Radio 2 Salutes The Soaps

December sees Coronation Street reach 50 years in production, first as a serial from 1960 to 1996 and there after as a ‘soap’. To mark the event on December 3^rd BBC Radio 2 is to celebrate soap opera via music.

The show entitled ‘Radio 2 Salutes the Soaps’ is part of the Friday Night is Music Night concert segment and will see Mike Dixon conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra while Tony Hatch returns to the programme to conduct his soap opera theme tunes one more time. Hatch devised the theme to Crossroads for ATV in 1964, Emmerdale in 1972 for Yorkshire Television and Neighbours in 1985 for Grundy. Last year Friday Night Is Music Night hosted an evening of Tony Hatch’s work, which included top pop songs such as Downtown.

The new soap edition will be presented by Ken Bruce and themes set to be performed include those from America including Dallas, Dynasty, Peyton Place and Dr Kildare alongside well known current and those long forgotten axed themes to shows such as Coronation Street, The Appleyards EastEnders, The Archers and Mrs Dale’s Diary.

Special guests include Wendi Peters, Richard Shelton and the cast of the new Coronation Street musical Rogues, Angels, Heroes and Fools.

ATV recently looked at the music released by British soaps, which saw Crossroads and EastEnders racking up the most successful pop releases over the years. You can read the article on our archive site here.