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May 27, 2023
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For those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, the “Hitman and Her” television show was a staple of Saturday night viewing. Hosted by Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan, the show was a mix of music, dancing, and celebrity guests. It was the perfect way to end a week of school or work, and it always left us feeling uplifted and ready to take on the world.
The show was filmed live in various nightclubs around the UK, and it always gave us a glimpse into the latest trends in music and fashion. We saw the biggest names in pop music perform live, and we got to dance along with the crowds. We also got to meet some of our favorite celebrities, including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, and Rick Astley.
For those not in attendance at the venue, it was staple viewing for a hardcore TV audience arriving home from pubs and clubs around the country.
Pete Waterman (The Hitman) and Michaela Strachan (Her) were the double act fronting the show. The show was Waterman’s brainchild, who came up with the idea after turning on the TV late one night after a night out. The only station still on air was showing a talk show about Irish politics, which Waterman found incredibly boring. He thought to himself, “There has to be a better way to spend a Saturday night than watching this!“
Waterman decided to create a show that would be fun, exciting, and full of music. He recruited Strachan, who was a well-known TV presenter at the time, to be his co-host. The two of them had great chemistry, and they quickly became a fan favorite.
Waterman was already music mogul, writing and producing many hits. He was part of the Stock Aitken Waterman partnership that dominated the charts of the time.
Strachan hosted Boogie Box on the music channel Music Box. She would later go onto to become a well known presenter on wildlife programmes.
The title music soundtrack on the Hitman and Her was the tune “Cocoon”, performed by Timerider, a pseudonym of the German singer Fancy.
Jason Orange (Take That), Jimmy Constable, Ian Connal, Neil Rutherford and Spike Dawbarn of 911 were regular dancers on the show but possibly the award for most memorable and iconic of them all belonged to Clive “Wiggy” Donaldson who was generally at the centre of proceedings wearing his white/blonde wig.
The pro dancers on the show were pretty spectacular. Some of the amateur dancers in the crowd less so!
The very first show was broadcast from Mr Smiths night club in Warrington on 3 September 1988. The final show was broadcast from the Discotheque Royale in Manchester on the 5th December 1992.
The other clubs the show visited were:
Palm Court, Southport
The show was a major part of the British pop culture landscape in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It helped to launch the careers of many new artists, and it brought dance music to a wider audience. It was also a lot of fun, and it helped to make Saturday nights a little bit brighter.
Did you ever attend one of the shows? Or Do you remember watching the show? Let us know in the comments!
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21 Responses
Falcons crest june or july 1992 Formby.
I was there. Not on your list
They also visited The Black Orchid and MGM’s in Nottingham – I was at the MGM show.
My dad was the sound engineer for this. I remember feeling like the luckiest girl alive being left in Michaelas dressing room some weeks when I stayed with my dad and he had no alternative childcare!! I hung out with her, kylie, Sonia. I remember Pete and the dancers. On one night there i wondered off alone around a club trying to find my dad at the sound desk and ended up podium dancing with lots of drunk adults making a fuss of me. (Chorley I believe) I’m certain my dad must have been told off as they had to ask over the microphone for people to find me!! 🙈🤗😂😂😂😂😂 I was probably 7,8 & 9 years old! The best memories- I mean Jason Orange & my springwatch fave Michaela!!! I even remember her putting that black & white flat cap hat thingy on me. 🥰🥰
Love the anecdotes! I guess Chorley will have been Park Hall.
Appeared on stage at Discotheque Royale (Manchester) in 1991, i think, doing disco limbo, had my bum kicked by Foo Foo Lamar, and my reaction appeared on the titles for all of the next series. Would love a video of it.
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I was on the stage at the dome nightclub when they did Mr Puniverse
Just wish the cassette tape didn’t get taped over now, wish i could find out how to get it
This actually answered my drawback, thank you!
1991 park hall Camelot Wud buy DVD of it if anyone as pls ring 07855688465
I remember being at Royales in Manchester approx early 1990. I was one of the Manchester Spartan cheerleaders and we got to feature for about a minute- same night Salt n Pepper were there. I was only 17 so it was super exciting at the time.
Just starting to watch the shows on YouTube to cheer myself up during the lockdown. Seeing people enjoy themselves in a totally free way is sort of exhilarating at the moment, even though I was only about 9 to 13 years old when the show originally aired. I was actually following the charts at the time so I know and like the music from that period.
Is there any reason why most of the venues were in the north and Midlands, and not in the south and/or London? Maybe it was because of the ITV regional company responsible for producing the show.
I think Pete probably just preferred the Northern Club Scene.
After i came back from discos during the 80s,after a belly full of beer my eyes would be darting from side to side,my ears ringing and my stomach churning so i didnt watch much hitman and her tbh.I just wanted my bed.
Hi does anyone have the footage from Newcastle 1992? Or know how I can get it? My friends dad has passed away and he was on the show, would love to give it to her
Was there nit an episode where two clubbers were caught having sex? I vaguely remember camera had to pan away
Wiggy appeared in Star Light night club in Windermere & Martin’s night club in Barrow. I know he trained dancers in Atlantis night club in Bolton.
Can any tell me the name of the ‘old guy’ that used to turn up at a number of the venues quite regularly and dance with the crowd? (and NO, I’m not talking about Pete Waterman!!). Pete mentioned him, and gave his name one night. Thanks.
Stan the Man
I would love to find footage of the whole show at Palm Court, Southport on 24 March 1990.
I thought they did a show at Hammersmith palais ?
Loved the hitman and her and wasnt it this very programme that first launched an early take that n other artists