Top of the Pops

Which is just sloppy research IMO. The CWilliams1976 thing is about as old as YouTube. However that being said the "close to broadcast" thing was mentioned here back in 2013:
https://tvforum.uk/tvhome/guess-s-youtube-39232/page-2

Prior to that was the big Transdiffusion comment section which was enlightening, if slightly disturbing towards the end. But let's not go off on a tangent here in this thread, let's return to the Top of The Pops discussions, after we've played you some God awful music over this 'slide' presented in squashyvision.

Yes, quite a random conversation with Chris initially insisting he did not steal videos from others and swearing blind that a TV Ark watermark was broadcast on the original footage.

Then out of the blue he asked Russ J. Graham if he had any naked photos, as you do.

Just seen the Smith's 2/10/86 episode, which ends with the music video for The Wizard, and it's quite noticable that the version used on the video is different to the one TOTP used, Paul must have re-recorded it for the single. Looking through some later episodes from 88/89 TOTP seem to have changed to the single version on the titles & chart rundown at some point before then (I have a couple of episodes from 87 and they both still use the April 86 version).

I don't think you'd notice the difference normally, it was because I was editing together a complete version of the episode from two incomplete copies and hearing both versions side by side that it stood out to me.

I went through some YouTube clips of the chart rundowns a while back, and it seems the change to the single version happened on 17th September 1987. The difference in the two versions seems quite obvious to me - it's rather like the different but similar versions of Yellow Pearl used from 1981-83 and 1983-84 - some people can hear the difference but for others it's not so obvious.

When they switch to the single version of The Wizard you get to hear the freeform piano section towards the end of the 40-11 rundown - but only until February 1988 when they split the rundown up into 40-31 and 30-11.

I can notice the difference between the 81 & 83 versions of Yellow Pearl more (the 83 version is inferior in my opinion), but it's still not something that I find hugely noticable listening normally, more when you hear the two side by side.

What was the reason for the 1983 Yellow Pearl? At least with the Wizard change you could see Paul Hardcaatle retooled the song for a single release and TOTP clearly preferred it (perhaps with an eye on a stereo programme round the corner?).
The 1983 Yellow Pear sounds like a cover version, as if they had to come up with something that sounded like the original. It doesn’t seem to have been commissioned for musical reasons (as the 1984 chart version clearly was), so what was the point? Was it cheaper to have a re-recording used every week than the original?

A bit like walking round B&Q with their cover versions which sound almost-but-not-quite like the originals and the differences are distracting and drive you mad!

One thing to notice at the end of the 2/10 episode, Mike Smith mentions the new series of the Late Late Breakfast Show- which was cut short by the death of Michael Lush. In face Mike's next TOTP appearance was shown on the same day that accident happened (but I'm presuming was recorded the previous day). Will be interesting to see if Mike mentioned the Late Late Breakfast Show again on that episode (and if it was hastily edited out if he did).

I'm following the "Holding Back The Years TOTP 1986" group on Facebook. One of the group members said he's emailed the BBC about whether they were planning to show the 1987 episodes from January. Apparently, they replied to him that they are not yet able to confirm any such plans.

So not a definite "no". But with only 6 weeks left to go of 2018, it looks like this could potentially be the end of the BBC Four TOTP repeats after 7 and a half years.

They won't confirm anything before it appears at https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo

Yes, that's true, dvboy. Here's hoping they will continue.

So in Short 1987 may still be happening, they just can't confirm it yet.