Beatles TV Appearances: Introduction
The Beatles were excellent at publicising their songs and TV appearances would give them much more exposure. As well as appearing on numerous radio shows, they also used the power of television to their advantage. However, during the early 1960s, the government tightly controlled the airways. Indeed, musicians struggled to get airplay legally of any sort.
So, when the opportunity arose to gain more exposure on TV and radio, artists jumped at the chance. Of course, there was always pirate radio. But as the old saying goes, why have sausage when you can have steak?
Missing Beatles TV Appearances
Although our guide is as comprehensive as possible, it does not take into account any promotional videos, films, news articles, etc. Indeed, adding those would be impractical. Therefore, our list shows the various television programmes where the Fab Four feature prominently.
The following tables show all the Beatles TV appearances of note. Furthermore, we list them in chronological order (transmission date).
1962
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live | 17/10/1962 | People and Places | Granada TV |
| 2 | 29/10/1962 | 02/11/1962 | People and Places | Granada TV |
| 3 | Live | 03/12/1962 | Discs A Gogo | TWW |
| 4 | Live | 04/12/1962 | Tuesday Rendezvous | Associated Rediffusion |
| 5 | Live | 17/12/1962 | People and Places | Granada TV |
1963
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live | 08/01/1963 | Roundup | Scottish TV |
| 2 | Live | 16/01/1963 | People and Places | Granada TV |
| 3 | 13/01/1963 | 19/01/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 4 | 17/02/1963 | 23/02/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 5 | Live | 02/03/1963 | ABC At Large | ABC Weekend TV |
| 6 | Live | 09/04/1963 | Tuesday Rendezvous | Associated Rediffusion |
| 7 | 13/04/1963 | 16/04/1963 | The 625 Show | BBC |
| 8 | Live | 16/04/1963 | Scene at 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 9 | 14/04/1963 | 20/04/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 10 | Live | 16/05/1963 | Pops and Lenny | ABC Weekend TV |
| 11 | 12/05/1963 | 18/05/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 12 | 22/06/1963 | 29/06/1963 | Lucky Stars (summer Spin) | ABC Weekend TV |
| 13 | 23/06/1963 | 29/06/1963 | Juke Box Jury | BBC |
| 14 | 14/08/1963 | 14 and 19/08/1963 | Scene at 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 15 | 22/08/1963 | 22/08/1963 | Day by Day | Southern Television |
| 16 | 18/06/1963 | 24/08/1963 | Lucky Stars (summer Spin) | ABC Weekend TV |
| 17 | 01/09/1963 | 07/09/1963 | Big Night Out | ABC Weekend TV |
| 18 | Live | 04/10/1963 | Ready, Steady, Go | Associated Rediffusion |
| 19 | 27-30/08/1963 | 09/10/1963 | The Mersey Sound | BBC |
| 20 | Live | 10/10/1963 | Sunday Night at the London Palladium | ABC Weekend TV |
| 21 | 18/10/1963 | 18/10/1963 | Scene at 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 22 | 20/10/1963 | 26/10/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 23 | 22/08/1962 | 06/11/1963 | Scene at 6.30** | Granada TV |
| 24 | 05/11/1963 | 07/11/1963 | This Week | Associated Rediffusion |
| 25 | 08/11/1963 | 08/11/1963 | Ulster News | Ulster Television |
| 26 | 08/11/1963 | 08/11/1963 | Six Ten | BBC |
| 27 | 04/11/1963 | 10/11/1963 | Royal Variety Performance | ABC Weekend TV |
| 28 | 12/11/1963 | 12/11/1963 | Day By Day | Southern Television |
| 29 | 12/11/1963 | 12/11/1963 | South Today | BBC |
| 30 | 13/11/1963 | 16/11/1963 | Move Over, Dad | Westward Television |
| 31 | Live | 26/11/1963 | East at Six Ten | BBC |
| 32 | 25/11/1963 | 27/11/1963 | Late Scene | Granada TV |
| 33 | 07/12/1963 | 07/12/1963 | Juke Box Jury | BBC |
| 34 | 07/12/1963 | 07/12/1963 | It’s The Beatles! | BBC |
| 35 | Not Known | 07/12/1963 | Scene at 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 36 | 15/12/1963 | 07/12/1963 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
**Originally planned for a show called “Know the North.”
1964
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20/11/1963 | 06/01/1964 | Scene at 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 2 | Live | 12/01/1964 | Sunday Night at the London Palladium | ABC Weekend TV |
| 3 | 07/02/1964 | 12/02/1964 | Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! the Beatles In New York | Granada TV |
| 4 | 22/02/1964 | 22/02/1964 | Grandstand | BBC |
| 5 | 23/02/1964 | 29/02/1964 | Big Night Out | ABC Weekend TV |
| 6 | Live | 20/03/1964 | Ready, Steady, Go | Associated Rediffusion |
| 7 | 19/03/1964 | 20/03/1964 | The Variety Club of Great Britain Awards for 1963 | BBC |
| 8 | Live | 23/03/1964 | Tonight | BBC |
| 9 | Live | 23/03/1964 | The Carl-Alan Awards | BBC |
| 10 | 19/03/1964 | 23/03/1964 | Top of the Pops | BBC |
| 11 | 03/04/1964 | 09/04/1964 | Star Parade | Tyne Tees TV |
| 12 | 02/12/1963 | 18/04/1964 | Two of a Kind (The Morecambe and Wise Show) | ABC Weekend TV |
| 13 | 30/04/1964 | 30/04/1964 | Six Ten | BBC 1 |
| 14 | 30/04/1964 | 05/05/1964 | Roundup | Scottish |
| 15 | 28/04/1964 | 06/05/1964 | Around The Beatles | Rediffusion |
| 16 | 26/04/1964 | 10/05/1964 | Big Beat ’64 | ABC Weekend TV |
| 17 | 15/04/1964 | 18/05/1964 | A Degree of Frost | BBC 1 |
| 18 | 07/07/1964 | 07/07/1964 | Scene At 6.30 | Granada |
| 19 | 07/07/1964 | 08 and 29/07/1964 | Top of the Pops | BBC 1 |
| 20 | 10/07/1964 | 10/07/1964 | Look North | BBC 1 |
| 21 | 10/07/1964 | 10/07/1964 | Scene At 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 22 | Live | 11/07/1964 | Lucky Stars (summer Spin) | ABC Weekend TV |
| 23 | Live | 19/07/1964 | Blackpool Night Out | ABC Weekend TV |
| 24 | Live | 25/07/1964 | Juke Box Jury | BBC 1 |
| 25 | 25/07/1964 | 01/08/1964 | Juke Box Jury | BBC 1 |
| 26 | 24/04/1964 | 03/08/1964 | Follow The Beatles | BBC 1 |
| 27 | Live | 14/10/1964 | It’s Beat Time | BBC 2 |
| 28 | 14/10/1964 | 14/10/1964 | Scene At 6.30 | Granada TV |
| 28 | 15/10/1964 | 16/10/1964 | North-East Roundabout | Tyne Tees |
| 30 | 20/10/1964 | 23/10/1964 | Grampian Week | Grampian |
| 31 | 06/11/1964 | 06/11/1964 | Day By Day | Southern Television |
| 32 | 14/11/1964 | 21/11/1964 | Lucky Stars Special | ABC Weekend TV |
| 33 | 23/11/1964 | 27/11/1964 | Ready, Steady, Go | Rediffusion |
| 34 | 16/11/1964 | 03/12/1964 | Top of the Pops | BBC 1 |
| 35 | 22/12/1964 | 24/12/1964 | Top of the Pops ’64 | BBC 1 |
1965
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20/11/1964 | 09/01/1965 | Not Only…But Also | BBC 2 |
| 2 | 29/11/1964-28/03/1965 | 03/04/1965 | Thank Your Lucky Stars | ABC Weekend TV |
| 3 | Live | 11/04/1965 | The Eamonn Andrews Show | ABC Weekend TV |
| 4 | 10/04/1965 | 15/04/1965 | Top of the Pops | BBC1 |
| 5 | Live | 16/04/1965 | Ready, Steady, Go Live! | Rediffusion |
| 6 | 11/04/1965 | 18/04/1965 | Poll Winners Concert | ABC Weekend TV |
| 7 | Live | 18/06/1965 | Tonight | BBC 1 |
| 8 | 13/07/1965 | 15/07/1965 | Pick of the Songs | Rediffusion |
| 9 | Live | 01/08/1965 | Blackpool Night Out | ABC Weekend TV |
| 10 | 02/11/1965 | 16/12/1965 | The Music of Lennon and McCartney | Granada TV |
1966
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16/08/1965 | 01/03/1966 | The Beatles at Shea Stadium | BBC 1 |
| 2 | 01/05/1966 | 15/05/1966 | Poll Winners Concert | ABC Weekend TV |
| 3 | Live | 16/06/1966 | Top of the Pops | BBC 1 |
| 4 | 27/11/1966 | 26/12/1966 | Not Only … But Also | BBC 2 |
| 5 | 20/12/1966 | 28/12/1966 | Reporting ’66 | ITN |
1967
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18/01/1967 | 07/03/1967 | Scene Special | Granada TV |
| 2 | 29/04/1967 | 17/05/1967 | Man Alive | BBC 2 |
| 3 | Live | 25/06/1967 | Our World | BBC 1 |
| 4 | 12/09/1967 | 13/09/1967 | Spotlight South-West | BBC 1 |
| 5 | 29/09/1967 | 29/09/1967 | The Frost Programme | Rediffusion |
| 6 | 04/10/1967 | 04/10/1967 | The Frost Programme1 | Rediffusion |
| 7 | 21/11/1967 | 07/12/1967 | Top of the Pops | BBC 1 |
| 8 | 27/12/1967 | 27/12/1967 | The Frost Programme | Rediffusion |
- Clarification needed. ↩︎
1968
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 06/06/1968 | 22/06/1968 | Release | BBC 2 |
| 2 | 30/06/1968 | 01/07/1968 | Look North | BBC 1 |
| 3 | Live | 24/08/1968 | Frost on Saturday | LWT |
| 4 | 04/09/1968 | 08/09/1968 | Frost on Sunday | LWT |
| 5 | 06/09/1968 | 10/09/1968 | Magpie | Thames |
| 6 | 23/05/1968 | 03/11/1968 | All My Loving | BBC 1 |
1969
The video from Frost on Sunday:
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live | 01/04/1969 | Today | Thames |
| 2 | Live | 03/04/1969 | The Eamonn Andrews Show | Thames |
| 3 | 02/05/1969 | 02/05/1969 | How Late Is It | BBC 1 |
| 4 | 06/12/1969 | 06/12/1969 | Frost On Saturday | LWT |
| 5 | Live | 07/12/1969 | The Question Why | BBC 1 |
| 6 | 01/12/1969 | 10/12/1969 | Line-Up | BBC 2 |
| 7 | 2-6/12/1969 | 15/12/1969 | 24 Hours | BBC 1 |
| 8 | 04/05/1969 | 18/12/1969 | Will The Real Mr Sellers… | BBC 1 |
| 9 | 14/12/1969 | 24/12/1969 | With A Little Help From My Friends | Yorkshire TV |
| 10 | 02/01/1969 | 30/12/1969 | Man of the Decade | ABC Weekend TV |
1970
| Appearance Number | Date Recorded | First Broadcast | Programme Name | TV Company Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07/02/1970 | 08/02/1970 | The Simon Dee Show | LWT |
| 2 | 11/02/1970 | 12 & 09/02/1970 | Top of the Pops | BBC 1 |
| 3 | Live | 29/03/1970 | Frost on Sunday | LWT |
| 4 | 10/04/1970 | 26/04/1970 | Fact or Fantasy? | BBC 1 |
The Beatles TV Appearances Increased Exposure
Although Beatlemania was spreading like wildfire in the early 1960s, the Fab Four still needed publicity. Of course, they appeared regularly on radio shows such as Pop Go The Beatles, The Saturday Club, etc. But the band needed the extra publicity that television could provide.
Indeed, they wanted to keep in touch with the fans. Not only would television do this, but it would also show their unique wit and charm. Furthermore, it would create a much deeper bond.
Notes About The Beatles TV Appearances
- The UK has many local independent television stations; for example, Granada TV was a station for the north-west of England (the Fab Four’s region). However, occasionally, those can network a programme.
- On December 3, 1962, The Beatles mimed “Love Me Do” on Discs A Gogo, broadcast by TWW (Television Wales and the West), so this may be their first professional TV appearance.
- When the Fab Four starred in Thank Your Lucky Stars on January 19, 1963, it was generally thought of as The Beatles first professional appearance on television without miming. The show was networked across the whole UK rather than being localised to one region.
Beatles TV Appearances: In Summary
Not everyone could get to a Fab Four concert, of course. However, the Beatles TV appearances allowed the band to reach into the fans’ sitting rooms.
So, can you remember any of the Beatles TV appearances? If so, what are your recollections? Also, if you know of any “missing” Beatles TV appearances, let us know.
Finally, you can comment below if it is in relation to this post. You can also use our comprehensive forum.
