Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles
Foreground

Tuesday, January 30, 1968

Cilla Black’s television series “Cilla” launched in the UK

Last updated on September 28, 2024

On this day, the inaugural episode of “Cilla“, a BBC television program presented by singer Cilla Black, aired on UK television. The theme tune, “Step Inside Love,” – was written by Paul McCartney. At this stage, the composition included only one verse and a chorus.

Two days prior, Cilla Black had rehearsed “Step Inside Love” with Paul McCartney.


From Wikipedia:

Cilla is a BBC TV programme hosted by British singer Cilla Black. It ran for eight series from 30 January 1968 to 17 April 1976.

History

Then-British singing star Cilla Black was offered her own show on the BBC, to be eponymously called Cilla, by Bill Cotton in 1967. Cotton was then Assistant Head of Light Entertainment. The first series of the show started broadcasting on Tuesday, 30 January 1968, on the first show of which Black’s guest was Tom Jones and the two music stars sang a duet together. Paul McCartney (without Lennon) wrote the theme tune entitled “Step Inside Love“, which became another chart success for Black (this song was later covered by Madeline Bell). The series featured guest appearances by many stars of the era, including Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Charles Aznavour, Matt Monro, Sacha Distel, Donovan, Georgie Fame, Ethel Merman, the Shadows and Phil Everly.

This success paved the way for a lengthy television career for Black, which continued until 2003. Black began the 1970s by appearing on the BBC’s highly rated review of the sixties music scene Pop Go The Sixties, performing “Anyone Who Had a Heart” on the show, broadcast across Europe and BBC1, on 31 December 1969.

Like many of her contemporaries during the 1970s, Black’s musical career later declined. She toured often but became increasingly thought of as a television personality. But her BBC series Cilla ran for almost a decade, racking up eight seasons between January 1968 and April 1976. The theme songs from the Cilla series were also successful. “Step Inside Love” opened the series for the runs for the first four series from 1968 to early 1971 and reached number 8 in the UK singles chart on its release. “Something Tells Me (Something’s Gonna Happen Tonight)” was the theme for the late 1971 and 1973 shows, reaching number 3 and becoming Black’s last top-ten success. “Baby, We Can’t Go Wrong” was used for the 1974 series and was a minor success, reaching number 36, Black’s last UK chart song until 1993. The final series in 1976 used the song “It’s Now”, which was included as a B-Side of “Little Things Mean A Lot”, which failed to chart.

The UK’s Eurovision Song Contest entry selection process was part of the Cilla show in both 1968 and 1973, when Black’s close friend Cliff Richard was the featured artist performing all the songs shortlisted in the A Song For Europe segment. Black had been asked to sing for the 1968 contest, but declined because she thought it unlikely that another British female vocalist would win after Sandie Shaw, who had won the previous year. She was asked again in 1969 to represent the UK in 1970, but declined as she was pregnant at the time. The 1974 series was also scheduled to feature the ‘Song for Europe’ process, but Black was uncomfortable at promoting another female singer (Olivia Newton John) each week throughout the series’ run and in a rather last minute decision, the BBC agreed to move the process to another series: Clunk Click, As It Happens hosted by Jimmy Savile.

An episode broadcast in March 1968 was found by a fairground owner whose father was a film collector; it was shown at Missing Believed Wiped on 16 December 2017.

From CILLA (1968-76) – Official Cilla Black Website:

In August 1967, only days before his premature death, Brian Epstein had engineered Cilla’s switch to television with this her own eponymous variety show for BBC TV.

The immediate success of the ‘Cilla’ series marked the beginning of a new phase of Cilla’s professional life as she was now one of Britain’s top-rated television entertainers. Her show regularly commanded staggering audience figures of between 18 and 22 million until it ended in 1976. Apart from providing Cilla with the opportunity to perform her music, it also showcased her infectious personality, her ability to host a live show, the ease with which she performed with guest stars, acted in comedy sketches and her forte – her interaction with the general public.

‘Cilla’ ran for 8 series totaling 66 shows; broadcast between the 30th January 1968 & 17th April 1976.


From CILLA BLACK UK pop singer in January 1968 in Series 1 Episode 1 of Stock Photo – Alamy – CILLA BLACK UK pop singer in January 1968 in Series 1 Episode 1 of her BBC TV show “Cilla” backed by dance group The Ladybirds

I only try to be me — SAYS CILLA

CILLA BLACK, the lassie from Lancashire, was talking about Cilla Black and people and things and places.

“I’m coming up to Glasgow in April for two weeks at the Alhambra, and I know I’m going to have a lovely time. I’ve never stayed in Glasgow before, but I know that the people are my kind of people-working-class, warm, human, natural, with no airs and graces. That’s the way they are in Liverpool too. No Lady Muck stuff. No dahling this and dahling that. There’s an affinity between Liverpool and Glasgow, honestly there is, Donald. Look at Lulu, for instance. She comes from the same background as I come from — working-class parents and a working-class home. Know something? That’s the reason we’ve done so well. That kind of background makes you cheeky, makes you feel that you can face any challenge or do anything. We both have a bit of that — cheek. But has it done us any harm? Some people think it’s rudeness. They’re wrong. It’s just being honest and truthful with yourself.

“I’ve never tried to be anything other than I am — a girl from Liverpool. I have never tried to change my accent. Why should I? What’s wrong with being a Liverpudlian or a Glaswegian? When I first went to London, I used to hear people say, ‘But isn’t she so common, dahling?’ If they mean being one of the common people, then I’m glad to be one. I’ll never change for anybody, whether I’m playing at Batley or at the Savoy. I’m only interested in what Joe Bloggs wants me to be, not what Lord Muck would like me to be. I’ll never be slick or hip or anything you call it. I’ll just be me. That’s not being rude That’s being honest.

“I’ve got this TV series on the go just now, and I think the secret of its success is that I don’t try to play a part but that I’m just my natural self. Success hasn’t changed me. Of course, I always want to do better and better all the time.

“I think my new record will show that when it comes out in a few weeks’ time — the one Paul McCartney wrote for me, called ’Step Inside Love.’

“When Paul said he’d write a theme for the series and a song just for me, I took it with a pinch of salt. I’d heard it all before. But he came up with this one, played it over on his guitar to me a couple of times, and that was it. I went around singing it for days after.

“I know it sounds daft, but I still miss my folks and Liverpool. I go up there every week if I can. But they haven’t changed either. The folks, I mean. They’ve got a new house, but that’s all. Last time I went up, it was the same old thing – mum went to the bingo and dad went down to the pub to play darts. I was left on my own to watch the Black and White Minstrel Show on TV. There’s a laugh.”

(The laugh is that Cilla’s professional name is Black and her real name is White.)

“I’ve got a lot of plans to promote myself in America this year – and I only hope I do as well as Lulu has done there. I’ll go there possibly after the Alhambra show, but I’ll come back to Britain as soon as possible. The reason for that is simple. I owe my success to this country, and I’ll never forget it. You can call it backing Britain if you like. For me it’s still the greatest country in the world, and the people – my kind of people – are the greatest of them all.”

The Black bird then said bye-bye.

From Daily Record, February 12, 1968
From Daily Record, February 12, 1968

Going further

The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years

"With greatly expanded text, this is the most revealing and frank personal 30-year chronicle of the group ever written. Insider Barry Miles covers the Beatles story from childhood to the break-up of the group."

We owe a lot to Barry Miles for the creation of those pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - a day to day chronology of what happened to the four Beatles during the Beatles years!

Shop on Amazon

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2024 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.