Simon Cowell Offers To Buy Top Of The Pops From BBC

Music mogul Simon Cowell has offered to buy the rights to the Top of the Pops Christmas special.

Cowell expressed interest after the BBC announced earlier this week that the annual programme would no longer feature in its winter schedule.

He said he would rather see the show move to ITV “than just sit in the dustbin”.

"If the BBC wanted to do a deal, and I can get ITV to buy it and broadcast it, I'd put it on ITV.”

Speaking at the National Television Awards, where he received a Special Recognition award, Cowell said he planned to approach the BBC about the idea today.

He told BBC News: "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.”

The weekly edition of Top of the Pops was decommissioned two years ago because of falling viewing figures.

TOTP Comeback
The channel's decision was widely criticised by the music industry and members of the public, for whom the programme had become a weekly ritual.

Earlier this month, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham led calls for a similar programme to be launched in order to help new bands achieve wider attention.

Speaking at In the City in Manchester, Mr Burnham said TV was “relying on safe formats” instead of driving the search for new talent.

"That was what was great about the past - The Smiths did become a national name, even though I can remember my dad moaning about them on Top of the Pops.”

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