Parfitt however did hold out some hope that the show could probably return in what he called "event-driven moments", adding, "The days are gone when we can make a programme and just put it out there”.

Top Of The Pops ran for over 40 years but was cancelled in 2006, and has only reappeared for specials at Christmas, New Year's Eve and Comic Relief.

But pop fans might take some hope from the fact that the BBC, by broadcasting the afore-mentioned specials, has already gone back on earlier promises that the programme would never return.