Description
RDF Television for BBC Two
Rock Till We Drop is a 4 part series , in which two famous names in music form bands of incredible musicians who just happen to be over 64.
The aim? To form two bands good enough to rock out the main stage of the iconic Isle of Wight Festival and in front of tens of thousands of fans. But will they pull it off?
The bands are hand-selected by Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp and rapper Lady Leshurr, following an extensive search of amateur and former professional musicians across the UK. From singers and guitarists to keyboard players they include a 95 year old drummer called Roy, 81 year old Eileen who once played in a swing band for the Queen and 77 year old widow called Bette with an amazing, soulful voice. Mentors Martin and Lady Leshurr guide our bands on their journey, providing invaluable insight and support. Along the way, they call on famous faces to help them hone their bands - from singer Mica Paris helping with voice coaching to Justin Hawkins of the Darkness giving tips on the secrets of live performance. There is drama as band members have to pull out due to illness but also lots of humour. One bassist becomes fixated on who is going to look after his beloved parakeet while he’s touring with the band.
A warm and uplifting series, the show ends with a truly epic final. Against all odds, the bands send the crowd wild and are even asked for an encore. For mentor Martin Kemp the experience is overwhelming. For him, it was “the best experienced since Live Aid".
Ratings:
- Performing well for younger viewers, was above the broadcaster’s slot average by an impressive +81% for Adults 16-24
- Maintaining this success across other key demographics, outperformed BBC Two’s slot average for Adults 35-54 (+34%), ABC1 Adults (+13%), Men (+15%), Women (+1%) and was on par for Adults 55+.