The Big Breakfast facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Big Breakfast |
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Lock-keeper's cottages, in Old Ford Lock, Bow, Tower Hamlets used as the studio for The Big Breakfast
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| Created by | Charlie Parsons |
| Presented by | Mo Gilligan AJ Odudu |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 2,483 (as of 13 August 2022) |
| Production | |
| Running time |
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| Production company(s) | Planet 24 (1992–2002) Lifted Entertainment (2021–present) |
| Distributor | ITV Studios |
| Release | |
| Original network | Channel 4 |
| Picture format | PAL |
| Original release | Original run: 28 September 1992 – 29 March 2002 Revival: 10 September 2021 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Channel Four Daily (1989-1992) |
| Followed by | RI:SE (2002-03) |
The Big Breakfast was a fun British TV show. It aired on Channel 4 in the mornings. The show was first hosted by Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin. Later, Mo Gilligan and AJ Odudu became the hosts.
What made the show special was that it was broadcast live. It came from a real house, not a studio. This house was once lock-keepers' cottages. People called it "The Big Breakfast House" or "The House." It was located in Bow, in east London. The original house has since been sold.
The show mixed different things. It had news, weather, and interviews. Viewers could call in. There were also fun features. It had a light and funny style. This was different from other morning shows like GMTV and BBC Breakfast.
Contents
The Story of The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast started on September 28, 1992. It took the place of The Channel Four Daily. That show was Channel 4's first try at morning TV. But it didn't do well. The Channel Four Daily focused on serious news. It also had short magazine shows and cartoons. This style didn't get enough viewers. So, Channel 4 decided to try something new. They wanted a lighter, more fun show. News was kept short, with summaries every 20 minutes.
Early Days and Popularity
The first hosts were Chris Evans (1992–1994) and Gaby Roslin (1992–1996). In 1993, the show was very popular. About two million people watched it every day. It became the most-watched morning TV show in the UK.
Besides Chris and Gaby, other people joined. Bob Geldof had a short political interview part. His wife, Paula Yates, interviewed guests while lying on a bed. The puppet characters Zig and Zag caused funny chaos. They were in the bathroom with Chris Evans in a part called 'The Crunch'.
Changes in Presenters
Chris Evans had a contract to create a new show for Channel 4. This show, Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, started in 1994. Chris then worked on The Big Breakfast only three days a week. Mark Little, an actor from Neighbours, hosted on Mondays and Fridays. When Chris Evans left later that year, Mark Little continued. Paul Ross took over the other days.
Over the years, many presenters came and went. Keith Chegwin joined in 1995. Zoe Ball replaced Gaby Roslin in 1996. After Chris and Gaby left, fewer people watched the show.
House Makeover and New Hosts
To get more viewers, "The Big Breakfast House" got a big makeover in 1996. It cost £2 million! New hosts Rick Adams and Sharron Davies were brought in. But the number of viewers dropped even more.
Denise van Outen joined in 1997. She was first a weather presenter. Then she got a bigger role. In June 1997, Johnny Vaughan hosted with Denise. They worked very well together. Their partnership became permanent in September 1997. Viewers started watching again. Denise left on January 1, 1999.
Kelly Brook became Johnny's new co-host. But she found the role difficult and left in mid-1999. Liza Tarbuck then became the permanent co-host. She left the next summer. Denise van Outen returned in September 2000 for Johnny's last four months. Johnny and Denise's final show was on January 12, 2001.
The End of The Big Breakfast
The show got a new look and theme on January 22, 2001. The house was redecorated. The show tried having three main hosts: Paul Tonkinson, Amanda Byram, and Donna Air. But Paul Tonkinson and Donna Air left soon after. Richard Bacon and Amanda Byram became the main hosts. The show went back to having two main presenters.
In December 2001, it was announced that The Big Breakfast would end in March. In its final months, Lisa Rogers joined as an extra host. Zig and Zag also returned for their old segment, 'The Crunch'.
The very last Big Breakfast show aired on March 29, 2002. It looked back at the show's history. Chris Evans and Johnny Vaughan said ending the show was a bad idea. The show ended with a tribute from Prince Charles.
After the show finished, the house became a private home again. It's now called The Cottage. After a fire and repairs, it has been used for a few TV shows. This includes a special one-off Big Breakfast show in 2021.
Fun and Unique Parts of the Show
The Big Breakfast was known for its unique style. Cameras moved around the set. This meant you could often see the crew members. They even got nicknames!
Outside Broadcasts
Presenters like Mark Lamarr and Keith Chegwin were "down your doorstep" reporters. They would surprise viewers at their homes. Inside the Lock Keeper's Houses, you could find puppets Zig and Zag. There was also video games expert Ben the Boffin.
Popular Features
- Question About the Clip: Before ads, a clip from a TV show or movie was shown. The hosts would ask a question about it. The answer was given after the break.
- Question of the Day: Viewers called in with funny answers to a daily question.
- Super Hints: Celebrities gave simple, useful tips for everyday life.
- Streaky Bacon: Richard Bacon would get someone to run down their street wearing only bacon-covered underwear! They could win their weight in bacon.
- Vital Statistics: These were interesting facts, often related to news or guests.
- On the Bed: This was a key interview part. Paula Yates, Paul O'Grady (as Lily Savage), and Vanessa Feltz interviewed guests while lying on a bed.
- More Tea, Vicar: A fast-motion video of teacups was shown. A caller guessed the number of cups. If they were too low, the host (dressed as a vicar) would say "More tea, vicar!"
- From Me Shed, Son: Trevor Baylis, who invented the wind-up radio, talked about new inventions with Johnny Vaughan in a shed.
- Wonga: This was a game like Jenga. It often led to lots of shouting and fun chaos.
- The Friday Song: Every Friday, the hosts and crew sang a song. It looked back at the week's events on the show.
The chorus lyrics were: Singing, wakey, wakey, wakey rise and shine, The big breakfast is the only way to dine, It's your number one big breakie So get it down your neckie, And stick with us from seven until nine!
Presenters of The Big Breakfast
Current Main Hosts
| AJ Odudu | 2021–present |
| Mo Gilligan | 2021–present |
Former Main Hosts
| Amanda Byram | 2001–2002 |
| Paul Tonkinson | 2001–2002 |
| Mike McClean | 2000–2002 |
| Donna Air | 2000–2002 |
| Lisa Rogers | 2000–2002 |
| Liza Tarbuck | 1999–2000 |
| Richard Bacon | 1999–2002 |
| Kelly Brook | 1999 |
| Denise van Outen | 1997–2001 |
| Johnny Vaughan | 1997–2001 |
| Sharron Davies | 1996–1997 |
| Rick Adams | 1996–1997 |
| Zoe Ball | 1996 |
| Keith Chegwin | 1995–1996 |
| Mark Little | 1994–1996 |
| Paul Ross | 1994–1995 |
| Gaby Roslin | 1992–1996 |
| Chris Evans | 1992–1994 |
Co-presenters
Current Co-presenters
| Judi Love | 2021–present |
Former Co-presenters
| Johnny Vegas | 2001–2002 |
| Sara Cox | 1998–2000 |
| Vanessa Feltz | 1996–1998 |
| Paul O'Grady (as Lily Savage) | 1995–1996 |
| Paula Yates | 1992–1995 |
| Mark Lamarr | 1992–1996 |
| Zig & Zag | 1992–1998, 2002 |
Newsreaders
Current Newsreaders
| Phil Gayle | 1997–2000, 2002, 2021–present |
Former Newsreaders
| Jasmine Lowson | 2000–2002 |
| Peter Smith | 1992–1996 |
The Big Breakfast House
The Big Breakfast was special because it was filmed in a real house. This house was next to the River Lea in east London. People called it 'The Big Breakfast House'. Filming often happened in the large gardens and nearby areas. The cottages are in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
The property was built in 1947. It was originally three cottages for lock keepers. These lock keepers managed the Old Ford Locks in Bow. By 1992, when the show's makers bought it, the property was a Grade II listed site. It had been empty for about 20 years.
The three cottages were turned into one large house with three bedrooms. It was specially set up to be a TV studio. The outside of the house looked mostly the same. For the first four years, the address given for the house was 2, Lock Keepers' Cottages.
House Makeovers and Changes
In 1996, the house got a big makeover. This was because the show's popularity was going down. The outside brickwork was covered with a smooth white finish. Two large balconies were added to the front and back. Only the chimneys and roof looked like they did before. This makeover cost about £2 million.
The house kept this style for most of the show's run. Later, the front balcony was removed. The back balcony was partly removed. The doors and windows were also changed a little.
The house's look changed many times. The outside was painted bright yellow. Then it was a light brown. Finally, a fake red brick pattern was painted on the white finish. This was the house's final look for the last three and a half years of the show.
What Happened to the Cottages After the Show?
In November 2002, a fire badly damaged the first floor of the cottages. A large part of the roof was also destroyed. The fire was suspicious because there was no gas or electricity in the building.
Since the fire, the house has been fully repaired. It is now a family home. It was bought for £550,000, which was much less than its original price of £1 million. This was because of the fire.
Some parts of the house that were famous from The Big Breakfast still remain. The renovated house has appeared in other TV shows. These include Neneh and Andi Dish It Up and Singing With the Enemy. It also featured in the one-off Big Breakfast revival in 2021.
The cottages are about 200 meters from the main stadium of the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2005, the cottages were part of a plan for the Games. People thought the building might be torn down. But the cottages and gardens are still there.
The house also appeared in a Channel 4 TV ad. This ad was shown before the channel's coverage of the Paralympics in August 2012.
New Home for the Revival
The Big Breakfast returned on August 13, 2022. But it was filmed from a new house. This was the first time the show wasn't at the original Lock Keepers Cottages. The new house is in Potters Bar. It's called The Villa mansion. It has seven bedrooms and is set in ten acres of countryside.
