GMTV (1993 - 2010)

Erm, who caused the "fuss" exactly? It seems to me that GMTV were rather understated about the whole change of set - it was only HERE you were all getting excited.

Its rather like the person in the Doctor Who thread who said he was "disappointed" that the new Doctor wasn't someone he'd read about in spoilers.

Nonsensical to get yourself wound up over something and then visit that on the production teams.

Personally I don't think (as a casual viewer) it looks that different - but its freshened up a bit.

I Agree with you Gavin, I don't normally watch GMTV, only occasionally but the look that I saw today I thought was more of an evolution of the old set, I quite like the backdrop better than the old one, but still quite warm.

GMTV haven't made a big song and dance about it, ok they showed a film of the new set going in. and made a point that the new sofa was springy.

The reason most on here are upset, is the reason most on here are always upset, you know a change is coming, you know a lot of information, so when it does happen you all feel disapointed, if you were a normal viewer who just watches it as a breakfast show, you may have been a little surprised and a little oh that's a different and just get on with it.

I am begining to feel that although we're all here because we have an interest in tv and how it's done. our culture here and in other things is know too much too soon.

I take off my hat to the BEEB about the way they bought out the Doctor Who announcement. if only more things on TV could be left to surprise and not leaked before hand. but where's the ratings for that!

I watch GMTV most mornings and i am pleased with the new look. It's still GMTV just a bit cleaner with what appears to be more news. I think its also a good move having most of it under one name as GMTV as that is what most people refer to it as.

Not quite the "relaunch" that was expected but this is GMTV! Everything looks cleaner and brighter but not really different. Shame there was no new music or weather graphics. Guess they are on their way??
Way to much news in the first hour or so. Cutting to the very nice news desk every 15 minutes is slightly news overkill.

But been GMTV everything will be back to normal before you know it.

Ah, the typical "I am disappointed" routine from online forum obsessives.

People wanted a new set and logo, they got one, they aren't happy. People complained that there wasn't enough news, now theres too much! Honestly, they really can't win and even if the revamp was amazing I can guarantee some people on here would still try and pick faults in it.

I liked it, there was nothing wrong with it. Yes it does resemble the old GMTV with the set and graphics, but so what? If they changed it too much there would be even more complaints that it was a bad move for such a change, if they didn't change it a lot (like they haven't) then its obviously not enough

As already said the average viewer probably doesn't really care whether the opening music doesn't match the titles or if the backdrop is too high etc. GMTV is just background noise for the vast majority.

Quite a few points, I'll answer a few. This morning was mediocre, but dogged with technical problems. It'll be finding its feet for a while.
- Lighting was the big issue. It's being re-done for Tuesday.
- New music was ditched at the 11th hour. It may come back after tweaks at Easter.
- News will stay at the .15/.45
- Ticker only runs until 0730 deliberately, so wasn't 'ditched already' as someone suggested.
- Astons were designed by red bee to be understated, but the animations can't be done as yet until new graphics playout system (Vizrt) arrives.

I am a BBC Breakfast viewer and very rarely catch any GMTV... But as I had followed the gossip on here in the run-up to today I set my alarm and tuned in at 6am.

First thing I noticed (and this is not all down to the new look) is how American the show feels in presentation, style and content. But then again I do appreciate that that is how GMTV is and always has been and I know that for many on here the 'American feel' will in no way be a negative. However I do think that this American-feel (and by that I mean the swish-bang COMING UP! ever 2 minutes ... and the "We'll help you get out of £10,000 debt BUT while we're at it call our premium rate phone line to win a holiday and the so-called "News" every 15 minutes which is in fact just a very superficial look at the same stories) gives GMTV are far less grown-up and sophisticated feel when directly compared to Breakfast.

Now the set. Well for a start I may as well just say that I don't really like Breakfast's set and didn't really like the previous GMTV one either and I'm a bit indifferent about the new one too. It doesn't look especially modern. Why they insist on gladding every surface in wood in 2009 I don't know and the combination of the brown-ish wall and window surround with the silver desk and screen in the news set just looks wrong. However I do like the idea of a London backdrop as opposed to the previous 'generic city' but think the execution is poor- the creases are visible in every moving shot. And one must question how many ITV sets now feature a London backdrop element: News at Ten (very prominently), ITV News (it is noticeable- BT Tower in distance) and now GMTV. It does all feel a bit london centered (and this is coming from a Londoner) especially when GMTV is much more popular the further north you go AND the fact that the BBC scraped plans to introduce a London backdrop to it's news programmes in 2005 and opted for a 'generic city' instead- and the Beeb are always accused of being the London-centered ones.

I really wanted to hear new music so was disappointed at that but noticed a fresh bed and one use of fresh sting music during Lauraine programme (already posted on here). They were both nice but why was the new music not all rolled out today?!

Penny and John seemed very competent. I've always though Ben Shephard looks far to young to be a lead male presenter (but understand he appeals to a younger and female audience). I also don't think him and Kate really work- bit of a mum/son feel to it? So i'll be interested to see newbie and Andrew next week.

And don't think that I'm just unnecessarily GMTV-bashing because I really want GMTV to be good at what it does. Indeed I slightly preferred it when watching BBC Breakfast felt like watching the underdog. But going by todays performance I think Breakfast will maintain its lead for some time to come.

Thanks for clearing that up, and thanks also to you for all the information you've given the forum building up to the relaunch.

I was really disappointed!

I really like the new GMTV titles (though not Lorraine's) and quite like the new logo.

But I'm really disappointed by the graphics! It feels like someone has done a mock and only just learned how to use the curve effects in photoshop!

I really like the new news set - imo looks very modern and classy for a one-angle segment. I really don't like the new set - feels like an opened-up but washed down version of the past one. Really don't like the sofa either!

I think a set somewhere in the middle of the Andrew Marr Show and the sofa area of This Morning would work - that would give a sort of Cosiness that Breakfast's set desperately lacks.

Yes they're trying to be more newsy and seem maybe more professional or mature, but I don't think they need to do that with a city backdrop and watered down set - they're very colourful graphics are the opposite of what BBC News go for, which is fine but doesn't really fit with this 'news' image!

As for the website - could they not even of changed the 'LK Today' sections for example to GMTV with Lorraine and change the old LK Today logo?!?! And why does everyone atm have this great want to merge all brands together? How on earth is GMTV with Lorraine better than LK Today - it's a mouthful to say, and I think if someone was going to refer to Lorraine's segment they'd still call it LK Today.


Finally a question - what is with this whole 'equal presenters' crap? I'm now aware that there was a swapover between Andrew Castle and the awful Ben Shepard which Andrew wasn't very happy with, but surely if they want Kate as the main presenter they should just make her it - she'd certainly be happy and I can't see that Emma will mind (quite the promotion for her).

Imo the best option for them would be to rotate the presenters each week, i.e. Ben and Kate Mon-Fri week one, Emma and Andrew Mon-Fri week two. Kate would be then presenting an extra day each fortnight, and Andrew and Ben would be on the same number of days! The only demotion would be Ben, who would be on 5 days a fortnight rather than 8.

Thanks to anoilyrag for his info btw.

I know, used to love watching that during the live shows


used to see a few behind the scenes tricks like reversing the sofas during get up and give week so the presenters faced the 'window'

it disapeared a few years back when they had a revamp and all you could see was the back of the set before it went off

new set looks ok except for the fake backdrop which shows daylight when it's dark outside

what's wrong with a big live screen like Granada reports have

It's the same with everything new it will of course take time to find its feet.

I'm not a fan of all the news - the bulletin is too long.

We went from the ITV Early Morning News into GMTV with another 5 minute bulletin with the same stories. BORING. Mind you I guess I'm watching the 'News Hour' at the minute as I leave the house at 7am - I don't know what 'GMTV Today' was like.

Not a regular GMTV viewer, but the agenda this morning did seem more newsy to me whilst maintaining some of the other core GMTV elements (ie Celebrity fluff, competition) and that's what stood out.

Graphics seemed fine, did the job well. The set is more evolution than revolution. It's a bit bare, didn't they used to have pot plants up or something ?