("Over the Top") is a late-night adult version of the anarchic ATV children's show Tiswas, and was made by its ITV franchise successor Central Independent Television.
was created and presented by Chris Tarrant, and also starred Tiswas performers John Gorman, Lenny Henry and Bob Carolgees.
Helen Atkinson-Wood was the female sidekick replacement for Sally James, who stayed behind to present the concurrent and final series of Tiswas alone with special appearances from Ellen Thomas.
When the show ends he'll be standing under a hot shower - 'just to recover' ... Henry loves the uncontrolled humour where even he never knows what is going to happen next.
The origin of the name came about when John Gorman, working with Chris on a late-night version of Tiswas, compiled a list of possible titles; which included BigTis and OTT.
Rick Wakeman told an interview with Tiswas Online he was a member of "an elite showbiz club called 'Over The Top' in the late seventies.