The Old Grey Whistle Test 1973, the show changed to an entirely live format. On 23 February 2018, the BBC broadcast a special programme, hosted by Bob Harris, to mark the 30 years since the legendary series was last broadcast. This live studio show featured music, special guests and rare archive footage. It featured performances from Peter Frampton, Richard Thompson, Albert Lee and others. Bob Harris chatted to Whistle Test alumni, including Dave Stewart, Joan Armatrading, Ian Anderson, Chris Difford and Kiki Dee, as well as fan Danny Baker. The programme hosted many seminal acts of the era, including the first British TV performance of
Rick Wakeman on the BBC television show, "The Old Grey Whistle Test". Much of the television audience that night planned to watch "Blue Movie", a controversial film by Andy Warhol, but it was temporarily banned from being broadcast. Wakeman explained: "It seems most of them, rather than watch repeats, switched over to "Whistle Test" and saw my preview of "Henry" ... and suddenly it seemed as if the whole country had discovered my music ... it was a tremendous break." Following its release in January 1973, the album reached No. 7 in the UK and No. 30 in the US. "Time" named