[Red Moon]

TOTP 2009

Top Of The Pops will return to TV next year.

Beeb bosses are developing a new format for the weekly chart show after intense lobbying from Oasis star Noel Gallagher, X Factor judge Simon Cowell and soul singer Lemar.

Mark Cooper, BBC TV's head of music entertainment, said: "It's a sleeping beauty. One day it will come back, in the way that Top Gear and Dr Who came back." First broacast on January 1, 1964, it was axed in 2006 after audiences fell from 15million to one million.

Cowell forced the BBC's hand by offering to buy the rights when it was announced there will no TOTP Christmas special this year. He said: "If the BBC don't want it, I'll take it."

Gallagher even blamed knife crime on the show's demise.

An industry expert said: "Digital downloading has reinvigorated the charts. There's a huge appetite to see acts performing singles."

PICK OF THE POPS

1971 The Faces' Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood have a footie kick-about as they sing Maggie May.

1978 Bob Geldof rips up poster of Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, who he knocked off No1.

1982 Dexy's Midnight Runners sing a tribute to soul legend Jackie Wilson in front of a giant picture of darts ace Jocky Wilson.

1991 Nirvana's Kurt Cobain 'eats' the mike in protest at having to mime Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Source: Sunday Mirror