And we're Live...! (Saturday Show, The)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	Saturday Show, The
Date:	04/03/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great opportunity

Disadvantages: dull cartoons for now

I've always loved TV (but I'm no Couch Potato, I'll have you know!), it's always on in the background even if for some reason I am not actually watching it properly. Over the years my tastes have certainly adapted, but up until quite a late age, around fifteen. I'd say I was watching childrens' weekend TV every week without fail. I loved getting up quite early, and relaxing on the settee with my cup of tea, ready for a few hours of cartoons and mayhem! Over time there have been quite a number of these children's' Saturday morning shows (and a few Sunday ones to!), one of the most memorable being The Saturday Show.

The Saturday Show is a Saturday morning children's' TV show which aired on BBC. It was first broadcast in September 2001, and finally went off air for good after a few breaks in September 2005. The show was set to replace Live and Kicking, axed after the eighth series. With SM:TV across the channel as competition, it was naturally going to be a challenge to broadcast the show. Needless to say though it must have done quite well, lasting all those years!

Each episode of the new series' lasted for just 90 minutes, compared to some which were hours long, running from 8:30 till ten, with The Mysti Show to follow. In this programme there were lots of shows and activities! The audience was live, children from all over (mainly drama schools and groups) able to take part in these activities. There were various games live in the studio such as Blushin' Roulette and Bullseye. The shows on the episodes ranged from cartoons like The Loony Tunes. The gunge tank was quite infamous on the show too, members of the audience often being covered in gunge in various thrilling games!

There were various presenters taking us through each episode, including Fearne Cotton, Joe Mace, and the last ones for us: Angelica Bell, Jake Humphreys and Simon Grant. I was quite fond of them, Jake especially, so when I found out I was getting the chance to meet them, I was ecstatic! So how did this opportunity come about? At the time my friend was part of a drama group, which were one of the ones chosen to go down to the audience. She had been down several times before (and ate a sea urchin from McFly!), but never had I imagined myself going! Though when asked if I wanted to go down to Glasgow with her to the BBC studios I jumped at the chance! I could hardly wait!

So the Summer of 2005, my friend, her mum and I headed down to Glasgow on the train. It was so exciting! We were staying in a hotel for the night, which was in itself an adventure1 After one of the best portions of fish and chips I have ever had, and a stroll along the streets, we retired to our bed ready for the next day.

We awoke bright and early. I cannot remember the exact time but it could not have been after six o' clock! We dressed quickly, me wearing my nice jeans and pink tank top (I owned endless amounts of tank tops, it was unreal!). Everything was packed up and we signed out of the hotel, our bags at clutch, walking along the road to get to the BBC studios, which was thankfully not too far away!

When we went in, we signed off our names and my friend and I were left with lots of other children while her mum went away somewhere. There were so many different people, it was weird! I was probably the oldest, as the age limit there was twelve. Some guy came in with what I now expect as runners, and gave us all little stickers with our names on. They had coloured dots on them to show which section of the studio we were sitting in. My dot was different from my friends. Oh dear.

Not too long after this, the presenters themselves came into the little crowded room. Oh, wow! Thankfully I was not starstruck, but inside my heart was pounding at double its rate! There they were. Jake. Simon. Angellica. Right in front of me! So close yet so far, eh? We were taken through to the studio next. It was unbelievable! There was all these wires and cameras around the back, but in front, the set was beautiful! It was almost like a little wonderland, little benches for us to sit on, colours everywhere! We sat down ready to begin...

Three. Two. One. And we're...LIVE!

As this was summer this was a summery episode, ironically! The presenters started, laid back on deckchairs drinking the most refreshing looking things. Then in came some large seagulls (real, of course!), and threw buckets of seagull poo (the infamous gunge) over some of the audience. Oh, joy, I got this full on, as well as some pizza pieces that were later to come! Thankfully I had brought a change of clothes as instructed and was whisked away with the other victims and cleaned up in no time. Thankfully, my hair was saved so there was no need for a shower!

I was back in time to see somebody play Bullseye, where they sat on a bucking bronco and had to throw things at a velcro dart board to win prizes. It looked like so much fun! After this my group was carted to the sides of the gunge tanks, where Blushin' Roulette was to take place. What?! There was my friend sitting on the seat ready to play! I had no idea! This was going to be embarrassing for both her and me! In this game you were asked embarrassing questions or had to perform rather bashfull acts. My friend had to dance to the Crazy Frog (she started doing the outrageous dance we made up...eek!), do an impression of her teacher (who was on the phone!), and even clean an old man's dentures! How...gross! But it was worth it as a) she got herself on TV! And b) there were prizes! She won a Hi Fi, a tutu, and a day's training with the Scottish Ballet. Unfortunately she never did get that day's training!

The show finished not long after, and my friend and I were as hyper as ever! She had escaped the gunge tank, instead her brother was a victim after he and his friends danced to 'Call on Me' in lycra! I was all cleaned up now too, smiles all around. What came next was fabulous! Us and the other few children who had taken part in the show, their families too, got to go backstage into the presenters' dressing rooms to meet them! Well this was amazing, my first time in a dressing room too, but hopefully many more to come! The presenters were quite lovely, Jake especially :) Simon was cool too, though I did think Angellica was a little above herself. Since then I have not been too fond of her!

So off we went after an amazing day, autographs and The Saturday Show bright red t-shirts in hand trekking back to Aberdeen. The show had been recorded for me so I could watch it, and I must say I do watch it still! I look a mess, how did I ever think I looked good?! But that was along time ago, and I've changed, so its okay! But despite it being so long ago, I can still remember it like it was yesterday! I owe a lot to the Saturday Show, I think it was one of the things that made me finally realise that I definitely wanted to be a TV Presenter. So thank you BBC, thank you The Saturday Show, and of course, thank you to my friend (who still blushes to this day!).

© Amy 2009

Summary: /