BBC - Top of the Pops 2 - Trivia

What were they?
When Pan's People finally hung up their dancing shoes in April '76, the gap was initially filled by Ruby Flipper but BBC chiefs took exception to a mixed sex act (our forthcoming interview with Lulu Cartwright explains more). The Ruby Flipper boys were dropped and three new girls were recruited.

Who were they?
Lulu Cartwright, Patti Hammond and Sue Menhenick (who had all briefly served in Ruby Flipper - Sue had been in Pan's People). Gill Clark (a finalist in Miss UK), Pauline Peters (from the West End stage circuit) and 17-year-old Rosie Hetherington. Choreography was still provided by Flick Colby, who had devised the routines for Pan's People. The girls were managed by Flick and former Pan's Person, Ruth Pearson.

When were they on?
They first danced to Average White Band's 'Queen of my Soul'. For their first two weeks they were billed as The Top of the Pops Dancers and were unveiled as Legs & Co on November 4 1976 following a viewer competition to name them. They made their final appearance five years later, dancing to The Tweets' 'Birdie Song'. The girls still hung around in the audience. The last time they were seen on screen was for Haircut 100's 'Favourite Shirts'. Sue Menhenick had been the second longest-serving TOTP dancer (next to Ruth Pearson). Her final appearance was a solo dance to Jon & Vangelis' 'I'll Find My Way Home' in December.

What happened to them?
Come 1981, the general feeling was that it was time for a change. Flick was particularly keen to work with male dancers. Legs & CO went on to tour the world for four years, managed by Lulu. Back on TOTP, the girls were replaced by an outfit called Zoo, who were a troupe of over 20 interchangeable male and female dancers.