Supersonic (TV series) facts for kids

Supersonic was a fun British TV show all about pop music. It showed popular artists of the time. The show started in 1975 and was made by London Weekend Television for the ITV network. It ran for two years, bringing music to homes across the UK.

The show usually lasted 30 minutes. When it first started, you could watch it on Thursday afternoons. Later, it moved to a Saturday afternoon spot. The idea for Supersonic came from David Deyong. The show was presented by Mike Mansfield, who was also a film and music producer. The main theme song was created and sung by Andy Bown.

Supersonic vs. Top of the Pops

Supersonic was different from its rival show, Top of the Pops, which was on the BBC. While Top of the Pops focused on songs that were high on the music charts, Supersonic did not. It showed popular performers, but it wasn't strictly about the chart positions.

Another big difference was how long they ran. Top of the Pops was on TV all year round. Supersonic, however, had shorter runs. Its first season had 30 episodes, and the second season had 28.

Behind the Scenes

Supersonic was filmed in front of a live audience of teenagers. This happened at the London Weekend studios, which were then called the South Bank Television Centre. The show had a special way of filming. The cameras were very visible, and you could even see parts of the production area, like where the director worked.

The person who produced and directed the show, Mike Mansfield, was also the host. He would introduce the musical acts from the control room. This was different from other shows where the host would stand in front of the camera.

Supersonic Around the World

For a short time, Supersonic was also shown in the United States. Later, some of the musical performances from the show were used again for American TV. This new show was called Twiggy's Jukebox. It was hosted by the famous model and singer Twiggy. Twiggy's Jukebox ran for one season in 1978 and 1979.

Remembering Supersonic Today

In 2020, the lead singer of the band Elbow, Guy Garvey, presented a TV program. It was on the UK Freeview channel Sky Arts. This program was called 'From The Vaults' and focused on music from 1975. A big part of this show featured clips from Supersonic. It included performances by famous bands like ELO, Rod Stewart, Status Quo, Roxy Music, Ace, and Dr Feelgood.