Ring Parade

(This entry was previously known as Samedi est à Vous which has been combined with this one as there's no proof it actually featured ABBA - now confirmed as Ring Parade - apparently Ring Parade was shown every Sunday at 7.30pm and Système 2 the same day at 8.30pm.)

ABBA performed "SOS" to playback on this show hosted by Guy Lux and Sophie Darel.  The format of the show appears to be giving new artistes not currently in the charts a helping hand.  The format is that of a boxing ring parade where viewers phone in to vote for their choice of song. The winning song would return for a monthly final. Three songs also take part in the "starter match" which is where ABBA took part in this edition of the programme. The Rubettes ("I Can Do It") and Gloria Gaynor ("Reach Out, I'll Be There") also appeared on this edition of the show as two of the six candidates for this week's competition.  (Please correct me French fans if any of this is incorrect).

An "ABBA on TV" exclusive - these colour pictures are being shared for the first time since the original broadcast from what I can gather.

I don't have the performance so please don't ask me for it.  I just have these pictures, thanks to Jozsef and his amazing and dedicated research into French TV appearances (and he isn't even French!). Thank you so much to Jozsef for allowing "ABBA on TV" to be the first place to contain these pictures.

One "ABBA on TV" regular gave me this information about this programme: "When Guy Lux died a few years ago, a tribute TV show was broadcast with clips from the very many shows he had hosted.  A small clip was shown of ABBA from this programme in a segment showing how many international stars Guy had brought to his shows.   The girls were both wearing the short version of the cat suits and JEANS." Could this be the clip? However, that doesn't appear to be the case judging by the pictures - perhaps it refers to another programme we have yet to track down?  The French TV archives do not show ABBA  on any Guy Lux Tribute programme  however.

            (black and white)