ABC Announces Airdate For Two-Part 'Countdown' Throwback Special

ABC TV has announced the dates it will screen eagerly awaited documentary Countdown: Do Yourself A Favour, a comprehensive exploration of the iconic program's humble beginnings and wild successes, hosted by Julia Zemiro.

Starting from November 16, the two-part retrospective jumps back to 1974, following Countdown and its young, then-inexperienced host Molly Meldrum as the program finds itself becoming a cultural phenomenon. It features interviews with a broad range of performers and fans of the show, from ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus, Suzi Quatro and Hush's Les Gock to John Paul Young and a youthful, charismatic Mark Holden, as well as Kylie Minogue, Kate Ceberano, INXS' Kirk Pengilly, Uncanny X-Men's Brian Mannix, and Anthony Field and Jeff Fatt of The Wiggles.

According to a synopsis of part one, which covers the years 1974-80, the show quickly outgrew its intended function as an eight-half-hour-episode show as Meldrum's ebullience and personality "shot through television sets all over the country in a way Australians had never seen before". It lasted until 1987, changing the Australian music landscape irreversibly in its wake. 

Guests in those early years included eventual icons such as John Paul Young, Skyhooks, Sherbet, John Farnham, Marcia Hines and even Iggy Pop and the rambunctious rascals in AC/DC. Among it all, this era of Countdown played a massive role in the dissemination of ABBA's international hit Mamma Mia, while a 1979 performance from the irrepressible Iggy Pop opened up another whole world for many young Australians.

Be sure to relive the glory days when part one of Countdown: Do Yourself A Favour hits ABC1 at 7.30pm on Sunday, November 16.