SM:tv Live (1998-2003)

What was everyone's thoughts on SM:tv Live? I know it gets a mixed response from people and genuinely want to know what people think.

I personally think it's one of the best Saturday morning shows and even TV shows. The sketches were very well written and obviously the show got into it's stride after a year or so. Even in the early days there were some great sketches that probably are not as well remembered but are still very funny.

Such as this clip from 1999 before the new set came in and the show hit its peak.



I also wasn't totally against the show after Ant, Dec & Cat left. Even James Redmond didn't do too bad of a job when he was at the helm for a short tenure, he had good comic timing and I think they really should have kept him and he could have seen it to the end. I think Brian and Tess worked really well as a pairing and carried the show well together, it was after them two when I think it declined.

A mixed response? I thought it was generally agreed that the 1999-2001 period was one of the best Saturday morning shows. Unless you're talking about after Ant & Dec left.

Anymore news on the SM:tv reunion still happening? Obviously it didn't end up happening last year but there was talk of doing it this year instead for the 21st anniversary.

Definitely meant after they left! And I guess when it started but I guess that's to be forgiven, especially when you saw what it became!



Yeah, there was talk about it being this year but still yet to hear anything. I imagine they'd need to start planning it soon if they want to do it in August when the show originally started... Maybe with Ant's previous problems it might not happen any more. Hopefully it does as it would be nice to see it one more time!

It definitely got delayed because of Ant's rehab enforced sabbatical.

Kevin Lygo at a talk a few months ago

Update: Kevin Lygo, ITV executive, said that the SMTV reunion was never formally happening and it was only an idea

— All Ant and Dec (@allantanddec) February 5, 2019

I believe Kevin has always said this. So no surprize. Might be best waiting till the 25th anniversary now.

That's not what Ant and Dec were saying before the crash. They asked Cat well in advance by then and had her on board as they knew she'd be so busy in the states if they didn't let her know.

I think they mentioned it on this morning at the launch for SNT 2018.

Ant and Dec said on video in early 2018 that they'd commissioned writers for it so it's a bit odd that ITV apparently knew nothing about it...hmm...

Writing it and having a production company ready to make and transmit it are two entirely different things.

Wasn't there supposed disagreement over whether it would air in the morning or primetime too.

Thanks for the education. A production company to make a programme isn't much of an issue once you have a commission. I presume you meant a broadcaster, in which case it would be rather silly to commission writers without having had at least some development money from ITV. Especially as this would be a one off for nostalgia and not exactly lucrative.