Osmondmania
On 21 October 1973, 10,000 fans waited for The Osmonds to land at London's Heathrow Airport. A crowd surge caused a viewing balcony to collapse. Donny Osmond recalls the scenes.
On 21 October 1973, American heartthrobs The Osmonds were met by hysterical crowds when their plane landed at London's Heathrow Airport.
A surge by some of the 10,000 fans caused a viewing balcony to collapse.
Eighteen people were injured. Four fans were treated in hospital. The term "Osmondmania" was used across the newspapers.
Donny Osmond shares his memories of it with Josephine McDermott.
(Photo: Fans wait for The Osmonds on the viewing balcony at Heathrow Airport before the collapse)
Last on
More episodes
Clip
![]()
When Donny Osmond fans collapsed Heathrow balcony
Duration: 01:05
Broadcasts
- Fri 20 Oct 202307:50GMTBBC World Service
- Fri 20 Oct 202311:50GMTBBC World Service
- Fri 20 Oct 202317:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Fri 20 Oct 202321:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sat 21 Oct 202302:50GMTBBC World Service except Australasia
Featured in...
![]()
Music history—Witness History
Listen to and download our programmes
Podcast
![]()
Witness History
The story of our times, told by the people who were there
