The Saturday Show (2001 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Saturday Show
Genre	Children's
Presented by	Dani Behr (2001–02) Joe Mace (2001–02) Fearne Cotton (2002–03) Simon Grant (2002–05) Angellica Bell (2004–05) Jake Humphrey (2004–05)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	149
Production
Running time	180 minutes (2001–03) 90 minutes (2004–05)
Release
Original network	BBC One
Original release	22 September 2001 (2001-09-22) – 3 September 2005 (2005-09-03)

The Saturday Show was a popular British TV series for kids. It aired on BBC One from September 22, 2001, to September 3, 2005. This show took over from Live & Kicking. It was packed with fun things like audience games, cool cartoons, and even some messy "gunge" challenges!

The first presenters were Dani Behr and Joe Mace. Later, in 2002, Fearne Cotton and Simon Grant took over. In 2004, Fearne left. Simon Grant then teamed up with Angellica Bell and Jake Humphrey. This trio hosted the show until it ended in 2005.

Starting the Show: Early Days

In 2001, the BBC announced a new Saturday morning show. It was going to replace the long-running Live & Kicking. This new show, The Saturday Show, aimed to be very different. It hoped to compete with another popular show, SMTV Live.

The show was filmed entirely in a studio. The studio had a unique design with tiered seating for the audience. There were also three stages. One stage had a comfy couch for the presenters. Another was for musical performances. The third stage was for the show's own band, Stamford Amp.

The Saturday Show had many fun segments. One popular part was different karaoke challenges. Kids could sing along to official instrumental versions of songs. The show also featured two funny puppets, "Tiny and Mr Duk". These puppets were brought to life by Dave Chapman and Damian Farrell. The house band, Stamford Amp, even had a hit song called "Anything For You"!

In February 2002, a spin-off show started. It was called The Saturday Show Extra. Nihal and Kate Giles hosted this show. It ran at the same time as the main program. It had its own new studio and look. This extra show also let more viewers at home join in the fun.

By July 2002, Joe Mace decided to leave the show. Dani Behr also left with him. It looked like The Saturday Show might end. But then, Fearne Cotton and Simon Grant stepped in. They were younger and more kid-friendly. They agreed to become the new hosts. Tiny and Mr Duk stayed with the show for a while. But Dave Chapman and Damian Farrell, who performed the puppets, left in December 2002.

New Look and More Fun: 2002 to 2004

From September 2002, the show got a new name: The All New Saturday Show. The presenters started the show acting silly for younger kids. As the morning went on, their style became more grown-up. This was to keep teenagers interested too.

With the new show, a spin-off called TOTP Saturday began. This was a shorter version of the popular music show Top Of The Pops. It would play the week's number one song halfway through. A new game called Singles Out also became a big part of the show.

In May 2003, Celebrity Fastermind started. This game, featuring famous guests, took up the first hour of the show. Over time, the show began to skip its opening titles. It jumped straight into games, messy gunge, and celebrity guests.

In September 2003, another new show, Dick & Dom in da Bungalow, started on BBC One. Despite this, The Saturday Show was a big success. It often had more viewers than SMTV Live. The Saturday Show Extra moved to a later time on the CBBC Channel. But it was eventually stopped.

After a great run, the show returned in April 2004 with another fresh look. Angellica Bell and Jake Humphrey joined Simon Grant. They hoped to keep the show exciting. The studio setup changed again. The audience sat on couches, but the presenters stood up for most of the show.

The show was now only 90 minutes long. It started at 8:30 AM and finished at 10 AM. After that, The Mysti Show would air. Many new games and features were added. The grand finale of the show was often a messy game called Gunge GBH!

Final Season: 2004 to End

For its last season, the BBC changed the show again. They wanted it to be more interactive. This meant more games where the audience could join in. Games included Scary Buckets, Stick and Twist, and Blushing Roulette.

This season also brought in reporters who went out of the studio. Ortis and Sophie McDonnell were some of these reporters. Sophie McDonnell sometimes filled in for Angellica Bell. The show also featured a funny sketch called Dr Loo. This was a parody, or funny imitation, of Doctor Who.

Overall, this final series was not as successful. The show was cancelled in 2005. The team knew they wouldn't be on air for Christmas. So, the very last episode, which aired on September 3, was a special Christmas episode!

Show Dates