Go-Jos usurped by Pan's People on Top of the Pops

Stories from the Radio 2 documentary, Super Troupers, 19 December 2011:


The first dance troupe on Top of the Pops were the Go-Jos created by Jo Cook. There had been appearing regulaely on the show for over 3 years when in May 1968 Pan's People were given a chance. The first that the Go-Jos knew of it was seeing them on the show. The producer, who had taken out for a drink by members of Pan's People, told the Go-Jos that he just felt like trying a new troupe. The new troupe stayed for nearly 8 years.


Pan's People were always signed to the show as individuals. So there were always paid standard union fees for their performances and never made much money from the show. 


Ruby Flipper so upset the bosses that it was agreed soon after they started that they would only have 6 months on the show while a new all-female troupe was recruited to replace them. Apparently they had a particular problem with a coloured man dancing with white girls. After 6 months they were indeed replaced by the all-female Legs & Co. It was not until Hot Gossip that the racial issue was overcome.

TOTP 1976 - Why "Legs & Co" ?

The dancers performing to Lalo Schifrin's Theme From Jaws, 28/10/76

So here you are dancing on Top Of The Pops in 1976, the men of Ruby Flipper have been ditched along with the name after less than six months and you are going to have a new name thought up by a member of the public. For three weeks you have been cleverly credited as ??????, there being 6 dancers. There are lots of entries so there has to be at least one good name amongst them. But the name that is chosen is "Legs & Co". It must have been such a disappointment. There are accountancy firms with better names than that. Pans People was a much better name in comparison even if it was a very Sixties name. If that was the best entry what were the other entries like? At least the BBC has managed to wipe the edition were the name was announced. I guess the name reflects the poor taste of the mid-Seventies.

Top Of The Pops dance troupes:
Dec 1964 - May 1968   GoJos
May 1968 - Apr 1976    Pan's People
May 1976 - Oct 1976    Ruby Flipper
Oct 1976 - May 1981    Legs & Co
Nov 1981 - Sep 1983    Zoo

From Pan's People onwards, the choreographer was Flick Colby. The Go-Jos created by Jo Cook and Pan's People formed by Flick Colby existed before appearing on the show but the other troupes were created for the show.