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Surprise Surprise - previously unaired show

Split from Cilla Black has died (December 2015)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
I seen the tribute on UTV on Christmas Day - it was a wonderful tribute. I had no idea she was a singer until I seen the Cilla drama. I just thought she was a presenter up until then and y'know I heard a number of songs and didn't realise it was our Cilla.


Black actually started out as a singer in the 1960s and for the most part remained a singer to a certain extent for the rest of her life.

Quote:
I didn't realise how deeply Bobby's death affected her until now - I remember when he died but I never realised how much it affected her when it came to presenting Blind Date and Surprise Surprise - I could see she wasn't the same - her heart wasn't fully in it anymore really.


Well if you are married to somebody for 30 years and they die, it's kind of going to hit you hard. Remember that Bobby Willis wasn't just Cilla's husband, he was also her manager. His death would have left a huge hole in her life, just as if you were married to somebody for 30 years and they die, you'd have a huge hole in your life.


Quote:
So really... She'd done everything she wanted to do in her life, she had a successful singing career, she had a successful presenting career, she got her BAFTA for all her TV work just last year, she had a husband who she loved and was gone, she had her Children and Grandchildren.


Black never had a number one album. At least one number one single but never a number one album. That only happened after she died. Some singers, as morbid as it sounds, tend to be more successful after their death - Michael Jackson has "earned" more after his death than most living solo musicians.

Whether Black generates a significant amount of revenue after death remains to be seen.
:-(
A former member
Just to say Cilla had two No1, on top of that not including the No1 had 9 Top 10 ( place all over the chat) Not to shabby. She had her own Prime time show on the BBC, by 1976 it wall faded away. It wasn't until Wogan in 1983, she come back into fashion
VM
VMPhil
Of course the very nature of pop music is its ephemerality, with a few exceptions (Beatles for example), so it's a credit to her talent that she was able to have an even more successful career on TV.
AL
alexhduk
This seems the best thread to put this in, a long forgotten pilot shot in 2008:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnVW8ehsB8U


Sky allegedly canned it because it became apparent it would be to costly to produce , which is surprising because it looks unbelievably tacky , even for 2008.
GO
gottago
This seems the best thread to put this in, a long forgotten pilot shot in 2008:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnVW8ehsB8U


Sky allegedly canned it because it became apparent it would be to costly to produce , which is surprising because it looks unbelievably tacky , even for 2008.

I expect that's a cheapo version made on a pilot budget. I expect it would have looked a bit more impressive if it had gone to series.
BR
Brekkie
Was an awful idea though.
RD
rdobbie
Just saw the 2003 Surprise Surprise on Hub. A time capsule, especially when Gareth Gates appeared as "man of the moment".

The people featured on the show must have been a bit confused when it was never broadcast – I wonder if anyone at ITV bothered to contact them with an explanation?

The graphics and the set reminded me of the present day Top of the Pops Christmas specials: low budget, bland and not making any real attempt to recreate the feel or quality of the original show.
MR
mr_vivian
I had no idea it was never broadcast... until now. What a waste. That makes me cross.
GO
gottago
I had no idea it was never broadcast... until now. What a waste. That makes me cross.

Why?
MR
mr_vivian
I had no idea it was never broadcast... until now. What a waste. That makes me cross.

Why?


I just think about the amount of time and effort from everyone that goes into each show.

At least it was shown in the end I guess.
BU
buster
Just saw the 2003 Surprise Surprise on Hub. A time capsule, especially when Gareth Gates appeared as "man of the moment".

The people featured on the show must have been a bit confused when it was never broadcast – I wonder if anyone at ITV bothered to contact them with an explanation?



My favourite bit was when one of Westlife didn't turn up and they said "give us a wave if you're watching at home".

On ITV3 in 12 years time presumably...
JO
Jon
I had no idea it was never broadcast... until now. What a waste. That makes me cross.

Why?


I just think about the amount of time and effort from everyone that goes into each show

They had a job to do, they did it and would've got paid.

A bit annoying for the participants, but they had their dreams fulfilled, so I hope they don't grumble.

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