The Beatles - Brian Epstein Bought 10,000 Copies Of ‘Love Me Do’ To Ensure The Beatles Chart Success

A new documentary charting the rise of The Beatles has revealed that the band’s manager, Brian Epstein, was partly responsible for their initially success after he bought 10,000 copies of the group’s first single ‘Love Me Do’.

The new BBC documentary, titled Love Me Do: The Beatles ’62, will air on BBC4 this Sunday (October 7th), during which a close friend of Epstein, Joe Flannery, reveals the tactic the group’s manager used to ensure chart success for the Fab Four. He reveals that, as well ordering copies of the single in bulk, Epstein also encouraged the band to buy the single themselves whilst they were out on tour.

As well as Flannery, Billy Kinsley, a member of The Merseybeats, also admits that he and his band were recruited by Epstein to buy copies of the single. Kinsley, whose band was also managed by Epstein, says in the documentary: “He [Brian Epstein] found out that we were on tour, he’d look at our gigs, [and say] 'Oh we’re playing Sheffield' or 'We’re playing Manchester. OK will you just go in this record shop and pick up a few copies [of Love Me Do]? Don’t all go in at the same time.' Which we did. I like to think that we did help the Beatles get to number 17.”

Love Me Do: The Beatles ’62 hits the air on BBC4 on October 7th at 10pm.