Top of the Pops turns 60 tomorrow, and while the once unmissable show may no longer be made any more, official photographer Mark Allan has opened up his archives to provide a trip down memory lane.
As well as the stars performing in the BBC studio, Mark says celebrities would be in the audience too.
He recalled: “I remember one time, I think it was the time Prince was there, and there was the cast of EastEnders including Dot.”
He snapped pop legends such as Madonna, Britney Spears, George Michael and Gary Numan.
Before landing the weekly job on the hit TV show, London-based Mark was an experienced rock photographer, previously working as David Bowie’s official tour snapper.
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He also went on the road with Tina Turner, worked at Live Aid and was commissioned by Mariah Carey and Britney’s labels to capture shots.
His work from Elstree and London’s TV Centre forms part of the Allan Archives, which boasts the largest collection of TOTP images.
“The thing about the show was how small it was in the studio,” Mark said. “It’s tiny. The studio audience moved from one stage to the next so it looked like you had massive crowds in there filling all the space.”
And Mark said of his fascinating collection of images: “There are two pictures of Britney.”
Because I had worked with her before and knew her I was able to get close. Her record company had booked me to tour the first time she came to the UK.”
Mark added: “Prince wouldn’t let anyone on set so you could only be in there if you were actually filming. He wouldn’t allow stills to be taken.”
“He wouldn’t let Robbie Williams in and I remember Robbie being like, ‘Who does he think he is?’.”
He lists Madonna, George Michael and Kylie as among his favourites.
“George Michael – it was amazing when he was on the show,” said Mark, who was also invited to Japan to photograph the Wham! star when he first went solo.
“If people thought he was high maintenance he absolute wasn’t.”
● View more of Mark’s TOTP pictures on Instagram @allanphotoarchive