Short Change facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Short Change |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Consumer affairs |
| Presented by | Zoë Ball (1994–1995) Andi Peters (1996) Tim Vincent (1997–1999) Ortis Deley (1999–2005) Rhodri Owen (2000–2005) Angellica Bell (2001–2004) Thalia Pellegrini (2005) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 13 |
| No. of episodes | 139 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One CBBC |
| Original release | 20 February 1994 – 12 July 2005 |
Short Change was a popular TV show made for children and teenagers. It taught young viewers about consumer affairs. This means it helped kids understand their rights when buying things. It also showed them how to get the best deals. The show was like a special version of the grown-up TV programme Watchdog. But Short Change was made just for a younger audience.
The show first started on 20 February 1994. It ran for 13 different seasons, called series. The very last episode was shown on 9 July 2005. It was broadcast on BBC One and later also on the CBBC Channel.
Contents
Meet the Presenters and Series
Short Change had many different presenters over the years. Each series brought new topics and challenges for viewers. Here is a look at the different series and who hosted them:
| Series | Episodes | Dates Aired | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 20 February 1994 – 27 March 1994 | Zoë Ball |
| 2 | 19 February 1995 – 26 March 1995 | ||
| 3 | 7 | 18 February 1996 – 31 March 1996 | Andi Peters |
| 4 | 8 | 9 February 1997 – 30 March 1997 | Tim Vincent |
| 5 | 6 | 11 January 1998 – 15 February 1998 | |
| 6 | 12 | 7 January 1999 – 25 March 1999 | Tim Vincent & Ortis Deley |
| 7 | 6 January 2000 – 23 March 2000 | Ortis Deley & Rhodri Owen | |
| 8 | 4 January 2001 – 22 March 2001 | Ortis Deley, Rhodri Owen & Angellica Bell | |
| 9 | 14 | 29 March 2001 – 28 June 2001 | |
| 10 | 13 | 18 April 2002 – 11 July 2002 | |
| 11 | 24 April 2003 – 17 July 2003 | ||
| 12 | 15 | 8 April 2004 – 15 July 2004 | |
| 13 | 5 April 2005 – 12 July 2005 | Ortis Deley, Rhodri Owen and Thalia Pellegrini |
Special Episodes
Besides the regular series, Short Change also had some special episodes. These included:
- A compilation of highlights from Series 3, shown on 5 January 1997.
- A "Fan Clubs Special" on 9 November 1997.
- "The Fat Nation Challenge," which had 18 episodes. These aired from 9 September 2004 to 7 November 2004.
The PriceBusters Competition
One of the most exciting parts of Short Change was the "PriceBusters Competition." In each episode, viewers were given a challenge. They had to find the cheapest and most expensive prices for a certain product. This search was done all across the country.
Two lucky winners were chosen each week. One winner found the cheapest price, and the other found the most expensive price. Both winners received a cool boom-box stereo as a prize!
A Clever Winner Changes the Rules
There was a time when a viewer named Bill Bennett won the competition two weeks in a row. He found the most expensive prices for the products. He did this by including the delivery charge from Tesco.com, which was £5. For example, this made a Mullerice cost about £5.40. This was much more expensive than what anyone else found!
After Bill's two wins, the show had to change the rules. They decided that delivery charges could no longer be included in the prices. This made the competition fair for everyone.
