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Watch: The disco version of Doctor Who performed at Cardiff Airport

16 Jan 2025 2 minute read
Dancers performing at Cardiff Airport (ITV Cymru Wales archive)

File under now here’s something you don’t see every day.

Indeed today is the first time we have ever seen the following words typed in this particular order: ‘Footage of a promotional campaign for Cardiff Airport in the late 70s with dancers from the Urdd performing to a disco version of the Doctor Who theme has gone viral’.

However this strange oddity of a video has been unearthed from the depths of YouTube and has been shared many times on social media – presumably by fans of Doctor Who, disco music and Cardiff Airport.

The video originally aired on Welsh language TV in 1979 is taken from the National Screen & Sound Archive Of Wales’ collection, and is based at the National Library Of Wales, Aberystwyth.

It features dancers from Rhuthun Urdd Cylch performing at Cardiff Wales Airport where they are busting some serious moves to a disco version of the Doctor Who theme.

The track in question was a hit in 1978 for the group Mankind who saw their one hit wonder enter the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, eventually peaking at 25 and spending 12 weeks in the chart, which also saw the group performing on Top of the Pops.

The single sold more than 240,000 copies which if those figures were replicated for the single today would have meant it being number one for the entire Christmas/New Year period.

The video also features a Welsh language interview with dancer Luned Roberts and the dancers’ coach John Ifans, who tell the interviewer they formed a year ago as there was a need for more disco dancers in Rhuthun’s community ‘and so four of us came together and made a group’

Luned also reveals that the routine they performed took around three weeks of hard work to have the dance ready.

She added that the group practice in school and they perform around English and Welsh clubs and dances and discos.


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