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FBBs on UK TV

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

My early days of FBB discovery in the 80s was based mainly on very occasional appearances of them on TV.

This wasn't often. Over the coming pre-internet years I saw some shows that shaped my love of female muscle.

Some of these have been on YouTube but none seem to be currently. Anyone know where I can see any of the following?

Marilyn Luscombe on Wogan Carolyn Cheshire on several shows including What's My Line and The Golden Oldie Picture Show An unknown FBB on Russel Harty Tonya Knight on Jonathan Ross Several FBBs on Trisha Andrulla Blanchette in Vanessa

Would love to see some of those moments again. Would also love to see your favourite FBB on TV clips.

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

https://youtu.be/dXmZdHAl2II Found this show that I remember taping when it was on. Forward about 22 minutes in.

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

BBC’s QED in 1992 featured the making of the artwork “Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different?” By Richard Hamilton, which featured Bernie Price at her peak. I can’t find the programme but do remember Bernie looking gorgeous. The artwork is great too.

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

Nice! I loved Bernie.

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

Me too

Jul 09, 2022 - permalink

And me !

Jul 10, 2022 - edited Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

James Whale show, Donna Hartley @5.05, other fbb's @12.00

https://youtu.be/Qj1JiLR_DWk

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

Tonya Knight's appearance on Jonathan Ross is here:

https://pumpitup2006.blogspot.com/2018/07/ton...

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

https://youtu.be/1UkcICiFZ7k James Whale again- looking at this again the whole tone is rather disgraceful

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

I remember a Noel Edmunds programme, not the one with Panther from Gladiators, but another where he had 4 members in the front row of the audience wearing a robe. Noel asked another member of the audience whether they thought the person wearing the robe was a bodybuilder or not, based by their face. One of the four robed people was a dark haired pretty woman which they had guessed as a non bodybuilder. When she disrobed she did a double bicep pose with some big biceps. Of the other 3, 2 guys non bodybuilder and the other guy was a bodybuilder. Watching this at home with my Mum, I guess around 1989 or 1990, when I was 16, was uncomfortable particularly when my Mum said that the woman had bigger muscles then the men!!!!

Anyone recall that show? I guess early evening midweek.

I also recall That’s Life where they had a female bodybuilder in a robe out in public and they were asking the public whether they thought she was attractive based on her face (again pretty girl) and then asked them the same question when she disrobed displaying all her muscles…. I recall a pensioner being rather smitten….

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

I remember a Noel Edmunds programme, not the one with Panther from Gladiators, but another where he had 4 members in the front row of the audience wearing a robe. Noel asked another member of the audience whether they thought the person wearing the robe was a bodybuilder or not, based by their face. One of the four robed people was a dark haired pretty woman which they had guessed as a non bodybuilder. When she disrobed she did a double bicep pose with some big biceps. Of the other 3, 2 guys non bodybuilder and the other guy was a bodybuilder. Watching this at home with my Mum, I guess around 1989 or 1990, when I was 16, was uncomfortable particularly when my Mum said that the woman had bigger muscles then the men!!!!

Anyone recall that show? I guess early evening midweek.

I also recall That’s Life where they had a female bodybuilder in a robe out in public and they were asking the public whether they thought she was attractive based on her face (again pretty girl) and then asked them the same question when she disrobed displaying all her muscles…. I recall a pensioner being rather smitten….

The FBB on That's Life was also Marilyn Luscombe. I remember that one!

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

https://youtu.be/ZoVfcjSX_LA Found this. The bodybuilders don't appear for long but I have memories of this being a real thrill. It actually makes me realise that my muscle love started younger than I thought. I would only have been 11 when this was shown.

Jul 10, 2022 - edited Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

I remember a Noel Edmunds programme, not the one with Panther from Gladiators, but another where he had 4 members in the front row of the audience wearing a robe. Noel asked another member of the audience whether they thought the person wearing the robe was a bodybuilder or not, based by their face. One of the four robed people was a dark haired pretty woman which they had guessed as a non bodybuilder. When she disrobed she did a double bicep pose with some big biceps. Of the other 3, 2 guys non bodybuilder and the other guy was a bodybuilder. Watching this at home with my Mum, I guess around 1989 or 1990, when I was 16, was uncomfortable particularly when my Mum said that the woman had bigger muscles then the men!!!!

Anyone recall that show? I guess early evening midweek.

I also recall That’s Life where they had a female bodybuilder in a robe out in public and they were asking the public whether they thought she was attractive based on her face (again pretty girl) and then asked them the same question when she disrobed displaying all her muscles…. I recall a pensioner being rather smitten….

I remember that. I think it was Bernie Price.

Donna Harley also appeared on Wogan a few days before the NABBA European finals.

Carolyn Cheshire appeared on loads of programmes, the best was TVAM when she was in fantastic shape at the stars of tomorrow contest in London. The other most memorable one was in the ITV documentary "Muscle Madness", about her competing in the UK & US in 1980. The first time I ever saw fbb's on television. Got me hooked forever. Would love to see those two programmes again!

I remember the girl on Russell Harty too. A blonde with her boyfriend who was also a BB'er.

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

I’m not British, but I have to guess that James Whale is a fellow schmoe. Why would he feature FBB’s so often on a local Yorkshire show!?! Thanks for this thread. Love the nostalgia and the memories it brings from the time you would see a muscular women as often as Christmas. And it became Christmas every time you saw one. :)

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

It wasn’t Bernie Price. I asked her a few years back and she said it wasn’t her.

I remember that. I think it was Bernie Price.

Donna Harley also appeared on Wogan a few days before the NABBA European finals.

Carolyn Cheshire appeared on loads of programmes, the best was TVAM when she was in fantastic shape at the stars of tomorrow contest in London. The other most memorable one was in the ITV documentary "Muscle Madness", about her competing in the UK & US in 1980. The first time I ever saw fbb's on television. Got me hooked forever. Would love to see those two programmes again!

I remember the girl on Russell Harty too. A blonde with her boyfriend who was also a BB'er.

Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

I remember a Noel Edmunds programme, not the one with Panther from Gladiators, but another where he had 4 members in the front row of the audience wearing a robe. Noel asked another member of the audience whether they thought the person wearing the robe was a bodybuilder or not, based by their face. One of the four robed people was a dark haired pretty woman which they had guessed as a non bodybuilder. When she disrobed she did a double bicep pose with some big biceps. Of the other 3, 2 guys non bodybuilder and the other guy was a bodybuilder. Watching this at home with my Mum, I guess around 1989 or 1990, when I was 16, was uncomfortable particularly when my Mum said that the woman had bigger muscles then the men!!!!

Anyone recall that show? I guess early evening midweek.

I saw that too. One of my earliest female muscle memories. The programme was 'Whatever Next...', and was shown at the end of 1987 and the beginning of 1988. I don't remember who the bodybuilder was. The only clip I can find is of the opening titles and a bit of Noel:

https://youtu.be/D_xLi1xu9PU

Other glimpses female bodybuilders on UK TV I remember include:

  1. Andrulla Blanchette appeared in an episode of Equinox on Channel 4 about gravity.
  2. Bernie Price was on a terrible programme called Style Trial from 1990 where a celebrity panel had to guess the lifestyle of a member of the public.

If I think of any others I'll post them here.

Jul 10, 2022 - edited Jul 10, 2022 - permalink

This woman was on Ninja Warrior UK season 2 (episode 3 or 4). I don't know her name though. She was featured in the intro of every Season 2 episode.

Jul 11, 2022 - permalink

I saw that too. One of my earliest female muscle memories. The programme was 'Whatever Next...', and was shown at the end of 1987 and the beginning of 1988. I don't remember who the bodybuilder was. The only clip I can find is of the opening titles and a bit of Noel:

A bit earlier than I recall but yes, that would have been the show. Shame the clip with the woman disrobing and flexing her biceps is not on youtube. I've looked in the past.

Another one I remember is from Game for a Laugh where this man, arm wrestled this woman and easily lost. If I recall, he was claiming that he would never lose to a woman and they got this woman apparently chosen from random out of the audience, to arm wrestle him. It was all a set up, she wasn't a bodybuilder, I remember she was some karate black belt or something but clearly very strong and planted to ensure she would win.

Another one I remember is from a show Brian Conley was on. He was singing a cheesy love song to the ladies in the audience and the last lady he approached, she stood up, flattened her skirt and picked him up and carried him off.

That one reminds me of a more recent thing that happened on 8 out of 10 cats does countdown. In the segments where the clock is ticking down, some woman, I think she was dressed like King Arthur's time or something, picked up Jimmy Carr.... That one probably is on youtube...

Jul 11, 2022 - permalink

That one reminds me of a more recent thing that happened on 8 out of 10 cats does countdown. In the segments where the clock is ticking down, some woman, I think she was dressed like King Arthur's time or something, picked up Jimmy Carr.... That one probably is on youtube...

Talking of '8 Out Of 10 Cats', Rene Campbell came on during the 30 second countdown and was 'worshipped' by Jimmy Carr.

Jul 11, 2022 - edited Jul 11, 2022 - permalink

A few weeks ago on This Morning

https://youtu.be/7m7D5y24eXg

There was a Chris Tarrant programme where he toured Britain for unusual stories which included mud wrestling and 2 or 3 FBB'S. I think Maxine Mason was one of them.

I also remember some fashion programme where they tried to get some fashionable clothes for an FBB (Sarah Huckle). I think the presenter was John Leslie.

Can't remember the name of either show.

The Hit man and her with Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan often had FBB's dancing on stage.

[deleted]
Jul 11, 2022 - permalink

Soccer am i cant remember who it was. Anyone know?

Jul 12, 2022 - permalink

Soccer am i cant remember who it was. Anyone know?

IMDB says Lisa Carrodus appeared in 2006.

Jul 12, 2022 - permalink

Does anyone have any videos of the UK gladiators appearing on any talk shows or game shows? I saw this picture of one of them arm wrestling a host but I could't find a video of it:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrpK_XmAlFl/?utm_...

She also appears in this tv show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIfP4FyIkx8

There's also this clip of another gladiator on a game show:

https://youtu.be/LBElsZS91kA

Their IMDB pages suggest they have appeared on multiple tv shows but there are no other videos of any of them.

Jul 12, 2022 - permalink

I remember in the early days of Sky TV they had a bodybuilding show on Sky Sports channel (no separate subscription needed for sport then either). Think it was called Muscle Night? Used to alternate each week between men and women shows. It was mostly shows from US but they did cover UK nationals a couple of times (always remember a Geordie lady, possibly called Dawn Azor, doing a fantastic most muscular with amazing ripped pecs). Screensport and Eurosport often aired bodybuilding shows too back then but it was kind of intermittent and random on those channels.

Jul 13, 2022 - permalink

Wow, I had forgotten "Muscle Night" on Eurosport. I used to get up once my parents had gone to bed to watch it.

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