Ready, Steady, Go

Random Reminiscences from Teenage Years

by 60s Pop Star, Dottie Pickles

We were excited the moment the theme music by Manfred Mann, ‘5,4,3,2,1’ began and we heard the catch-phrase, ‘The weekend starts here!’

Dottie Pickles, in her 60s Top of the Pops days.

Rediffusion

Ready, Steady, Go was a half hour pop music show broadcast in the UK by the Associated Rediffusion television company (renamed ‘Rediffusion’ in 1964). The show ran from 9th August 1963 until 23rd December 1966 and was screened early on Friday evenings.

The show was conceived by the then Head of Rediffusion TV, Elkan Allan. He wanted a light entertainment programme different from the low-brow style of light entertainment transmitted by ATV. Allan recruited a fellow journalist, Francis Hitching, as producer.

Ready, Steady, Go was produced without scenery or costumes and with a minimum of choreography and make-up.

It was exciting being in the audience, because the audiences were the dancers of the show. In the beginning artists mimed their songs, but from April 1965 the show went ‘live’.

Presenters

Keith Fordyce and Cathy McGowan were the best known presenters. One of the best things about Ready, Steady, Go, was artists performed the full version of their songs. This was unheard of at the time, because other shows insisted on short versions.

What we also thought cool was how the cameras, which were large with rotating lens turrets, were often seen as part of the action. When Manfred Mann performed ‘Machines’, it ended with Paul Jones singing crouched on the floor surrounded by cameras.

Many artists who later became chart toppers were seen for the first time on our TV screens on Ready, Steady, Go.

Here are just some of the pop sensations who performed on the show: The Who, The Beatles, The Hollies, Dusty Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, The Temptations, The Walker Brothers, The Rolling Stones, PJ Proby, Billy Fury, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Dave Clark Five, Cilla Black, Lulu, Sandie Shaw, Cliff Richards, Gene Pitney, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Yardbirds, Helen Shapiro, The Kinks, The Supremes, The Moody Blues, Adam Faith, Marianne Faithful and Tom Jones.

One of my favourite memories is when I and a girlfriend met the Supremes, because we would sing their song, ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’ at the top of our voices. The girls were beautiful and kind. They gave us a blissful treasured day.

Here are The Supremes with the amazing Dave Clark Five…

Ex-Pop Star Character, Dottie Pickles, created by Charlie Clarke and story article/blog post, written by Charlie Clarke © Charlie Clarke 2025