No Sweat (TV series) facts for kids

No Sweat was a fun British television comedy show for kids. It aired on CBBC in the late 1990s. The show was about a boy band called North & South. The band members were Jimmy (James Hurst), Greg (Lee Otter), Miles (Tom Lowe), and Giles (Sam Chapman). What's cool is that the actors were a real band! They even had four songs in the UK Top 40 between 1997 and 1998. Their first song, "I'm A Man Not A Boy," reached number 7 in May 1997.

How the Band Started

The band was created by a pop music manager named Tom Watkins. He had worked with famous groups like Pet Shop Boys and East 17. Tom, Lee, and Sam found out about the band through ads on Teletext. James, a guitarist, joined later after meeting Sam by chance.

Another singer, Mark Read from the band A1, almost joined. But he decided not to because he wasn't sure about the band's direction. After the members were chosen for their musical talent, they did screen tests for the TV show. Then, they started recording their first album. They also began filming the first series of the show in Brighton in early 1997.

First Series and Music: 1997

The first series of No Sweat in 1997 was set in Brighton. It focused on James Hurst's character, Jimmy Osman. Jimmy had just moved to Brighton with his kind but sometimes over-the-top mother, Beverley (Harriet Thorpe). Beverley loved entering competitions. She even bought lots of dog food once, even though they didn't have a dog!

Jimmy became friends with Greg Fuggle at Peasbody school. They also had to deal with school bullies, Janis (Gemma McCluskie) and Carly (Jessica Meyer). Jimmy and Greg decided to form a band. They thought it would be a quick way to get popular and earn money. They first tried to get Giles Beamish and Miles Smith-Jones to join. These two were from a rival school, St Ethelburga's. Giles and Miles were not sure at first, but they eventually joined. They named their band North & South.

While the first series was on TV, the band's first song, "I'm A Man Not A Boy," came out. It became a big hit, reaching number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. By the end of 1997, it was the 72nd best-selling song, with over 100,000 copies sold. It was even more popular in Malaysia, reaching number 2 there.

After the show's first series ended in August 1997, they released their second song, "Tarantino's New Star." Everyone thought it would be as successful as the first. However, even with lots of promotion, it only reached number 18. It quickly left the UK chart. Despite this, the band went on a sold-out tour across the UK in October. The show's theme song, "No Sweat," was also released as a single. It was even used as the theme song for the European version of the PlayStation video game Tombi!.

After their tour, the third song, "Breathing," was released in November. It was also promoted well. But it only just made it to number 27 on the charts. It left the charts even faster than the previous song. Things were looking tough for the band. However, a second series of No Sweat was being filmed, and an album was planned for the next year.

Second Series and the End: 1998

In April 1998, the second series of No Sweat began on the BBC. But it didn't get as many viewers as the first series. This series showed the band going on tour around the UK. They traveled in a broken-down camper van. Inside, the van looked more like a real home! In this series, the band used their real names. They were managed by Mickey (played by David Cardy). Janis and Carly, the bullies from the first series, became the band's bodyguards.

For their fourth song, they released a new version of the show's theme tune. It was called "No Sweat '98." But again, it didn't sell very well. It reached number 29 and quickly left the UK chart.

BMG Entertainment decided not to release their first album, which was called Allsorts. It had been delayed many times. Soon after the second series of No Sweat finished, the band broke up.

What Happened Next

• James Hurst appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks in January 2004. He was part of the "Identity Parade" game.
• Lee Otter changed his name to Lee West. He started a short solo music career in August 2000. He even supported the band Steps on their tour. His first solo song, "Wishing," did not make it onto the charts.
• Tom Lowe took on main roles in famous musicals. He was in Les Misérables and Cats. These shows were in London's West End between 1999 and 2001. He then went to study at Harvard University and graduated in 2005. He auditioned for American Idol in season 6. He made it to the Hollywood stage but didn't make it to the final rounds. He lives in the United States now.
• Sam Chapman currently teaches a Music Technology course at a college in Lincolnshire. Since 2016, he has performed at 80s music events. These events were on cruise ships for companies like Royal Caribbean and P&O.

Band Members

• Lee Otter - vocals, acoustic guitar
• James Hurst - vocals, guitar, keyboard
• Tom Lowe - vocals, keyboard, saxophone
• Sam Chapman - vocals, keyboard

Music Releases

Songs (Singles)

• "I'm A Man Not A Boy" (May 1997) - UK #7
• "Tarantino's New Star" (August 1997) - UK #18
• "Breathing" (November 1997) - UK #27
• "No Sweat '98" (April 1998) - UK #29

Albums

• Allsorts (April 1998) - unreleased