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Fantastic!
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A friend sent me the URL of this clip. I hope you don't mind if I add a comment or two because I was in TV in those days!
This was never shown on broadcast TV. This was the era when the VT (Videotape) departments of the BBC and the ITV regions used to compete (unofficially) with each other to produce the rudest and funniest "Christmas shows". These were sent up and down the various landlines across the UK at Christmas time, and it was a year-long occupation for these techie types to "win" the competition. Naturally the BBC usually did so because they has access to more 'raw material'.
Gradually, these "shows" progressed over the years, resulting in the VT departments persuading all sorts of "real" shows (like Rainbow) to do bits especially for the VT Christmas tape. This was one such 'special' recording. There were so many of them when this "craft" reached it's peak. Others include special musical numbers by Susie Quattro, whole dance routines in the VT suite by "Pans People" (remember them? NO? Not surprised!) Michael Aspel was attacked on the BBC News Set by Daleks. Noel Edmunds got similar treatment on the Set of "Swap Shop".
So much so that it's still the habit of many of the "old time" presenters, when they make a c*ck-up during a recording, to say "Merry Christmas VT"! (They did this because they just *knew* it would end up on the Christmas Show".)
This all pretty much stopped after the 1979 BBC VT Christmas Show when it was 'leaked' to the tabloids. Princess Anne had been edited to say "I think I've had sex but I'm not sure". This became briefly, the latest BBC scandal!
I still have the whole 90 minute 1979 BBC Christmas Show on video and that is what this clip was taken from. I met Jeffrey a few years after Rainbow ended (at the Boat Show strangely) and he said at the time how more people remembered him now for the VT Christmas Show recording (this one) than did for the three hundred plus episodes of the real thing!
If you need proof of the fact this is a special recording, note the length. It was a quick spoof lasting five minutes the real programmes were 14. I do agree though, it is VERY funny and still makes me laugh.
Steve.
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I'd first heard that it was an actual episode, but way over kid's heads so they'd gotten away with it, but like htey'd get away with that! :-D
X-Rated 'Rainbow' uncovered (Dated almost 3 years ago)
I find it so funny ^^ just saw this link on the comments, interesting.
It was never actually aired as a show (but on out take shows and the like).
I can't see how it isn't...but is it real?