Singing Together (radio)

Appleby left the series in 1970, the same year he retired as Music Organiser for Doncaster, and died three years later;[11] there is now a Music Centre in that town named in his memory.[12] He was initially replaced by John Huw Davies[13] and then by Fergus O'Kelly,[14] Cliff Morgan[15] and Eugene Fraser.[16] It was also presented alternately during the 1970s and early 1980s by Ian Humphris,[17] John Camburn,[18] John Amis,[19] Johnny Morris,[20] Blain Fairman[21] and Stephen Varcoe.[22] In the summer term of 1980, Douglas Coombes presented the show himself[23] and he returned in the spring term of 1982.[24] In the autumn term of 1981, the series moved from its traditional Monday morning slot to the same time, 11.00 am, on Wednesdays.[25] In the autumn of 1983, Brian Kay presented the series[26] and in autumn term 1984 it was fronted by Andrew Shore.[27] In autumn 1985 - hosted again by Fergus O'Kelly - it moved to Fridays[28] but was back on Wednesdays a year later[29] although it was replaced in summer 1987 by Singing Along.[30] For the 1988–89 school year repeated programmes were transmitted.[31]

In the autumn of 1989, a modernised version of the series made its debut, now produced by Janet Wheeler and presented by John Asquith and Verity Ann Meldrum;[32] this featured a more contemporary slant in the songs and styles featured, male and female co-presenters to provide a broader range of voices and a "more informal" atmosphere to the programmes.[33]

In the autumn of 1990, the series moved to the original BBC Radio 5,[34] although with a repeat in the early hours in FM stereo on BBC Radio 3. Spring Term 1991 saw the presenters change once more; former BBC That's Life! reporter Grant Baynham and ex-Doctor Who assistant Sophie Aldred (Ace) took over the reins and each term the songs focused more on a 'theme' with practically no traditional folk songs present. Production of new programmes in the series ceased in 1992, but programmes originally broadcast from 1989–92 were repeated in a further three-year cycle from 1992–95; after the old Radio 5 was replaced by BBC Radio 5 Live in March 1994 this was initially, and controversially, in the afternoons on Radio 3[35] but then moved to overnight transmission.[36] From 1995–97 the programmes originally broadcast from 1989–91 were repeated for a third time, finishing in the summer of 1997.[37]

Finally, in a very different Britain from the one in which the programme had begun at the outbreak of war six decades earlier, the programme was revived as Singing Together: Celebrate!, featuring celebratory songs from multiple cultures and traditions. New programmes aired in the small hours on Radio 3 in spring term 2000[38] and spring term 2001.[39] There were repeat transmissions in summer 2002[40] and finally - by then in the small hours on the digital version of Radio 4 only - in the summer of 2004.