Cilla

1 9 6 8 - 1 9 7 5 (UK)

Cilla Black got a surprise when she set out to film street interviews for her 1968 BBC TV show Cilla. Most people didn't recognise her. The idea was for Cilla to pop up in places like petrol stations and supermarkets to ask for requests to sing on the show. She found, as expected, that she was best recognized in her home town of Liverpool. 

In the first 9 week series of 50 minute shows she sang, danced and acted in comedy sketches. The Beatles wrote her a song called Step Inside Love especially for the 1968 BBC series which made Cilla the first female performer to have her own television show. Each week Cilla introduced guest stars who were friends or personal favourites, including Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, Harry H Corbett, Jimmy Edwards, Des O'Connor and Roy Castle.

Probably the most popular segments of her show were the Candid Camera style pieces where she would have her camera crew knock on the front door of a house unannounced and proclaim "Mind if we come in and have a look around?".

Cilla's cheerful Liverpudlian nature would immediately disarm the bewildered family and provide a comic commentary throughout the tour of  the house, playfully making fun of various treasured knick-knacks and family members.

The BBC shows attracted 21 million viewers and constantly topped the ratings (also winning Cilla the prize of Top Female Television Personality award for 5 years in a row. In 1975 Cilla switched to ITV, and during the 1980s went on to become the host of the TV dating game show Blind Date.