The Beatles’ first Top Of The Pops appearance

Between 7pm and 8.30pm The Beatles were at the BBC’s Television Theatre (since renamed the Shepherd’s Bush Empire) in west London, to film their debut appearance on Top Of The Pops.

The show was normally broadcast from studios in Manchester, but The Beatles were allowed to pre-record, without an audience, two songs in London. They mimed to both songs from their new single, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘You Can’t Do That’.

The appearance was shown on Wednesday 25 March between 6.35pm and 7pm, with Can’t Buy Me Love repeated on the 8 April edition. At the time Top Of The Pops was Britain’s most popular music show on TV.

Last updated: 11 March 2019
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