The Old Grey Whistle Test
8.2
Season 16
S16 · E1 · Sep 20, 1986
The Damned / Echo & the Bunnymen / Hang Wangford / Billy Bragg / Brendan Croker Episode 1
S16 · E2 · Dec 23, 1986
Paul Simon special Episode 2
S16 · E3 · Dec 31, 1986
End of the Year Episode 3
S16 · E4 · Jan 7, 1987
Run DMC Episode 4
S16 · E5 · Jan 13, 1987
Episode 5 Episode 5
S16 · E6 · Jan 14, 1987
Michelle Shocked Episode 6
S16 · E7 · Jan 21, 1987
The Comfy Area Episode 7
S16 · E8 · Jan 28, 1987
The Cult Episode 8
S16 · E9 · Feb 4, 1987
Run DMC Episode 9
S16 · E10 · Feb 11, 1987
World Party Episode 10
S16 · E11 · Feb 18, 1987
Episode 11 Episode 11
S16 · E12 · Feb 25, 1987
Episode 12 Episode 12
S16 · E13 · Mar 4, 1987
Deep Purple / The Mission Episode 13
S16 · E14 · Mar 11, 1987
U2 / Sinéad O’Connor Episode 14
S16 · E15 · Mar 18, 1987
Episode 15 Episode 15
S16 · E16 · Mar 25, 1987
Wet Wet Wet Episode 16
S16 · E17 · Apr 1, 1987
Paul Simon Episode 17
S16 · E18 · Apr 20, 1987
Level 42 in concert Episode 18
S16 · E19 · Apr 21, 1987
Big in Japan special Episode 19
S16 · E20 · Apr 22, 1987
That Was The Whistle Test That Was Episode 20
20 episodes in Season 16
Some details come from TheTVDB.
The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco Two", which had been running since January 1970, while continuing to feature non-chart music. It was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers. According to presenter Bob Harris, the programme derived its name from a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years before. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys—doormen in grey suits. The songs they could remember and whistle, having heard it just once or twice, had passed the old grey whistle test.
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Cast
20 people
Bob Harris
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Richard Williams
Steve Ellis
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Loudon Wainwright III
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Cat Stevens
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Jean-Michel Jarre
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Ralph McTell
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Sting
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Andy Summers
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Stewart Copeland
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Stuart Orme Director
Total runtime 561h 0m · Episode length 60 min · Country United Kingdom
Show info
Premiered
September 21, 1971
Final episode
April 22, 1987
Status
Ended
Network
BBC Two
Country
United Kingdom
Type
Scripted
Episode length
60 min
Total runtime
561h 0m
Original language
English
Production
BBC
Production
United Kingdom
Produced in
Languages
Spoken on screen
English
Some details come from TheTVDB.