Truth behind Kylie Minogue, Michael Hutchence Countdown rumours: Molly Meldrum

Molly Meldrum has revealed the secrets behind beloved Australian series, Countdown – including the surprising role he played in the romance of Kylie Minogue and Michael Hutchence.

From that interview with then-Prince Charles to Iggy Pop’s “terrorising” appearance, Countdown made its mark on Australian television.

To celebrate the seminal music program’s 50th anniversary, Molly Meldrum – host of the show for its 13-year run – revisits some favourite memories with Stellar, along with fans and past guests.

Molly Meldrum: “Olivia Newton-John was such a gracious guest and always up for a laugh. In August 1980, she was hosting the show with me. We had a ‘Xanadu’ dance competition, which we had a lot of fun with.”

Olivia Newton-John and Molly Meldrum on the set of Countdown. Picture: ABC TV

Molly Meldrum: “I have always loved Kylie Minogue – a darling of the business and a real show person on stage. She co-hosted the second last episode of Countdown on July 12, 1987. It wasn’t her first visit. She was part of the audience in 1981 when she was 13.

“She recalled to me that one of the bands threw their drumstick into the audience and she tried to catch it but missed out.

“Kylie, along with Jason Donovan and Peter O’Brien [pictured, with Minogue] of Neighbours fame, presented an award for most popular group on the last show.

“At the afterparty, Kylie formally met Michael Hutchence – another Countdown chapter to record.”

Kylie Minogue and Peter O’Brien on the set of Countdown. Picture: ABC TV

Kylie Minogue went on to date the late Michael Hutchence, of INXS. Picture: Mick Hutson/Redferns

Molly Meldrum: “I love Elton John [left] and always will. We have many similarities – although I have none of his musical genius.

“We both came from humble beginnings, came to terms with our sexuality and have led remarkable lives. We can also both be drama queens. We have laughed and cried together. He was always up for a practical joke.”

Elton John and Molly Meldrum. Picture: ABC TV

Molly Meldrum: “John Farnham is an extraordinary artist and man and a very popular guest.

“He hosted the first Countdown [it was initially hosted by guest artists].

“I booked the acts and he sang ‘One Minute Every Hour’. At the start of the 1980s, we even talked about me producing an album with him.

“He often called me a true eccentric. We had a lot of fun.”

John Farnham on the set of Countdown. Picture: ABC TV

COUNTDOWN LEGACY

Like many music-loving Australians, radio announcer Myf Warhurst found a window into a wider world by watching Countdown.

The groundbreaking program, hosted by Ian “Molly” Meldrum from 1974 to 1987, brought international superstars such as Madonna, Tina Turner and David Bowie into people’s living rooms, and gave local artists including Daryl Braithwaite, Kate Ceberano and Marcia Hines a bigger platform on which to perform.

“Growing up in a small country town in a time pre-internet meant Countdown was everything to me,” Warhurst tells Stellar.

Molly Meldrum pictured on arrival at his 80th birthday party. Picture: Tony Gough

“I had few other ways to find out what was cool, or what the rest of the world was loving, other than a favourite music magazine I’d buy once a month at the local newsagency.”

A fan first and foremost, Meldrum, now 81, endeared himself to viewers and artists alike with his unabashed passion, often creating memorably chaotic TV.

“There’s the unforgettable moment Molly interviews Prince Charles. I heard what really happened was that Molly’s autocue wasn’t working right at the important moment – every presenter’s worst nightmare,” Warhurst says of the King’s 1977 appearance, in which Meldrum stumbled over his words and even swore.

The international superstars who appeared, she adds, “probably thought Australia was so far away at that time that they could say whatever they liked – and they did! It was awesome.”

Singer Russell Morris remembers watching aghast and bemused as Iggy Pop “terrorised the crew, security people and the kids there to see the show” as a guest in 1979.

Read the full piece on Countdown in the latest issue of Stellar. Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar

“Finally he terrorised Molly – hysterical, but not.” These unvarnished, unforgettable appearances made Countdown “part of the fabric of people’s lives”, Morris says.

Former Eurogliders frontwoman Grace Knight is one of many singers who feels indebted to Meldrum’s patronage.

“The first time we appeared on Countdown, we had a following in our hometown of Perth but were pretty much unknown over east. It was invaluable getting the kind of exposure the show provided,” she recalls.

Warhurst, who is co-hosting an ABC special to celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary, believes Meldrum’s efforts in “showcasing Australian artists led to the development of an Australian music scene, where our artists were elevated to the same level of importance [as international acts]. Molly is one of a kind, as was Countdown.

“There will probably never be a show like this again.”

Countdown 50 Years On is streaming on ABC iView. See the full story on Molly Meldrum and Countdown in the latest issue of Stellar, out on Sunday via The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA).

For more from Stellar and the podcast, Something To Talk About, click here.