TV The Old Grey Whistle Test - 1971/2 The Old Grey Whistle Test - 1971/2 7.5/10 by 2 users The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco Two", which had been running since January 1970, while continuing to feature non-chart music. It was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers. According to presenter Bob Harris, the programme derived its name from a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years before. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys—doormen in grey suits. The songs they could remember and whistle, having heard it just once or twice, had passed the old grey whistle test. Details Casts Posters Images Title The Old Grey Whistle Test - 1971/2 Alternative Titles First Air Date 1971-09-21 Last Air Date 1987-04-22 Number of Episodes 558 Number of Seasons 16 Genres , Networks BBC Two, Casts Bob Harris, Annie Nightingale Plot Keywords , Bob Harris Annie Nightingale Episodes List The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 1 Season 1, Episode 1 Season 1, Episode 1 1971-09-21 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 2 Season 1, Episode 2 Season 1, Episode 2 1971-09-28 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 3 Season 1, Episode 3 Season 1, Episode 3 1971-10-05 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 4 Season 1, Episode 4 Season 1, Episode 4 1971-10-12 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 5 Season 1, Episode 5 Season 1, Episode 5 1971-10-19 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 6 Season 1, Episode 6 Season 1, Episode 6 1971-10-26 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 7 Season 1, Episode 7 Season 1, Episode 7 1971-11-02 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 8 Season 1, Episode 8 Season 1, Episode 8 1971-11-09 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 9 Season 1, Episode 9 Season 1, Episode 9 1971-11-16 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 10 0Season 1, Episode 10 0Season 1, Episode 10 1971-11-23 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 11 The Move The Move 1971-11-30 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 12 Series 1, Episode 12 Series 1, Episode 12 1971-12-07 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 13 Series 1, Episode 13 Series 1, Episode 13 1971-12-14 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 14 Series 1, Episode 14 Series 1, Episode 14 1971-12-28 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 15 Series 1, Episode 15 Series 1, Episode 15 1972-01-04 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 16 Series 1, Episode 16 Series 1, Episode 16 1972-01-11 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 17 Series 1, Episode 17 Series 1, Episode 17 1972-01-18 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 18 Series 1, Episode 18 Series 1, Episode 18 1972-01-25 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 19 Poco Poco 1972-02-01 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 20 Bowie Bowie 1972-02-08 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 21 Series 1, Episode 21 Series 1, Episode 21 1972-02-15 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 22 Series 1, Episode 22 Series 1, Episode 22 1972-02-22 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 23 Series 1, Episode 23 Series 1, Episode 23 1972-02-29 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 24 Series 1, Episode 24 Series 1, Episode 24 1972-03-07 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 25 Series 1, Episode 25 Series 1, Episode 25 1972-03-14 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 26 Series 1, Episode 26 Series 1, Episode 26 1972-03-21 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 27 Series 1, Episode 27 Series 1, Episode 27 1972-03-28 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 28 Kevin Ayers Kevin Ayers 1972-04-04 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 29 Series 1, Episode 29 Series 1, Episode 29 1972-04-11 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 30 Series 1, Episode 30 Series 1, Episode 30 1972-04-18 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 31 Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis 1972-04-25 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 32 Series 1, Episode 32 Series 1, Episode 32 1972-05-02 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 33 Series 1, Episode 33 Series 1, Episode 33 1972-05-09 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 34 The Beach Boys The Beach Boys 1972-05-16 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 35 Series 1, Episode 35 Series 1, Episode 35 1972-05-23 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 36 Series 1, Episode 36 Series 1, Episode 36 1972-05-30 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 37 Series 1, Episode 37 Series 1, Episode 37 1972-06-06 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 38 Series 1, Episode 38 Series 1, Episode 38 1972-06-13 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 39 Series 1, Episode 39 Series 1, Episode 39 1972-06-20 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 40 Series 1, Episode 40 Series 1, Episode 40 1972-06-27 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 41 Series 1, Episode 41 Series 1, Episode 41 1972-07-04 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco... The Old Grey Whistle Test Season 1 :Episode 42 Rolling Stones Rolling Stones 1972-07-11 The Old Grey Whistle Test is an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco...