CD:UK
Encyclopedia
CD:UK was a British
music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live
, the programme was first aired on ITV
(ITV1
/STV/UTV
) on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking
and was the replacement for The Chart Show
, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.
In contrast to its predecessor, which only showed promo videos, the new show was broadcast live on Saturday mornings with a studio audience
and featured live performances, as well as star interviews and competitions. It also featured the Saturday Chart, which although was unofficial, usually reflected the new chart positions a day before the official chart
was announced on Radio 1
. This made the BBC's long-running Top of the Pops
, which aired only the night before, seem very out-of-date broadcasting the previous week's chart. CD:UK later utilised an interactive chart based on viewers' votes, called the MiTracks Countdown. From 2001 to 2004, the show was sponsored by Tizer
.
In 2002, the programmes was criticised for showing "raunchy" performances in a slot aimed at children, sparked by a performance of "Dirrty
" by Christina Aguilera
. In response, a spin-off programme entitled CD:UK Hotshots, featuring music videos which could be considered unsuitable for daytime viewing, was launched in January 2003 and broadcast overnight.
In its first seven and a half years, CD:UK had become one of the most important music programmes on British television, but by 2006, its future looked uncertain.
- Ant McPartlin
, Dec Donnelly
and Cat Deeley
. Ant and Dec left both programmes on 1 December 2001, leaving Cat as sole presenter.
As time went on, due to her popularity with viewers, Deeley was offered more and more television work and went on to present Stars in Their Eyes
and Fame Academy
. This meant that she was absent from the show more and more and was frequently replaced by either a celebrity guest or Holly Willoughby
from SMTVs successor Ministry of Mayhem. Deeley chose to leave the programme for good in March 2005. TRL
presenter Dave Berry
presented the programme for several weeks before Holly Willoughby
became the new regular host presenting each fortnight with guest presenters such as Kelly Osbourne
, Rachel Stevens
, Brittany Murphy
, Girls Aloud
and Jayne Middlemiss
filled in for the weeks when Willoughby was absent.
was hired as main presenter alongside XFM
DJ Lauren Laverne
and Trouble TV
presenter Johny Pitts
as part of a major revamp of the programme, which was duly unveiled on 17 September 2005 with new titles, a re-designed studio and a new chart, the MiTracks Countdown, which allowed viewers to vote for their favourite and least favourite songs on the CD:UK website.
Although, it was initially reported that the re-launch had helped double viewing figures, audiences soon dropped below 1 million.
would not return to present the show, and that Dave Berry would instead host the show alongside a yet to be decided female presenter, later announced as Caroline Flack
. It was also announced that CD:UK would air at 17:30 on Saturday afternoons, and that the show should be back on air, initially by Autumn 2006, later pushed back to some time in 2007. However, nothing on the subject had been heard in several months and it seemed uncertain as to whether the show would return at all. It was officially announced on 17 April 2007 that CD:UK would not be returning.
network overnight. Introduced in January 2003, the show was initially presented by Cat Deeley
, but she left to make way for MTV presenter Dave Berry
who left in the summer of 2005 and was replaced by a rotating presenting team of Myleene Klass
, Lauren Laverne
and Johny Pitts
.
As opposed to the main show, Hotshots consisted of presenters' links and music videos - some of which had been considered unsuitable for broadcast on CD:UK.
, began on DirecTV's
The 101 on 21 January 2006. Australia
n broadcaster Foxtel
also air a local version of the show, renamed CD Live, on the Fox8
channel every Saturday evening.
In Italy
, the public television channel Rai Due
has aired from 2003 to 2007 an Italian
version of the show, renamed CD Live, every Saturday afternoon at 15:00.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live
SMTV Live
SMTV Live , also written SM:TV Live and in early promotional material SMTV://live, was a British Saturday morning children's television programme, first broadcast on ITV on 29 August 1998 and last broadcast on 27 December 2003.On the surface, the programme did not seem to stray away from the format...
, the programme was first aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
(ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
/STV/UTV
UTV
UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
) on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning children's magazine programme, running from 1993 to 2001. The fourth in a succession of Saturday morning shows, it was the replacement for Going Live!, and took many of its features from it, such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of...
and was the replacement for The Chart Show
The Chart Show
The Chart Show is a music video programme which ran in the UK on Channel 4 between 1986 and 1988, then on ITV between 1989 and 1998. The production company was Video Visuals, and was credited as "A Yorkshire Television Presentation" from 1993 and 1998...
, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.
In contrast to its predecessor, which only showed promo videos, the new show was broadcast live on Saturday mornings with a studio audience
Studio audience
A studio audience is an audience present for the taping of all or part of a television program. The primary purpose of the studio audience is to provide applause and/or laughter to the program's soundtrack . A studio audience can also provide volunteers, a visual backdrop and discussion participants...
and featured live performances, as well as star interviews and competitions. It also featured the Saturday Chart, which although was unofficial, usually reflected the new chart positions a day before the official chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
was announced on Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. This made the BBC's long-running Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, which aired only the night before, seem very out-of-date broadcasting the previous week's chart. CD:UK later utilised an interactive chart based on viewers' votes, called the MiTracks Countdown. From 2001 to 2004, the show was sponsored by Tizer
Tizer
Tizer is a red-coloured soft drink sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase 'Tizer the Appetizer'. It was launched in 1924 by Fred Pickup of Manchester when it was known as 'Pickup's Appetizer'. After the death of Pickup it was owned by the Armour Trust before being...
.
In 2002, the programmes was criticised for showing "raunchy" performances in a slot aimed at children, sparked by a performance of "Dirrty
Dirrty
"Dirrty" is a song performed by American singer Christina Aguilera featuring rapper Reggie "Redman" Noble. The song was written by Aguilera and Redman along with Jasper Cameron, Balewa Muhammad, and Rockwilder for Aguilera's fourth studio album Stripped...
" by Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. In response, a spin-off programme entitled CD:UK Hotshots, featuring music videos which could be considered unsuitable for daytime viewing, was launched in January 2003 and broadcast overnight.
In its first seven and a half years, CD:UK had become one of the most important music programmes on British television, but by 2006, its future looked uncertain.
History
CD:UK was originally fronted by the same presenting team for SMTV LiveSMTV Live
SMTV Live , also written SM:TV Live and in early promotional material SMTV://live, was a British Saturday morning children's television programme, first broadcast on ITV on 29 August 1998 and last broadcast on 27 December 2003.On the surface, the programme did not seem to stray away from the format...
- Ant McPartlin
Anthony McPartlin
Anthony David "Ant" McPartlin is one half of the English comedy and television presenting duo Ant & Dec, with the other being Declan Donnelly. He came to prominence in the children's drama series Byker Grove and as one half of the pop music duo PJ & Duncan...
, Dec Donnelly
Declan Donnelly
Declan Joseph Oliver "Dec" Donnelly is one half of the English acting and TV presenting duo Ant & Dec, with the other being Anthony McPartlin. He came to prominence in the children's drama series Byker Grove and as one half of the pop music duo PJ & Duncan...
and Cat Deeley
Cat Deeley
Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley is an English television presenter and model. Since 2006, Deeley has also been the host of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition...
. Ant and Dec left both programmes on 1 December 2001, leaving Cat as sole presenter.
As time went on, due to her popularity with viewers, Deeley was offered more and more television work and went on to present Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
and Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
. This meant that she was absent from the show more and more and was frequently replaced by either a celebrity guest or Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
from SMTVs successor Ministry of Mayhem. Deeley chose to leave the programme for good in March 2005. TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
presenter Dave Berry
Dave Berry (presenter)
David "Dave" Berry is a British TV and Radio presenter from Charlton, London, England. Currently working with ITV and Capital London.-Career:...
presented the programme for several weeks before Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
became the new regular host presenting each fortnight with guest presenters such as Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
, Rachel Stevens
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
, Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
, Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
and Jayne Middlemiss
Jayne Middlemiss
Jayne Middlemiss is a London-based British television and radio presenter, originally from Northumberland. She began presenting music television shows such as The O-Zone and Top of the Pops in the mid '90s, before presenting a variety of other television and radio shows, including on BBC 6 Music...
filled in for the weeks when Willoughby was absent.
MiTracks relaunch
In August 2005, Myleene KlassMyleene Klass
Myleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:...
was hired as main presenter alongside XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
DJ Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
and Trouble TV
Trouble (TV station)
Trouble was a television station in the UK and Republic of Ireland, owned by Virgin Media Television. It fully replaced The Children's Channel from 4 April 1998, prior to the start of Sky Digital....
presenter Johny Pitts
Johny Pitts
Johny Pitts is a UK TV presenter, writer and photographer from Sheffield. He currently presents Escape from Scorpion Island, Roar and All Over the Place...
as part of a major revamp of the programme, which was duly unveiled on 17 September 2005 with new titles, a re-designed studio and a new chart, the MiTracks Countdown, which allowed viewers to vote for their favourite and least favourite songs on the CD:UK website.
Although, it was initially reported that the re-launch had helped double viewing figures, audiences soon dropped below 1 million.
Axing
On 28 December 2005, it was announced that CD:UK was to cease production due to budget issues within the broadcaster. The final regular edition of the show was aired on Saturday 18 March 2006, followed by two compilation programmes on 25 March and 1 April, respectively.Aborted revival
On 20 April 2006, it was announced that production company Blaze Television had reached a deal with Channel 5 to revive the programme. However, Channel 5 announced on 2 June that Myleene Klass, Lauren Laverne and Johny PittsJohny Pitts
Johny Pitts is a UK TV presenter, writer and photographer from Sheffield. He currently presents Escape from Scorpion Island, Roar and All Over the Place...
would not return to present the show, and that Dave Berry would instead host the show alongside a yet to be decided female presenter, later announced as Caroline Flack
Caroline Flack
Caroline Louise Flack is a British television presenter. She is known for presenting I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! from 2008 to 2010....
. It was also announced that CD:UK would air at 17:30 on Saturday afternoons, and that the show should be back on air, initially by Autumn 2006, later pushed back to some time in 2007. However, nothing on the subject had been heard in several months and it seemed uncertain as to whether the show would return at all. It was officially announced on 17 April 2007 that CD:UK would not be returning.
CD:UK Hotshots
CD:UK Hotshots was a spin-off programme, aired on the ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network overnight. Introduced in January 2003, the show was initially presented by Cat Deeley
Cat Deeley
Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley is an English television presenter and model. Since 2006, Deeley has also been the host of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition...
, but she left to make way for MTV presenter Dave Berry
Dave Berry (presenter)
David "Dave" Berry is a British TV and Radio presenter from Charlton, London, England. Currently working with ITV and Capital London.-Career:...
who left in the summer of 2005 and was replaced by a rotating presenting team of Myleene Klass
Myleene Klass
Myleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:...
, Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
and Johny Pitts
Johny Pitts
Johny Pitts is a UK TV presenter, writer and photographer from Sheffield. He currently presents Escape from Scorpion Island, Roar and All Over the Place...
.
As opposed to the main show, Hotshots consisted of presenters' links and music videos - some of which had been considered unsuitable for broadcast on CD:UK.
International versions
Although the original UK version has ended, an American version of the programme, CD USACD USA
CD USA, which debuted in 2006, is an American music television show airing exclusively on DirecTV's" The 101" network in the United States. The show is an American version of CD:UK, a similarly themed music show on ITV in the UK. Its hosts are John Wynn, Becky Baeling, and formerly, Jonathan...
, began on DirecTV's
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
The 101 on 21 January 2006. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n broadcaster Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
also air a local version of the show, renamed CD Live, on the Fox8
FOX8
Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
channel every Saturday evening.
In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the public television channel Rai Due
Rai Due
Rai 2 is one of the three main television channels broadcast by Italian public television company RAI alongside with Rai 1 and Rai 3. Rai 2 first started transmissions on November 4, 1961...
has aired from 2003 to 2007 an Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
version of the show, renamed CD Live, every Saturday afternoon at 15:00.
Controversy
- On 20 March 1999, the show was interrupted by a stage invasion by Alan Driscoll, lead singer with techno band The Womb, who berated Ant and Dec for the show's reluctance to support non-mainstream and unsigned artists. During singer Kele Le RocKele Le RocKele Le Roc is a British pop, UK garage and R&B singer.-Career:Le Roc began singing at the age of three, and she attended Langdon Comprehensive School in East Ham. She first found widespread acclaim in 1995 with the underground hit "Let Me Know"...
's set he unfurled a banner bearing his band's name, tore up a picture of Glamma KidGlamma KidIyael Iyases Tafari Constable better known as Glamma Kid, is a British ragga and dancehall toaster and former Royal Air Force trainee of part Jamaican descent.-Career:...
, and kicked over a microphone stand before being overpowered by security and led away from the studio, later claiming to have been "abused by several large security men". After explaining his actions to the show's producer, Driscoll was arrested and charged with criminal damage over the microphone, but the charges were subsequently dropped. The Womb later wrote a song about the incident, 'Bees', which appeared on their 2003 album "I Disown Ricky Hervaid".
- On 2 December 2000, Cat Deeley interviewed ex-Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
guitarist SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
. When asked what was the most ridiculous rumour he'd heard about himself, he replied getting a blowjob in a bar, and then spoke about how one of his snakes bit the fuck out of me. Declan Donnelly apologised for Slash's comments and a feature on Slash's SnakepitSlash's SnakepitSlash's Snakepit were an American rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed by then-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash in 1993. Though often described as a solo or side project, Slash stated that Snakepit was a band, with equal contributions by all members...
, which was due to be shown the following week was dropped.
- There was also a complete sound failure which prevented a performance by The Charlatans.
- Christina Aguilera performed her single Dirrty, introducing her raunchy image amid to complaints from parents as the show was aimed at youngsters. She appeared to be wearing hotpants and knickers saying 'Dirrty' on them with a bikini top.
- Pink was once asked to change her lyrics to the song "Just Like A Pill" to avoid swearing, (the song features several uses of the word 'bitch'). As a compromise, she did change the lyrics but she removed her top on stage to reveal a t-shirt underneath with 'f**k' written on it (asterisks covered the 'u' and 'c'). She was threatened with being banned from the show for her behaviour.
- In 2005 Sandra Coxe was sacked for swearing during a gunging game. When the gunge fell on her head, Sandra was clearly heard saying "fuck sake". Ofcom fined ITV £30,000 for the incident.
- One of the sponsorships stings from TizerTizerTizer is a red-coloured soft drink sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase 'Tizer the Appetizer'. It was launched in 1924 by Fred Pickup of Manchester when it was known as 'Pickup's Appetizer'. After the death of Pickup it was owned by the Armour Trust before being...
, which featured the "Tizer head" talking to Cat Deeley, was acknowledged by Deeley in the actual show, which aimed controversy at the Ofcom rule of keeping sponsorships of "live" TV shows separate from the live show itself.
Further references
- Tizer previously sponsored The Chart ShowThe Chart ShowThe Chart Show is a music video programme which ran in the UK on Channel 4 between 1986 and 1988, then on ITV between 1989 and 1998. The production company was Video Visuals, and was credited as "A Yorkshire Television Presentation" from 1993 and 1998...
, the "ancestor" of CD:UK. They stopped their sponsership of CD:UK in November 2003 due to the launch of the "!tz a Red Thing" campaign, thus this meant the sponsorship lasted almost five years. - There were two compilation albums released in association with the show. The first was 2000's You Know Where it's At!, followed by More Wicked Hits in 2001.
- The song "When You Wasn't FamousWhen You Wasn't Famous"When You Wasn't Famous" was the first single from The Streets' third studio album The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living. Released on March 30, 2006, it went straight to number 8 in the UK and number 26 in Ireland...
" by The StreetsThe StreetsThe Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
makes a reference to CD:UK, notable because the song was released just two days before the last episode of CD:UK aired.