Crackerjack was kid's TV programme and was famous for its introductory line, "It's Friday, it's 5 o'clock and it's Crackerjack!" Every time the programme name was mentioned on the show, the kids in the audience would shout back "CRACKERJACK!".

It would have been the perfect show for them to be on at the time, along with The Basil Brush Show (although they didn't appear in person on that show).

I must admit I don't remember seeing this or anyone ever mentioning it, but I've been contacted by a fan who remembers seeing ABBA perform SOS on Crackerjack.

ABBA fan Tim is absolutely certain ABBA were featured miming on Crackjack (in person, not in a video) and very clearly recalls the song being SOS - one of his favourites - and Agnetha was wearing a trouser suit with a heart-shaped navel cut-out. (as he says, you don't forget this sort of thing at a certain age!).

There's only one outfit I can think of that fits the description for Agnetha and the 'heart-shaped navel cut-out' but this pink one wasn't worn beyond 1974. During early 1975 Agnetha wore the red silk dungarees with a heart but this was not cut-out and was over her chest.

BBC gettyimages.com listed this as the only 'ABBA' and 'Crackerjack' references:

Clip #: BBC_LLV1537H
License type: Analog archive (RR)
Transmission date: January 16, 1976
Collection: BBC Broadcast Archive

But by January 1976, ABBA were performing and promoting Mamma Mia rather than SOS.

If anyone has any extra information to confirm that ABBA did or did not appear on Crackerjack performing SOS in person (ie. not a PROMO video), please get in touch.

BBC Genome Project; 

Thanks to Tim Linnell, Petri Kaasalainen and Jozsef.