Sightings of Adge Cutler and The Wurzels on TV

The Wurzels and Adge Cutler made numerous appearances on television over the years, and listed below are just some of them. The details are sketchy in most cases - if you can provide any further details about these appearances, such as recording and transmission dates, or know of any others not listed, or if you can get copies of these, please Don't Tell 'Ee, Tell I!.

We are very aware that this is not complete, and further information would be gratefully received. In particular we know of appearances on Blue Peter, The Generation Game and Highway but have no other details!

Also, if you know of any forthcoming appearances then let us know so we can post it here. Likewise, if you have a clip you are posted onto YouTube, please let us know so we can link to it here.

In addition The Wurzels have three Royal shows to their credit, before Princess Anne, The Duchess of Gloucester, The Duchess of Kent, even appearing at Buckingham Palace. Anyone got any details on these?

The Wurzels appeared on BBC1 sports quiz programme A Question Of Sport (Episode #37.21) in the Guess The Celebrity with Bristol And England rugby player Mark Regan.

View this clip on YouTube.

A new item on The Wurzels re-issuing One For The Bristol City appeared on the local BBC West news with Tommy and Pete filmed in the changing rooms with the Bristol City team.

View this clip on YouTube.

The New Paul O'Grady Show

The Wurzels appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show on Bank Holiday Monday 7th May 2007, where they took part in the 'Organ Game' (oo-er missus) with the presenters all Wurzeled up with yokel hats.

[Robery Tipping did put the clip on YouTube but they have since been lost. All we have is this screen-grab.]

The Comedy Map of Britain (Season 1, Episode 2)

'A animated tour of the UK accompanied by comedy heroes past and present, retracing their steps to the places that inspired their comic talents.'

Tommy and Pete are interviewed in the Royal Oak in Nailsea interspersed with archive footage of Adge Cutler & The Wurzels singing Drink Up Thy Cider, Melanie singing Brand New Key, and The Wurzels singing Combine Harvester (TOTP footage), Jonathan King singing Una Paloma Blanca, The Wurzels singing I Am A Cider Drinker (TOTP footage?). They are then filmed at the site of Adge Cutler's fatal car accident - and almost cause one themselves. Funny but sobering nevertheless.

Thanks to tippingrobert who has posted the clip on YouTube - see it here.

InsideOut West

An eight-minute Wurzels special on BBC Bristol's InsideOut West programme to celebrate 40 years since Adge Cutler formed The Wurzels, and 30 years since Combine Harvester had topped the charts. Presented by Tony Blackburn and with interviews with former manager John Miles, current manager Sil Wilcox, the chair of the Somerset YFA, a policeman from Shepton Mallet who named his son 'Adge'.

Plenty of archive footage clips including

• Adge Cutler & The Wurzels playing live and being recorded, presumable at the Royal Oak in Nailsea with Bob Barrett on the desk
• The Wurzels appearances on TOTP singing Combine Harvester, and Cider Drinker.
• live footage of The Wurzels at the Pensford Festival and the Bath & West Show
• live footage of The Wurzels at the Yew Tree Country Club (possibly the recording of the Combine Harvester LP)
• the pop video The Wurzels produced for The Shepton Mallet Matador.

The programme finishes with Sil Wilcox explaining that the band are re-issuing I Am A Cider Drinker and looking for a celebrity to sing on the single. Tony, jokingly, suggests himself...

View this film on YouTube.

Big Brother's Big Mouth (aka Big Brother's Efourum) - Season 3, Episode 25

For its third series in May 2005, after covering Celebrity Big Brother in the January of that year, "Big Brother's Efourum" became "Big Brother's Big Mouth". The format remained almost identical with the only major change being a set update, namely the removal of the desk which guest panelists sat behind in favor of raised seating platforms. New features included "Textual Preference" where the public were polled on various trivial topics associated with the housemates and "Big Brother's Mouthpiece" which was a 24 hour telephone answering service people used to vent their spleen on the daily dramas in the house.

The Wurzels were special guests, joining presenter Russell Brand and guest panelists John McCririck, Normski and Johanna Spiers. [source: IMDB]

The Farm
Endemol Entertainment UK

UK series featuring a cast of ex-celebrities joining together on an English farm for a competitive series where each member is voted out on a weekly basis by viewers of the show. Daily duties include attending to realistic farm chores while one member is appointed "manager" of the farm each week by the person who is kicked off of the show by voters.

The Wurzels are appeared in one episode on the second series broadcast in May 2005, where they appeared to entertain the in-mates with their version of Don't Look Back In Anger (rather than being cast as ex-celebrities!) [original source: IMDB].
According to Phil Gardner's Tele Critic website "the second series of The Farm reached its shuddering climax last night, with a show featuring Lionel Blair, The Wurzels and a pig with a womb infection."

View this film on YouTube.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Season 15, Episode 7)

A comedy trivia quiz based around pop music, hosted by Mark Lamarr (to October 2006) with team captains Phil Jupitus and Bill Bailey who are joined each week by different music stars. Popular rounds include one where team members have to identify song intros hummed to them and another where a bygone music star has to be picked out of a line-up of lookalikes.

On the Christmas 2004 edition, The Wurzels were drafted in to play all the music in the Intros Round, and Bill Bailey stood and saluted them playing the intro to Combine Harvester.

View this clip on YouTube.

Ready Steady Cook

Pete and Tommy appeared on BBC TV cookery programme Ready Steady Cook with Ainsley Harriott in 2004 (possibly 2003).

Synopsis: Ainsley Harriott oversees a culinary duel with a distinctly West Country flavour, as Pete Budd and Tommy Banner provide ingredients for Phil Vickery and Tony Tobin to work their culinary magic, including rib-eye steak, onions, Stilton and potatoes.

View this show on YouTube - part 1, part 2 and part 3 (full show edited into three 10-minute slots. Quality not great.)

2004
BBC TV

Bargain Hunt

No information about this, except that a clip was included on the InsideOut West Wurzels Special in 2007 of the band playing Cider Drinker with the presenter David Dickinson singing along drinking cider. Presumably that episode was filmed in the West Country. Predicable? Well maybe...

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

The Wurzels appeared as special guests on the regular feature on the show Jim Didn't Fix It For Me. George Allen, a Wurzels fan from the audience was given the chance to meet his heroes, after unsuccessfully having written to Jim'll Fix It in the 1970s.

[Ed: Years later is turned out that George Allen was not the Wurzels fan he was meant to be! See Wurzelgate news item from October 2007.]

BBC Breakfast

The Wurzels appear as guests to promote the release of the Don't Look Back in Anger single.

Open House With Gloria Hunniford

The Wurzels were featured as guests on Channel 5 TV's daytime magazine programme Open House With Gloria Hunniford.

For the very first time, they performed the brand new 2001 "Cowshed" Remix version of The Combine Harvester on the show. Gloria Hunniford interviewed Tommy Banner and Pete Budd, and the lads took part in a cooking demonstration with resident cookery expert Anne Stirk.

The show was recorded in the evening of Wednesday 6th June and was broadcast on the following Monday. For further details about the show, see the review by Paul Gunningham.

Points West

The Wurzels were featured in an item on BBC TV's local news magazine programme Points West. The item centred on the phenomenal success in the West Country of their current CD The Finest 'Arvest Of The Wurzels, with one record store manager claiming that it's outselling the latest CD from the Spice Girls! What's more, the item attributed the revival of the band's fortunes to none other than your very own Wurzelmania! site. The main Wurzelmania! page was even shown on TV - briefly, mind, but nonetheless - fame at last!

Ambrosia Advert II - In the Country

A second Ambrosia Creamed Rice advertisement as seen on British TV, again featuring Pete Budd's distinctive tones. The advertisement features another parody of a Village People song - this time it's In The Country ("Say Oo! Ah! for Am-bro-sia!") to the music of In The Navy.

There was a rumour that the two adverts might be released by The Wurzels, subject to agreement by Ambrosia, but nothing has come of this so far. You can however now see the advert in full on YouTube.

TGI Friday

The Wurzels were sighted on Chris Evans' UK TV show TGI Friday. They reportedly sang a few bars of Combine Harvester.

Title Unknown

The Wurzels were featured in a look back at past No 1 hit singles.

Night Fever

no details!

Harry Hill Show

The Wurzels appeared as guests on the Harry Hill Show on Channel 4, singing extracts from songs on their latest album The Wurzels Sing Barbra Streisand (according to Harry Hill, anyhow). Sensitive renditions of Evergreen and A Woman In Love were featured. They also appeared in a sketch with Harry later on.

Ambrosia Advert I - Go West

The first of two adverts made for TV to advertise Ambrosia Creamed Rice with a soundtrack featuring Pete Budd singing to the music of the Village People (and later the Petshop Boys) hit single Go West ("Oo! Ah! It's Am-bro-sia!").

There was a rumour that the two adverts might be released by The Wurzels, subject to agreement by Ambrosia, but nothing has come of this so far. You can however now see the advert in full on YouTube.

Coogan's Run (Season 1, Episode 4)

The Wurzels made a guest appearance in the episode Thursday Night Fever of Steve Coogan's 1995 BBC TV series. The Wurzels almost get to sing their "comeback" hit I've Got A Brand New, Brand New Combine Harvester! Highly amusing - if you find Steve Coogan funny...

This episode is available from the BBC on the video Coogan's Run - The Final Hurdle (Cat. no. BBCV5968). Watch the YouTube clip before decided whether it is worth adding to your collection.

View this clip on YouTube.

Rock Bottom

'A deadpan comical look at the worst pop songs of all time with the morose John Peel.'

The worst pop songs - and in contrast, some archive footage of The Wurzels performing I Am a Cider Drinker. Interesting to note that Jonathan King was also included on the list, the man who made Una Paloma Blanca a hit (the source for Cider Drinker!)

Adge Cutler & The Wurzels
Director/Producer: Terry Miller

A three-part documentary made and broadcast by HTV West in 1991. This covered the story of The Wurzels from the early days up to the present, and featured footage of Adge and The Wurzels on stage (mainly from the 1974 Great Western Musical Thunderbox - see below), plus interviews with Adge himself, other members of The Wurzels, and others who knew him or were involved with The Wurzels in those days, including Adge's wife Yvonne, Bob Barratt, John Miles and Acker Bilk.

Part 3 of this documentary featured a concert by The Wurzels in Pill Memorial Hall, plus interviews with the members of the band.

3-2-1

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1981, but we have no other details.

That's Life

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1981 (one of a number of appearances on the show over the years), but we have no other details.

Cheggers Plays Pop

The Wurzels and an un-named Old English Sheepdog performing their 'minor hit' The Tractor Song (a parody of The Pushbike Song) on BBC's Cheggers Plays Pop - driven into the studio by presenter Keith Chegwin driving a battery-operated "tractor".

View this clip on YouTube.

Cabaret Showtime

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1978, but we have no other details.

That's Life

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1978 (one of a number of appearances on the show over the years), but we have no other details.

Seaside Special

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1978. The show was centred at the national 'Battle of the Flowers' in Jersey. The other guests were Jackie Hall, Terry Wogan, Stuart Gillies, Black Abbots, Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent, Bobby Bennett.

Crackerjack

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1978, but we have no other details.

The Basil Brush Show

The Wurzels appeared on this show in 1978, but we have no other details.

Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (Season 2, Episode 4)

Incredibly popular Saturday morning TV programme for kids with Noel Edmonds and his team of Maggie Philbin, Keith Chegwin and John Craven. The Wurzels made a return appearance as guests.

Top Of The Pops

The BBC's rundown of the latest chart hits, featuring in-studio performances from popular music artists. At its time, this was the mainstay of the national singles charts, and an appearance on TOTP was recognition of having 'made it' in the music business.

We have four records of The Wurzels appearing on TOTP, although there may well have been more. This appearance would have been for Farmer Bill's Cowman, and must have been a contrast to Bob Marley's appearance on the same show!

Ronnie Corbett's Saturday Special (Season 1, Episode 6)

The Wurzels were guests on the show along with Tony Monopoly [source: IMDB]. In Mervyn Hancock's book Wurzels World, Pete Budd recalls "he wanted us to appear on quite a lavish set, down some stairs and then sing The Blackbird Song". Pete had forgotten how the song started, but the entrance took so long that he had remembered it again by the time they got ot the mic. No miming here!

Top Of The Pops Christmas Edition

The BBC's rundown of the latest chart hits, featuring in-studio performances from popular music artists. At its time, this was the mainstay of the national singles charts, and an appearance on TOTP was recognition of having 'made it' in the music business.

We have four records of The Wurzels appearing on TOTP, although there may well have been more. An appearance on The Christmas Show was the ultimate accolade, with millions of people watching over their turkey and Christmas pud. As this was a recap of the best sellers of the year, The Wurzels would most probably have played Combine Harvester. Other artists appearing on this show include Demis Roussos, Sailor and Tina Charles.

The Ken Dodd Show

The sleeve notes on the back of the 1977 Golden Delicious album mentions that The Wurzels appeared on this show (either in 1976 or maybe early 1977). We have no other details of the performance at the present time.

Seaside Special

The sleeve notes on the back of the 1977 Golden Delicious album mentions that The Wurzels appeared on this show (either in 1976 or maybe early 1977). We have no other details of the performance at the present time.

Pebble Mill At One

The sleeve notes on the back of the 1977 Golden Delicious album mentions that The Wurzels appeared on this show (either in 1976 or maybe early 1977). We have no other details of the performance at the present time.

Blue Peter

The notes in 1977 The Wurzels Songbook mentions that The Wurzels appeared on this show (either in 1976 or maybe early 1977). We have no other details of the performance at the present time.

Saturday Scene

The sleeve notes on the back of the 1977 Golden Delicious album mentions that The Wurzels appeared on this show (either in 1976 or maybe early 1977). We have no other details of the performance at the present time.

The Mighty Wurzels In The Heart Of The West (recorded 20/12/1976)
Producer: Derek Clarke
Designer: Ken Jones
On-screen Participant: Ruby Flipper

The Wurzels perform some of their best-known songs in front of an audience, in a studio in Bristol designed to look like a pub. Included in the set are "I Am A Cider Drinker", "The Blackbird Song" and "I've Got A Brand New Combine Harvester". Interspersed with the studio footage are sequences featuring the band pursuing - in a style akin to that of Benny Hill - a young woman through various locations in Bristol.

The BFI Website Archive lists Pete Haile as 'drummer'. Was he a stand-in drummer for the band, or some other itinerant drummer filmed wandering around Bristol at the time. I am hoping that we have tracked down Ruby Flipper, presumably the afore-mentioned 'young woman'.

Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (Season 1, Episode 7)

Incredibly popular Saturday morning TV programme for kids with Noel Edmonds and his team of Maggie Philbin, Keith Chegwin and John Craven. The Wurzels were special guests.

The Arrows Show

The Wurzels perform their hit single I Am A Cider Drinker on an episode of the Seventies pop music series The Arrows Show. The series was a showcase for the pop band The Arrows - and their guests - giving them chance to air their songs before a crowd of screaming teenage fans.

As the programme showcased current pop, we can date this appearance to autumn 1976 (probably in September) when Cider Drinker was in the charts. The introduction is done by Arrows band members Terry Taylor (guitarist) and the group's 'chronically eccentric' singer Alan Merrill.

View this clip on YouTube.

Top Of The Pops

The BBC's rundown of the latest chart hits, featuring in-studio performances from popular music artists. At its time, this was the mainstay of the national singles charts, and an appearance on TOTP was recognition of having 'made it' in the music business.

With I Am A Cider Drinker reaching #3 in the charts, The Wurzels made a second appearance on TOTP singing I Am A Cider Drinker introduced by Tony Blackburn. In actual fact, no second appearance took place - the Beeb simply re-ran the film of their appearance from the 9th September!

View this clip on YouTube.

Top Of The Pops

The BBC's rundown of the latest chart hits, featuring in-studio performances from popular music artists. At its time, this was the mainstay of the national singles charts, and an appearance on TOTP was recognition of having 'made it' in the music business.

The Wurzels appeared on TOTP twice to promote I Am A Cider Drinker. This first one introduced by Sir Jimmy Saville as a 'new release' with the single not hitting the charts until the week afterwards.

View this clip on YouTube. [Note: this clip came from BBC TV UK Gold re-runs channel].

Top Of The Pops

With Combine Harvester still at Number 1 in the singles chart, The Wurzels would have once again appeared in pride of place on this week's show (or again, perhaps a re-running of the film of their appearance from 27th May or the week before).

Top Of The Pops

Two weeks later, with Combine Harvester hitting Number 1 in the singles chart, The Wurzels would have appeared in pride of place on this week's show (or at least a re-running of the film of their appearance from 27th May!).

Thursday 27 May 1976
BBC 1 TV

Top Of The Pops

The BBC's rundown of the latest chart hits, featuring in-studio performances from popular music artists. At its time, this was the mainstay of the national singles charts, and an appearance on TOTP was recognition of having 'made it' in the music business.

This was the earliest record of The Wurzels appearing on TOTP, and was for Combine Harvester hitting the top 30 (at #14).

View this clip on YouTube.

The Great Western Musical Thunderbox

Described as a 'hay bales and banjo orgy' (!), this HTV series showcased a range of folk and Scrumpy and Western bands on which Adge Cutler & The Wurzels made at least one appearance, and probably more - as did Fred Wedlock, and Steve Ashley (Albion Band).

No details available, but footage has been used in later programmes about Adge and The Wurzels (see above).

Folk 73

Folk 73 was a weekly show which was broadcast on Wednesday evenings on Radio 2 showcasing folk bands from around the country, produced by Denis O'Keefe. This episode featured a 30 minute set of Adge Cutler & The Wurzels recorded live at the BBC. Adge is top form with some excellent banter with the audience. Interestingly, this is the only recording of Adge performing Who Needs Summer (which was later released by The Wurzels) and End Of My Old Cigar which was never recorded by the band.

Set list: Easton-In-Gordano, Poor Poor Farmer, Champion Dung Spreader, All Over Mendip, Who Needs Summer, End Of My Old Cigar, Thee's Got'n Where Thee Cassn't Back'n Hassn't?, Drink Up Thy Cider.

Dee Time

Adge Cutler & The Wurzels made an appearance on former BBC Radio 1 DJ Simon Dee's television chat show.

Pop North, Monday Monday, Joe Loss Show, Pop Inn, Points West, Today, Scene and The Countryside Today

The Family Album sleeve notes lists all these TV shows as having broadcast either a performance or an appearance by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels.

Police Five

Police Five was a local forerunner of Crimewatch; broadcast in the West Country. The Wurzels were featured on one programme when all the equipment (including Adge's Wurzel Stick!) was stolen (from the Family Album sleeve notes).

The Frost Report

There is some confusion about this. Bandied about the web is the statement that Adge Cutler & The Wurzels made an appearance on The David Frost Show - but as this was an American show, it seems unlikely. What is more likely is that the band were on The Frost Report (which ran from 1966 to 1967) "a live satirical show mixing monologues, sketches and music" on the BBC.

The Cider Apple

Sleeve notes from Adge Cutler & The Wurzels albums mention that Adge made 'appearances' on the local ITV broadcaster Television Wales and the West (TWW) series 'The Cider Apple' which led to Adge's fame spreading, as a result of which he formed The Wurzels. TWW broadcast from 1958 to 1968, but we have no details of when Adge made his appearances - but they must have been prior to 1966.