Radio: Saturday Club and Steppin' Out – 21 May 1963

Q: Who was Brian Matthew?

Brian Matthew (1928–2017) was the presenter of Saturday Club and one of the most respected voices in British pop radio. He later presented Sounds of the Sixties on BBC Radio 2.

May 18, 2026

Radio: Saturday Club and Steppin' Out – 21 May 1963

Tuesday 21 May 1963 | Radio
Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London

The Beatles recorded two radio sessions for different BBC shows on 21 May 1963, both at the Playhouse Theatre in London. The day began with a bill-topping appearance on Saturday Club — the first time they had headlined the programme — and ended with a recording for a new Light Programme show, Steppin' Out. Twelve songs in total were recorded across the two sessions.

Saturday Club

The Beatles arrived for a 2.30pm rehearsal for their Saturday Club appearance. The recording took place between 5.30 and 6.30pm. It was the first time The Beatles had topped the bill on the programme — a significant marker of how rapidly their status had risen in the five months since 'Please Please Me' had reached number one in February 1963.

They chatted to presenter Brian Matthew and performed six songs:

'I Saw Her Standing There'
'Do You Want To Know A Secret'
'Boys'
'Long Tall Sally'
'From Me To You'
'Money (That's What I Want)'

The edition of Saturday Club was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on 25 May 1963, between 10am and midday.

Saturday Club and Brian Matthew

Saturday Club was one of the most important pop music programmes on British radio in the early 1960s. Broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on Saturday mornings, it featured live and recorded performances by the leading acts of the day. Brian Matthew (1928–2017) was its long-serving presenter — a warm, authoritative voice who was comfortable with both the older generation of rock and roll acts and the new wave of beat groups. He would go on to present Sounds of the Sixties on BBC Radio 2 for decades. The Beatles recorded for Saturday Club multiple times between 1962 and 1965.

Steppin' Out

After a 45-minute break, The Beatles returned to the Playhouse at 7.15pm to rehearse for Steppin' Out, a new BBC Light Programme show. The recording took place from 10pm to 11.15pm, before a lively studio audience. The hour-long edition was first broadcast on 3 June 1963 from 10.30pm.

The Beatles performed six songs:

'Please Please Me'
'I Saw Her Standing There'
'Roll Over Beethoven'
'Twist And Shout'
'Thank You Girl'
'From Me To You'

The Playhouse Theatre

The Playhouse Theatre on Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square, was one of the BBC's principal London recording venues in the early 1960s. Its auditorium could accommodate a studio audience, making it ideal for the kind of live-performance radio recordings the BBC favoured. The Beatles recorded there on multiple occasions between 1962 and 1964 as part of their extensive BBC radio work during the Beatlemania years.

The Beatles and the BBC

Between 1962 and 1965, The Beatles recorded 275 individual song performances for the BBC — many of them songs never officially released on record, or performed in arrangements that differed significantly from the studio versions. These recordings were largely forgotten until the release of Live at the BBC in 1994 and On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 in 2013, which together brought many of the performances to a wide audience for the first time.

Key Facts: 21 May 1963

Venue: Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London
Session 1: Saturday Club — rehearsal 2.30pm, recording 5.30–6.30pm
Broadcast: BBC Light Programme, 25 May 1963, 10am–midday
Saturday Club setlist: 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Boys', 'Long Tall Sally', 'From Me To You', 'Money (That's What I Want)'
Session 2: Steppin' Out — rehearsal 7.15pm, recording 10–11.15pm
Broadcast: BBC Light Programme, 3 June 1963, 10.30pm
Steppin' Out setlist: 'Please Please Me', 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Twist And Shout', 'Thank You Girl', 'From Me To You'
Presenter (Saturday Club): Brian Matthew
Total songs recorded: 12

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Saturday Club?

One of the most important pop music programmes on British radio in the early 1960s, broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on Saturday mornings. Brian Matthew was its long-serving presenter. The Beatles recorded for it multiple times between 1962 and 1965.

Who was Brian Matthew?

Brian Matthew (1928–2017) was the presenter of Saturday Club and one of the most respected voices in British pop radio. He later presented Sounds of the Sixties on BBC Radio 2 for decades.

What was Steppin' Out?

A new BBC Light Programme show recorded at the Playhouse Theatre on 21 May 1963 and first broadcast on 3 June 1963. The Beatles performed six songs before a live studio audience.

How many BBC recordings did The Beatles make?

Between 1962 and 1965, The Beatles recorded 275 individual song performances for the BBC. Many were released on Live at the BBC (1994) and On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 (2013).

Where was the Playhouse Theatre?

On Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square in London. It was one of the BBC's principal London recording venues in the early 1960s, with an auditorium that could accommodate a studio audience.