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"RE-JamesW, i saw TOTP2 over christmas, a run down of top 100 greatest xmas tunes i think it was and Glitter was only shown briefly"
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No, that wasn't TOTP2.

The programme you're referring to was shown on Channel 5. As you say it featured Gary Glitter's Christmas hit, but only briefly. Channel 5 have done exactly the same thing in other 'rundown' programmes, i.e. allowed Gary Glitter and his song titles to be mentioned, but played very little of them.

"im sure he has enough wealth and friends in high places"

I've always wondered about this, i've read about him having loyal friends who protect him and help him out, including some that are very wealthy. What i wonder is, are these "friends" paedophiles? And do they belong to some sort of "Paedophile Network"? If not, what is their association with Glitter? I mean would they say, 'well we talk about football and politics and we have a drink and play cards. I know he's a paedophile but thats just something he does when i'm not around!' I mean i just can't imagine it, how can they be around him and spend time with him when they know what he does? Boggles my mind.

"No. They aren't.

If you look at the BBC4 listings for 28 Jan this year, you'll see the BBC advertising Top Of The Tops with Slade, Leo Sayer, Gary Glitter, Silver Connection, Donna Summer and Thin Lizzy. The same programme was also shown 2 days before on 26 Jan.

The BBC put out a statement regarding those broadcasts saying that it would not cut Gary Glitter from repeat showings of Top of the Pops. "It would be inappropriate for us to rewrite history so we will show these programmes in their entirety." "


I can't stand the guy, and majority opinion seems to indicate the British public can't either. But fair enough to the BBC, i think their stance is right. He did write those songs, he did perform them, and they sold in their bucketloads. He was also part of a very popular genre of music in "glam" and to eradicate him from that i feel would be tasteless. I am not much of a fan of his music either, but by several accounts it seems he influenced a lot of other acts, more so his band "The Glitter Band" and it wouldn't be fair on them to erase him from the history. I am not a regular viewer of TOTP2 so i had no idea they had taken this objective but on reflection i do agree. I never saw the show, did you watch it? Was there any kind of feeling you had when Glitter appeared? I wonder what others felt?

How come none of Michael Jackson's music isn't banned? I noticed that on the internet he is referred to as , "The Word's most popular paedo." I know he wasn't convicted of anything, but he sure gets an easy ride! No pun intended!!wink!

"I know he wasn't convicted of anything"

That's exactly why he's still played. He wasn't convicted of anything. They are hardly going to say 'we are banning him for not getting convicted'

"I can't stand the guy, and majority opinion seems to indicate the British public can't either. But fair enough to the BBC, i think their stance is right."
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It may interest you to know that last year a Top Of The Pops repeat was edited by BBC4 to remove a performance by Jonathan King (a convicted child sex offender). Mr King complained about this "revision" of Top Of The Tops and received the following letter from the Director General of the BBC:

"Dear Mr King,

I am sorry to hear that you were unhappy that your performance was edited out of an episode of Top of the Pops recently repeated on BBC Four. The BBC's complaints process begins with a response from the relevant programme makers and I therefore asked my colleagues in BBC Four to address this matter. Their response is as follows:

'We are sorry that Mr King's appearance was edited out of this particular programme. We accept that this should not have happened and we would like to apologise for any upset this caused. We can assure Mr King that there is no policy in place requiring any of his appearances, or those of anyone else, to be removed from repeats we show on the channel. We can also assure Mr King that his performance will not be edited out of any future repeat of this particular episode of Top of the Pops.'

I want to join BBC Four in apologising for this incorrect decision."

Very interesting, i never knew this either. Do you think this influenced the decision re featuring Glitter or had he already appeared on TOTP2 repeats on the channel? I understand if i'm reading your last message correct that it was just a Top Of The Pops repeat that King was edited out of? That would understandably explain why he noticed & resulted in his complaint. However on a TOTP2 broadcast or repeat surely only those who watched the show religiously would notice if a Glitter performance was removed?

I also wonder what Children's groups and Anti Child Abuse Campaigners make of it. If they have lodged any complaints or even know about this?

I'm sure it influenced the decision on featuring Glitter, because Jonathan King's complaint had accused the BBC of "rewriting history" and the BBC's subsequent statement on Glitter begins "It would be inappropriate for us to rewrite history".

Yes, it was a Top Of The Pops repeat that King was edited out of (from 1976), not a TOTP2 show.

Meatus wrote:

> "They edited him out of Top of the Pops (the first time,
> anyway) so I wouldn't be surprised if his music continues to
> disappear."
>
> I imagine they would have done, and would continue to do so.
> Especially on things like Top Of The Pops 2 and shows were he
> would have made an appearance. I'm not so sure if they would
> edit his songs from films. Perhaps they will, or on Satellite
> channels that show old episodes of The Bill or Eastenders and
> there was background music of his in it (i have no idea if any
> of his songs ever were background music in any show) but i
> imagine it would be a painstaking operation to remove these.
>

He was edited out of ToTP2 until Jonathan King complained (see below) and then the BBC backtracked. And no, it actually isn't that difficult to dub in new music. It happens quite often. It happened in Only Fools and Horses in the episode when Damien was born. On the BBC broadcast they played the theme tune to The Exorcist when he looked at Rodney, but when you watch it on DVD the music you hear is Carmina Burana. Obviously, they could not get the rights for a DVD release.


> "He was actually sent down in November 1999. He was arrested in
> 1997 but still gigging in 1998."
>
> Great bit of information there - though i'm very surprised he
> was still gigging in 1998. Getting older, struggling to
> remember all those years ago lol...but i seem to recall there
> was pretty much widespread hatred of him as soon as the story
> was out there. Was this not the case, did his fans initially
> back him and hope he would be proved innocent?


No, you are mistaken. There wasn't widespread revulsion when he was arrested. Indeed most of the media (including Richard Littlejohn - hardly a liberal right-on hack) supported him. It wasn't until he was sent down that the hatred began. At the gigs in 1997, he paid tribute to Mike Leander who co-wrote all his songs with him. Leander died in 1996 but Gary Glitter said he was too upset to talk at the gigs that year. In 1998, he was as popular as ever but had already announced his retirement - at those gigs he had two joint lead singers as he was finding it difficult to sing alone.

Part of the media support was because of the News of the World (surprise!). As well as the porn he was accused of underage sex with his ex-girlfriend Alison Brown. The Screws had agreed to pay her ?50,000 if he was convicted. That probably influenced the jury to find him not guilty.

JamesW wrote:

> "I imagine they would have done, and would continue to do so.
> Especially on things like Top Of The Pops 2"
> ----------------------------------------
>
>
> No. They aren't.
>
> If you look at the BBC4 listings for 28 Jan this year, you'll
> see the BBC advertising Top Of The Tops with Slade, Leo Sayer,
> Gary Glitter, Silver Connection, Donna Summer and Thin Lizzy.
> The same programme was also shown 2 days before on 26 Jan.
>
They aren't but they were and also not playing his music on countdown shows on Radio 2.