Simon Cowell to save Christmas (Top Of The Pops)?

Could it be coming back?
Could it be coming back?

The festive edition of Top Of The Pops has traditionally been as much a part of the British Christmas Day as The Queen's speech.

However, having axed the weekly version of the long-running music show in 2006, the BBC this week announced that it's doing away with the 25 December special, too.

But hang on - there could be a Christmas miracle in the offing, as pop mogul Simon Cowell has announced that he'd like to buy the rights to the programme and take it to rival station ITV, the channel that's home to his dubious roster of talent shows.

"I would rather it came to us than just sit in the dustbin," Cowell told a BBC reporter. "It's been a good year for music and I think it's part of the tradition. It's not as though people aren't interested in music at the moment.

"Maybe we could make it a bit more interesting."

We're not sure what to make of this development, but given that Cowell already dominates the Christmas charts with his X Factor winners, it comes as no surprise to learn that he quite fancies a piece of the TV action as well.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.