot is an English actor, writer, comedian, impressionist and singer. He rose to fame in the 80s through a number of television appearances, and subsequently moved into theatre.- Career :...
and Judy McPhee - Billy PearceBilly PearceBilly Pearce is an award winning English performer, comedian, actor and entertainer. A regular on UK television in the 1980s and 1990s, Pearce has been described as a "supreme entertainer". His summer shows and pantomimes regularly break box office records.-Early life:Pearce was born in Leeds in...
- Fivepenny PieceFivepenny PieceFivepenny Piece are a five-piece band, originally formed in 1969 in the area of East Lancashire around Ashton-under-Lyne and nearby Stalybridge in Cheshire...
- Aiden J Harvey
- Patti BoulayePatti BoulayePatti Boulaye is a British singer, actress and artist who was among the leading black British entertainers in the seventies and eighties...
- Appeared in the last 1970s edition of the show and was the only contestant ever to receive the maximum 120 points. - Stevie RiksStevie RiksStevie Riks is a British comedian and impressionist. He mainly releases material via the Internet video viewing web site YouTube...
- Highest scoring contestant ever on the show. - Max BaconMax BaconMax Bacon is the former lead singer for 1980s arena rock supergroup GTR as well as the frontman for lesser known bands like Moby Dick, Nightwing, Phenomena, and Bronz....
- Jeff Hooper - Jeff won the 1974 series, with the highest recorded score, while only 14 years old. Jeff has become known as the best big band, swing and jazz singer of his generation and currently appears on the BBC "Strictly Come Dancing Tour" as well as touring the world with his band.
- Andy CameronAndy CameronAndy Cameron is a Scottish comedian, television and radio broadcaster. He was born in London while his father, Hugh Cameron, was serving in the Army during World War II. Cameron was raised by his grandmother, Isabella 'Bella' Cameron, in the Royal Burgh of Rutherglen, south east of Glasgow,...
- Sheer EleganceSheer EleganceSheer Elegance were a pop/soul trio who won the British television talent show New Faces in 1975. Their first single "Milky Way" reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart early in 1976. The follow-up "Life Is Too Short Girl" was more successful, reaching number 9 and spending nine weeks on the...
- Pop trio who went on to have two hit singles in 1976.
Other winners & contestants
- The Glentones - 20 piece High School youth big band playing music from the Glen Miller era.
- Charlie James - Female singer - Winner December 1973.
- Martin Berger
- Pete PricePete PricePete Price is a British media personality and radio presenter, based in Merseyside, England. He is best known for the Sunday night talk radio show Pete Price: Unzipped, broadcast across sister stations City Talk 105.9 and Radio City 96.7. The show is aired live from 10pm to 2am and follows an open...
- Dave Curtis (Vocalist)
- Son of a Gun
- M3 - 3 sisters, Maureen Stevens, Mary Stevens, Marilyn Stevens.
- Walker and Cadman
- Professor Steve Green - Pianist and Doctor. http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=16321476&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=flying-doctor-saves-baby-girl-using-flat-lemonade-name_page.html
- David Gold - Vocalist.
- Jimmy Tamley - Beat Joe Pasquale.
- Crick's Canine Wonders
- Darren Stuart
- Frank Leyton
- Frank Yonco and Kit Connor
- Rabbit - Cabaret Band.
- Sandra Christie - Voice of Edith Piaf.
- The Libra Brothers
- Charlie James - Winner in December 1973.
Transmissions
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External links
.- Steve Cassidy - Steve Cassidy 3 times winner at www.stevecassidy.co.uk.