Tennant blasts BBC for scrapping TOTP

Neil Tennant has called the BBC "defeatist" for scrapping Top Of The Pops in 2006.

The Pet Shop Boys singer claimed that the corporation is failing new talent who no longer have a high profile platform to perform.

"I don't see why Top Of The Pops isn't on," Tennant told Radio 5 Live. "I think it's a shame. I think it was defeatist to get rid of it.

"I think it must be really strange to be a new artist. Like if JLS are number one on Sunday, they won't have that great moment of being crowned that week's Kings Of Pop."

Tennant claimed that a former BBC employee said the show was dropped because it had an old-fashioned format.

"He explained to me at great length that the public aren't interested in music unless it's heavily editorialised - by which he means X Factor," he explained.

"If you look back over the presentation of Top Of The Pops in the '90s, cynicism crept into the way it was presented.

"In the past, everything - the rubbish and the good stuff - was presented with enthusiasm. And I think its up to the public to make the taste decisions - not the DJs presenting."

Tennant recently described the calibre of music created by reality shows including The X Factor as "turgid".

> Click here to read our review of Pet Shop Boys' recent album Yes