New faces

New faces from 1973 UK Prime Time Television

Go back to the early seventies and Britains Got Talent existed in a very different form, New Faces. After a long and successsful reign from Hughie Green and Opportunity Knocks, this ATV show came into the popular viewing figures of the seventies with its very own Simon Cowell. In the form of Mickey Most and Tony Hatch, these two were as awkward and as viscous as any comments mr Cowell gives today.

ATV’s successful New Faces talent contest from 1973 to 1978 was hosted by Derek Hobson. I can’t say ive seen much of him since those days.

New faces from 1973 TelevisionNew Faces first aired in September 1973 and remained until April 1978. Contestants received marks out of ten from the four judges in three categories such as “presentation”, “content” and “star quality” This meant each judge could give upto 30 points providing an accumaltive top score of 120 points.

For me, I particularly remember the cartoon introduction of a man looking like sid little busking with a black Sedan coming along and offering him a break.
The lyrics were:

skool

Yesterday I was happy to play
For a penny or two a song
Till a fellah in a black sedan
Took a shine to my one-man-band
He said, “We got plans for you, you’d never dream”

(Chorus)
You’re a star, you’re a star
A lamé suit and a new guitar
And I know that you’ll go far
‘Cause you’re a star
You’re a star, superstar
On you go, it’s your finest hour
And I know that you’ll go far
‘Cause you’re a star

I signed my name and the Friday came
When the song that I used to sing
Came out on a forty-five
I sang it on the TV live
Yes, the music played and I heard the people say

(Chorus)

Woah! The record did fine
And there came a time
When I bought my own black sedan
And a piece of land for a home
In St. George’s Hill (that’s where they all live, ya know)

(Instrumental Break)

When I’m low, I’m a-happy to go
To the street where I used to play
Even though it makes me laugh
To have to sign my autograph
For the folks who used to drop me just to dance

Now they all say…

(Chorus to fade)

These are a few of the stars that came out of New Faces, Marti Caine, Lenny Henry, Dave Allen, Joe Pasquale, Roy Walker, The Chuckle Brothers, Victoria Wood, Roger De Courcey and Nookie Bear, Les Dennis, Jim Davidson and Patti Boulaye.

In 1986 it was resurrected by Central Tv for a run of a few years with Marti Caine a previous winner.

8 thoughts on “New faces

  1. I have a feeling I met Simon Cowell when he had a different name and was fourteen years of age .. I met him with a brother in Stt Georges Hill near junction of Camp End Rd and Old Avenue… there was a little brother who was being bullied by the older brother

  2. We were on New Faces on 28-2-78 The Ordinarys you can check out footage on you tube under “the Ordinarys on New Faces”
    Apparently ATV have wiped all copies.
    We came fifthI Think? But it was good fun to do, if you play the video to the end you can see the judges comments.

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