Who was Patti Hammond?
Patti Hammond was a dancer with the dance troupes Ruby Flipper and Legs & Co., on the long running UK music chart series Top of the Pops (TOTP). Patti and the dancers (choreographed by Flick Colby) would perform a dance routine to a chart track every week, with Patti appearing on almost every TOTP episode from May 1976 (Ruby Flipper) up until October 1981 (Legs & Co.). The dancers danced their choreographed number in outfits made by BBC Costumes and bespoke sets also made by the relevant BBC departments. These dance routines were often amusing, always interesting and mostly bemusing.
TOTP was a very popular programme in the UK. In the days before the internet, it was one of the few places you got to see any bands at all, new or otherwise without going to concerts. You listened to the top 40 (on the radio) on a Sunday afternoon and then you watched TOTP on a Thursday evening. So, for much of the UK, watching TOTP on a Thursday was the normal thing – and millions of people did just that.
The dancers were occasionally promoted by the weekly presenter du jour as a ‘one for the dads’ kind of thing, the implication being that some viewers were not there just for the music or the art, shall we say. Different times indeed.
From the first time I saw her in 1976, Patti Hammond became my favourite dancer in the world ever. Me, along with millions of others that watched Legs & Co. on TOTP, I’m sure. And I have never forgotten this fact, or indeed Patti. Since 1976. And Patti Hammond continues to be my favourite dancer ever, to this very day.
Now, I am not overly known for outbursts of an emotional nature, however the news that Patti had passed away did cause a period of sadness and reflection. For quite a while. Reflection on a couple of things.
Thing one: (no news is not necessarily good news)
I didn’t discover she had died until May 2022. And then I only found that out by accident, whilst looking for something else. Granted, it was Top of the Pops (TOTP) related, nonetheless I stumbled upon it quite by accident on Twitter.
Thing two: (why is there no news?)
So, when the internet arrived (and I switched careers into computing) I set up various mechanisms to alert me if anything Patti Hammond-related popped up in the news. And nothing ever did. I went looking for info on the odd occasion; searches that would rarely yield any information whatsoever. Certainly, no new information. A couple of bit parts (as background dancers) in a couple of films (1982) and an appearance on Never Mind The Buzzcocks (1996). That’s all the info I could get. Granted, not everyone who has been in the public eye wants to stay in the public eye. Some people are very private and wish to remain so, I think Patti was one of those people – and that’s fair enough.
There does, however, exist a website and discussion forum – amazingly and amusingly called “One For The Dads” that has held information about all of the TOTP dance troupes for many years (and a few iterations). [There are other Pan’s People related websites, but not many (and of course Patti wasn’t in Pan’s People, therefore I am not interested!).]
Thankfully OFTD still exists, and the forum is still active, with some of Legs passing messages through to the forum.
Patti’s death was reported on the OFTD forum and tweeted by the moderator. I wasn’t a frequent visitor to the forum, or a follower on Twitter, so I remained unaware.
Why then, am I writing this?
Well, embarrassingly, it boils down to me being a ‘Karen’.
I am angry at News in particular, and the internet in general, for not telling me that someone I don’t know, have never met and have no connection to; has died. I am angry because Top of the Pops was such a popular programme in the UK and Legs & Co. were such a popular feature, that you would think that one of the troupes passing away would be a newsworthy event. Yes, even 40 years later.
It isn’t as if no-one’s mentioned them in 40 years. During the time they were active on TOTP (76-82), the dancers were frequently referenced in other TV programmes. Including the couple of times that they were asked to fulfil someone’s Fixit on Savile’s show and they continued to perform in cabaret as Legs & Co. until 1985.
As recently as 2001 on Ant & Dec’s (execrable) programme, the dancers have made public appearances. Members of the various troupes have given talking head interviews for numerous nostalgia programmes over the years and let’s not forget that TOTP is being re-run on BBC FOUR. In the very few interviews that she ever did, she comes across as a very nice person. An opinion that I’ve held since 1976.
In a globally connected world, full of fake news, non-news and information overload, why does the passing of one of the members not warrant at least national coverage? Because that’s actual news for a lot of people. Angry.
At the end of the day though, it serves me right. I clearly didn’t pay enough attention when I should have done. Note to self: do better.
Patti Hammond then.
It’s not as if she inspired me to take up dancing as a career or get involved with the arts in any way shape of form. No.
She was Patti, she was a dancer, and I was – I still am – totally and utterly under her spell.