You're the One That I Want by Tina Arena and Bobby Driessen: Young Talent Time, 1983

Tina Arena and Bobby Driessen perform ‘You're the One That I Want’ from the film of the musical Grease, which starred Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. The song was written for the film by John Farrar. 

Keen to stay appropriate for younger viewers the lyrics are changed from ‘I need a man’ to ‘I need a friend’, though the choreography seems more in keeping with the original lyrics! 

The cast’s contracts stipulated that they needed to graduate from the show before their 16th birthdays to make way for new performers. It is clear from the pair’s tight costumes and Tina’s pose with her foot on a prone Bobby (mimicking Olivia Newton-John in Grease), that the pair are reaching the upper age limit for the show. They both left in 1983. 

The kaleidoscopic edit effects at the beginning of this clip need to be seen to be believed, and firmly date the production to the 1980s. The sets and props are simple, with the focus on the young performers.

The homespun feel of the show is underlined by the colourful balloons and birthday candles. 

The team made an impressive 44 live programs each year. For the other 10 weeks of the year they created a best-of summer series for the non-ratings period, including this episode (83/02).

Notes by Beth Taylor