1991-1995: Yero Zero

After 291 outings, Paul Hardcastle's "The Wizard" was consigned to the archive, and a new era of Top of the Pops dawned. Stanley Appel, the new executive producer, who had previously directed or produced the show, implemented numerous strategies to enhance the show’s ratings. The era of mimed performances and ageing Radio 1 DJs came to an end, replaced by live performances and a strict “no mime” policy.

A new, funky logo, title sequence, and theme tune were introduced. Bernard Heyes filmed the action sequence live in a smoky warehouse setting (London Museum of Water & Steam), where dancers performed around a metal spiral staircase. Silhouetted against large industrial windows, the dancers were illuminated with coloured lighting. The new theme tune, “Get Out of That” by Tony Gibber, accompanied the new titles. Shortly after Ric Blaxill assumed the role of executive producer in 1994, the opening titles were significantly shortened to approximately 10 seconds, in contrast to the original 25-second title sequence.

Want to know more about the design process of these iconic opening titles? Check out this article by Ravensbourne University London.