"Pop Club" was a hugely popular radio programme on the
BBC World Service in the late 1960s. Presented by the radio broadcaster
Tommy Vance
Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston (11 July 1940 – 6 March 2005), known professionally as Tommy Vance, was an English radio broadcaster. He was an important factor in the rise of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), a ...
dubbed "TV on the radio", each installment of the programme started with a song from
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
, the nominal president of the club.
Listeners to the BBC World Service from all over the world would apply to become members of Pop Cub receiving a membership card, special badges and gifts. Every week Tommy Vance would read listeners' letters and played requests with one being chosen as the "letter of the week".
Later on the hosting was taken over by
Noel Edmonds
Noel Ernest Edmonds (born 22 December 1948) is an English television presenter, radio DJ, writer, producer, and businessman. Edmonds first became known as a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg before moving to BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presente ...
and the 30-minute programme was extended to 45 minutes.
{{BBC World Service
BBC World Service programmes