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This was inspired by the appearence of Amore's "Is That Your Final Answer?" in the shops in May 2000. Glancing at the single in Woolworths, I noticed that it has a "Chris Tarrant Mix" (well, that's bound to be a classic, isn't it? ) and it occurred to me that it was exactly 20 years since Chris Tarrant last appeared in the chart as one quarter (obviously) of TISWAS' The Four Bucketeers with their infamous "Bucket of Water Song". A classic disc indeed, written by the Bucketeers' own John Gorman (ex-The Scaffold), produced by Neil Innes (Bonzo Dog Band, Monty Python) and backed by cult psychedelic soul humourists Timebox (with perpetual pop misfit Morgan Fisher filling in for the then-recently-deceased Mike Patto).

By my reckoning, around 70 different programmes have spawned top 40 hit singles since then (and that's just the ones I could remember). So this is what I did - compiled a list of all the TV programmes I could think of that have at least one top 40 hit to their name in the period 1980-2000. After I posted it on the dotmusic chart discussion forum, several people pointed out even more TV-related hits that had slipped my mind. So here, after all those additions have been taken into account, is the close-as-you're-gonna-get-to definitive guide to twenty years of hits from TV shows.

Not included are:
- artists who came to prominence through documentaries (Sheena Easton, Justin, Jane MacDonald, etc)
- records made by TV personalities but not connected to a particular series (Alexei Sayle falls at this hurdle).
- entries in the Eurovision Song Contest
- entries in TV talent contests
- songs that were only adopted as TV themes after their chart success
- tracks from advertisements
- hits from cinema remakes of TV series (Lost In Space, The Flintstones, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, etc)
- songs (apart from theme songs) from TV shows made as vehicles for particular artists

Spin-offs are included if they are performed "in character".

Absolutely Fabulous
11.6.94 Absolutely Fabulous - Absolutely Fabulous (#6) - montage of samples from the show
Auf Weidersehn Pet
1.1.84 Joe Fagin - That's Livin' Alright (#3) - theme song
BBC Promotional Film
29.11.97 Various Artists - Perfect Day (#1) - soundtrack
The Big Breakfast
24.12.94 Zig & Zag - Them Girls Them Girls (#5) - spin-off
1.7.95 Zig & Zag - Hands Up! Hands Up! (#21) - spin-off
26.12.98 Denise And Johnny - Especially For You (#3) - spin-off
Big Brother
09.09.00 Element Four - Big Brother UK TV Theme (#4)
Blind Date
09.12.95 Dorothy - What's That Tune (Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo) (#31) - based on the theme music
Brush Strokes
22.11.86 Dexy's Midnight Runners - Because Of You (#13) - theme song
The Buddha Of Suburbia
4.12.93 David Bowie ft Lenny Kravitz - Buddha Of Suburbia (#35) - theme song
Casualty
14.03.98 Cast From Casualty - Everlasting Love (#5) - from the series
26.2.00 Rebecca Wheatley - Stay With Me (Baby) (#10) - from the series
6.5.00 Oxide & Neutrino - Bound 4 Da Reload (Casualty) (#1) - samples the theme music (composed by Ken Freeman)
The Celts
14.11.92 Enya - The Celts (#29) - theme music
Coronation Street
16.12.95 Amanda Barrie & Johnny Briggs - Something Stupid / Coronation Street Cast - Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (#35) - spin-off
Crocodile Shoes
26.11.94 Jimmy Nail - Crocodile Shoes (#4) - theme song
Doctor Who
4.6.88 Timelords - Doctorin' The Tardis (#1) - tribute including samples from the theme.
EastEnders
4.10.86 Nick Berry - Every Loser Wins (#1) - from the series
9.8.86 Anita Dobson ft The Simon May Orchestra - Anyone Can Fall In Love (#4) - vocal version of the theme music
25.10.86 Letitia Dean and Paul Medford - Something Outa Nothing (#12) - from the series
Emmerdale
16.11.96 Woolpackers - Hillbilly Rock, Hillbilly Roll (#5) - spin-off
29.11.97 Woolpackers - Line Dance Party (#25) - spin-off
Euro 2000 Football (BBC)
01.07.00 Andrea Bocelli - Canto Della Terra (#24) - theme music
Fame
3.7.82 Irene Cara - Fame (#1) - theme music
14.8.82 Kids From Fame ft Valerie Landsberg - Hi-Fidelity (#5) - from the series
2.10.82 Kids From Fame - Starmaker (#3) - from the series
9.4.83 Kids From Fame - Friday Night (Live Version) (#13) - from the series
Fraggle Rock
18.02.84 The Fraggles - Fraggle Rock Theme (#33)
Friends
2.9.95 The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You (#3) - theme song
Game On
13.05.95 Gigolo Aunts - Where I Find My Heaven (#29) - theme song
Good Morning Britain
19.11.83 Roland Rat Superstar - Rat Rapping (#14) - spin-off
28.4.84 Roland Rat Superstar - Love Me Tender (#32) - spin-off
Glam Metal Detectives
11.3.95 Glam Metal Detectives - Everybody Up! (#29) - theme song
Grange Hill
19.4.86 Grange Hill Cast - Just Say No (#5) - spin-off

Harry's Game
6.11.82 Clannad - Theme from Harry's Game (#5) - theme music, obviously
5.6.99 Chicane ft Maire Brennan of Clannad - Saltwater (#6) - based on the theme music
Heartbeat
13.6.92 Nick Berry - Heartbeat (#2) - theme music
Hill Street Blues
16.1.82 Mike Post ft Larry Carlton - Theme From Hill Street Blues (#25) - theme
Howard's Way
26.10.85 Simon May - Howard's Way (#21) - theme music
20.9.86 Marti Webb & the Simon May Orchestra - Always There (#13) - vocal version of the theme music
Knight Rider
18.4.98 Busta Rhymes - Turn It Up / Fire It Up (#2) - samples the theme music
LA 7
04.06.00 S Club 7 - Reach (#2) - theme song
The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George
11.4.81 Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai (#2) - theme music
Lock, Stock...
08.07.00 Ocean Colour Scene - July / I Am The News (#31) - theme music
London's Burning
17.02.96 John Alford - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (#13) - from the series
29.11.97 Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings (#3) - from the series
Love Hurts
20.2.93 Peter Polycarpou - Love Hurts (#26) - theme song
The Magic Roundabout
26.1.91 Mark Summers - Summer's Magic (#27) - samples the theme music
M*A*S*H
10.5.80 The Mash - Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless) (#1) - theme song
19.11.92 Manic Street Peachers - Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless) (#7) - cover of theme song
- The Mash's single actually came from the film but an instrumental version was familiar from the spin-off TV series of the same name. Manic Street Preachers' version punctuated the word "MASH" incorrectly - the film and TV series were both billed as "M*A*S*H", though strictly speaking as an acronym MASH shouldn't have any punctuation at all.
Max Headroom
21.6.86 Art Of Noise ft Max Headroom - Paranoimia (#12) - spin-off
- Max Headroom was played by Matt Frewer.
Miami 7
19.7.99 S Club 7 - Bring It All Back (#1) - theme
Miami Vice
12.10.85 Jan Hammer - Miami Vice Theme (#5)
19.09.87 Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme (#2) - incidental music from the series
Minder
25.10.00 Dennis Waterman and the Dennis Waterman Band - I Could Be So Good For You (#3) - theme song
17.6.82 The Firm - Arthur Daley ('e's Alright) (#14) - tribute
17.12.83 Dennis Waterman & George Cole - What Are We Gonna Get 'Er Indoors? (#21) - spin-off
Mr Bean
4.4.92 Mr Bean & Smear Campaign ft Bruce Dickinson - (I Want To Be) Elected (#9) - spin-off
- Mr Bean played by Rowan Atkinson.
Moonlighting
7.3.87 Al Jarreau - "Moonlighting" Theme (#8) - theme song
Multi-Coloured Swapshop
12.12.81 Brown Sauce - I Wanna Be A Winner (#15) - from the series
- Brown Sauce are Noel Edmonds, Maggie Philbin and Keith Chegwin.
Neighbours
19.11.88 Angry Anderson - Suddenly (#3) - from the series
Noel's House Party
4.12.93 Mr Blobby - Mr Blobby (#1) - spin-off
16.12.95 Mr Blobby - Christmas In Blobbyland (#36) - spin-off
A Prince Among Islands
23.5.92 Capercaillie - A Prince Among Islands EP (#39) - theme and other music from the programme
Prisoner: Cell Block H
29.4.89 Lynne Hamilton - On The Inside (#3) - theme music
The Professionals
17.5.97 Laurie Johnson - Theme From The Professionals (#36)

Red Dwarf
23.10.93 The Cat - Tongue Tied (#17) - from the series
- The Cat is played by Danny John-Jules
Roobarb
21.12.91 Shaft - Roobarb & Custard (#7) - samples the theme music and some other sounds from the series
Sesame Street
11.7.92 Smart E's - Sesame's Treet (#2) - samples the theme song
The Simpsons
26.1.91 The Simpsons - Do The Bartman (#1) - spin-off
6.4.91 The Simpsons ft Bart & Homer - Deep Deep Trouble (#7) - spin-off
- Nancy Cartwright (as Bart Simpson) is the lead vocalist on both hits
The Snowman
30.11.85 Aled Jones - Walking In The Air (#5)
19.12.87 Peter Auty - Walking In The Air (#37)
SNUB TV
30.3.91 Gary Clail On-U Sound System - Human Nature (#10) - theme music
Soldier Soldier
20.5.95 Robson Green and Jerome Flynn - Unchained Melody / The White Cliffs Of Dover (#1) - from the series. Robson & Jerome had two more hits not connected to the TV series.
South Park
26.12.98 Chef - Choclate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You) (#1) - from the series
25.12.99 Mr Hankey - Mr Hankey The Christmas Poo (#4) - from the series
- Chef is played by Isaac Hayes
Spitting Image
10.5.86 Spitting Image - The Chicken Song (#1) - from the series
6.12.86 Spitting Image - Santa Claus Is On The Dole / First Athiest Tabernacle Choir (#20) - from the series
Star Trek
6.6.87 The Firm - Star Trekkin' (#1) - tribute
Sunburn
27.2.99 Michelle Collins - Sunburn (#28) - theme song
Teletubbies
13.12.97 Teletubbies - Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh! (#1) - theme song
The Thorn Birds
11.02.84 Henry Mancini - Main Theme From The Thorn Birds (#23)
Thunderbirds
7.7.90 FAB! ft MC Parker - Thunderbirds Are Go! (#5) - montage of samples from the show
TISWAS
3.5.80 The Four Bucketeers - Bucket Of Water Song (#26) - from the series
Test Match Cricket (Channel 4)
7.8.99 Lou Bega - Mambo No.5 (import #31; domestic #1) - theme music
Top Of The Pops
26.12.81 Philip Lynott - Yellow Pearl (#14) - theme music
11.10.86 Paul Hardcastle - The Wizard (#15) - theme music
Trainer
14.9.91 Cliff Richard - More To Life (#23) - theme song
Trumpton
11.7.92 Urban Hype - A Trip To Trumpton (#6) - samples the theme tune and dialogue from the series.
Twin Peaks
10.11.90 Julee Cruise - Falling (#7) - vocal version of Angelo Badalamenti's theme music
19.10.91 Moby - Go (#10) - samples incidental music (not, contrary to popular belief, the theme music) from the series.
Watership Down
10.06.00 Stephen Gately - Bright Eyes (#3) - from the series
Whicker's World
13.6.81 Evasions - Wikka Wrap (#20) - tribute
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
27.5.00 Amore - Is That Your Final Answer? (#33, to date) - theme music
The Wombles
13.6.98 The Wombles - The Wombling Song (#27) - theme song
- performed by Mike Batt. The Wombles' other 1998 hit "Remember You're A Womble" does not come from the TV series.
World Cup Football (BBC)
16.6.90 Luciano Pavarotti - Nessun Dorma (from "Turandot") (#2) - theme
4.7.98 Wimbledon Choral Society - World Cup 98: Faure's Pavane (#20) - theme
World Cup Football (ITV)
11.7.98 Jean Michel Jarre & Apollo Four Forty - Rendez-Vous 98 (#12) - theme
Worzel Gummidge
1.3.80 Jon Pertwee - Worzel's Song (#33) - from the series
X-Files
30.03.96 Mark Snow - The X-Files (#2) - theme music
06.04.96 DJ Dado - X-Files (#8) - dance cover of the theme music
The Young Ones
14.7.84 Neil - Hole In My Shoe (#2) - spin-off
22.3.86 Cliff Richard & The Young Ones - Living Doll (#1) - spin-off
- The Young Ones were Nigel Planer (Neil), Rik Mayall (Rik), Ade Edmonson (Vyvyan) and Christopher Ryan (Mike). Co-star Alexei Sayle had a hit too, but it is not related to the series and is therefore not included here.

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