What was it doing on BBC TV? You'll never guess - so I'll tell you!
The show was Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. The basic idea is a couple of celebs hook up with a couple of antiques experts, and travel from town to town hunting bargains to sell - hopefully at a profit - at auction. The whole thing is filmed of course. In tonight's gripping head-to-head, (no longer Little) Jimmy Osmond was pitting his wits against fellow popster, Tony Christie.
What happened next was quite unexpected. Jimmy and antiques expert Catherine Southon arrived in a second-hand shop in the town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire. They chanced upon a stack of old LPs, and out of the pile emerged this one. Jimmy Osmond was impressed to see an old Osmonds hit, "Crazy Horses" listed on the sleeve (he didn't seem to know it was a cover version though!):
Of course he had to buy it - and even more so when Catherine Southon pointed out another hit - Jimmy's own "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" also on the LP!
Turns out 'Little' Jimmy is a 'big' deal when it comes to bargaining. He managed to get half a dozen LPs, a vintage Marconiphone record player, and even a wire record rack for a fantastic all-in price of £25. Great bargain lot to take to auction.
And Jimmy had more tricks up his sleeve. He autographed the LP, and then proceeded to lead a chorus of "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" from the auction floor!
Bidding started at £50 and edged up to £56 - a £31 profit on the day. To be honest, if I'd been there I'd have raised the stakes considerably to secure this one - the record player alone was worth the price, never mind that LP.
Some lucky person took this gem home with him, and has a fantastic tale to tell. How often do you see one of the original recording artists proudly holding a Top of the Pops LP, let alone an autographed copy? (If the winning bidder is reading this, please get in touch and tell us about your day!)
If you're quick, you may be able to catch the whole episode on BBC iPlayer
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