'Lost' David Bowie live footage to be broadcast on BBC 2 tonight (December 21)

 

Photo: PA

Rare footage of David Bowie performing on Top Of The Pops is to be broadcast on BBC 2 tonight (December 21).

The footage, which sees the singer play 'The Jean Genie', had been lost until last week, when retired TV cameraman John Henshall came forward with a copy of the performance. It was previously believed that every copy of the UK Number 2 hit had been destroyed.

The four-minute clip will now be included in tonight's Top Of The Pops Christmas Special at 7.30pm (GMT).

Executive producer of Top Of The Pops 2 Mark Cooper told BBC News:

Bowie singing 'The Jean Genie' is electric and the kind of piece of archive that not only brings back how brilliant Top Of The Pops could be, but also how a piece of archive can speak to us down the years.

Earlier this year Bowie's biographer Paul Trynka said it would take a "miracle" for the singer to return to the stage.

Bowie has not released a new album since 2003's 'Reality' and not played live since 2006, when he sang onstage with Alicia Keys in New York City. He has given no indication he is likely to tour again.

Meanwhile, NME's sister title Uncut has launched a new iPad app which allows you to take a look back on the history of the iconic singer.

'David Bowie: The Ultimate Music Guide' gives an overview of The Thin White Duke's five-decade long career with rare interviews taken from the archives of NME and Melody Maker, as well as newly-commissioned reviews of each of the singer's studio albums.

The package costs £2.99 and is available from iTunes. A lite version of the app, which can be downloaded for free, is also available from iTunes.

Scroll down and click below to watch a video detailing David Bowie's various looks from down the years.