FA
Andrew the minimalist white set launched with Leah & Michael in September 2003, along with the introduction of swag. I presume they wanted a full change of set with the amended logo. The problem I found was that because of the large changeable section in the middle it felt vacant & unwelcoming.
Leah & Michael left on the last Friday before Christmas, and there was no in vision continuity over Christmas. I can't remember what they said, but think they did say that it was their last day, by that time I think it was known that Michael was going to be hosting Ministry of Mayhem from the January of 2004.
Mr Kite I remember that breakdown caption well. I remember seeing it a lot, but I suppose it was back in the days when you had more breakdowns as a whole on tv.
Leah & Michael left on the last Friday before Christmas, and there was no in vision continuity over Christmas. I can't remember what they said, but think they did say that it was their last day, by that time I think it was known that Michael was going to be hosting Ministry of Mayhem from the January of 2004.
Mr Kite I remember that breakdown caption well. I remember seeing it a lot, but I suppose it was back in the days when you had more breakdowns as a whole on tv.
WP
I'm guessing the timing was such that the set was commissioned prior to Granada/Carlton merger, when Central were still contracted to provide the service to the ITV Network (and I presume the monetary benefits which came of that). The cut would have been an early casualty of the merger.
I wonder if Carlton knew the intention was to cut the service, and so refurbished minimally out of contractual necessity. I wonder too whether the presenters were aware that their stint would end so soon.
I wonder if Carlton knew the intention was to cut the service, and so refurbished minimally out of contractual necessity. I wonder too whether the presenters were aware that their stint would end so soon.
MD
Martin Dean
What happened there? Obviously it was after I outgrew childrens' telly, but it appears from what I've read that the presenters continued on-location over the summer, and then signed off as normal on a Friday only to never return. Were they given notice and just told to keep quiet?
Also notable, that studio in those links must have been relatively new still - was it a temporary setup (it looks very plain!)? Was the intention to get a studio in Manchester?
I assumed the summer links on location were recorded and had probably already been done and in the can by that point.
For example they did a week from the My Parents are Aliens set at YTV, which I expect would have been recorded in a day.
That set was used Jan to July 2004, everything about that look was minimalist and plain. Presumably the writing was already on the wall, and they'd had a massive budget cut.
More to the point, Anyone remember if all the other presenters in the big set said anything in December 2003, that they wouldn't be reappearing after Christmas?
The set was used from September 2003 to July 2004. The former 'big set' was stopped being used from July 2003. In the summer of 2003 Leah Charles and Michael Underwood presented the show from a Central Garden, and there is a video of it on YouTube. The set came as a relaunch with new ident, when the set was introduced in-vision was reduced to less days a week. Leah and Michael left at Christmas 2003, with Andy Jaye and Emma Lee presenting until Andy's wife started to present alongside him.
SP
There was a much longer version of the robots on youtube, sourced from the original laserdisc but I can't find it now.
MD
Martin Dean
It was Gail McKenna, not Emma Lee that presented with Andy before Laura started.
My mistake! I heard that Leah is now working in America, but I did see her on GEMS TV a few months ago.
:-(
A former member
Last edited by A former member on 22 December 2012 6:23pm
LL
The bloke in question had some real gems on that channel, but he took a majority of his ITV stuff down, and now he's got nothing on his channel. Shame.
There was a much longer version of the robots on youtube, sourced from the original laserdisc but I can't find it now.
The bloke in question had some real gems on that channel, but he took a majority of his ITV stuff down, and now he's got nothing on his channel. Shame.