Kick Start (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Kick Start was a popular series on BBC television
screened between 1979 and 1988. The show began originally as a summer replacement to fill in the slot vacated by Nationwide
for the summer and was hosted by Dave Lee Travis
.
For the following series, Travis was replaced by Peter Purves
of Blue Peter
fame. The show was the first (and most popular) television series to feature the sport of motorcycle trials
. In later years, a similar programme, Junior Kick Start, was also screened. Of a similar theme, this programme was for younger contestants, notably Dougie Lampkin
. Perhaps the best remembered incident from both versions of the programme was when a ten-year-old competitor in Junior Kick Start, Mark Scofield, fell from an obstacle into a ditch. Two volunteers from the St. John Ambulance
attempted to help but themselves fell into the ditch in comical fashion; commentator Peter Purves had to apologise as he struggled to hold back laughing at the incident.
In both programmes, contestants on a trials bike attempted to complete a course against the clock featuring a variety of obstacles to be overcome. Typical obstacles included riding over a VW Beetle or ascending a steep banking or cliff-face. Penalties, in the form of time added to their round time, would be given for putting a foot on the ground while tackling an obstacle or touching or knocking over specified parts of an obstacle (such as the "bunny hop"). The courses and obstacles were designed to be slightly easier for the younger contestants in Junior Kick Start.
The other notable contestant to appear on the show is Jean-Pierre Goy, who later became a stunt motorcyclist, most notable for his stunt sequence for the James Bond
film Tomorrow Never Dies
.
in 1985 by Mastertronic
. It was also released for the ZX Spectrum
and Atari 8-bit computers. According to the game's programmer, Shaun Southern, "The C64 version's name at least, was a shameless rip-off of the TV series."
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
screened between 1979 and 1988. The show began originally as a summer replacement to fill in the slot vacated by Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
for the summer and was hosted by Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis , also known professionally as DLT and the Hairy Cornflake, is a British radio presenter, best known for his career on BBC Radio 1.-Early life:...
.
For the following series, Travis was replaced by Peter Purves
Peter Purves
Peter Purves is an English television presenter and actor.Purves was born in New Longton, near Preston, Lancashire, and was educated at the independent Arnold School in Blackpool, he had originally planned to go into teaching, training at Alsager College of Education, but began to act with the...
of Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
fame. The show was the first (and most popular) television series to feature the sport of motorcycle trials
Motorcycle trials
Motorcycle trials, also termed observed trials, is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe....
. In later years, a similar programme, Junior Kick Start, was also screened. Of a similar theme, this programme was for younger contestants, notably Dougie Lampkin
Dougie Lampkin
Douglas Martin "Dougie" Lampkin, MBE, also known as Doug, is an internationally renowned English motorcycle trials rider. Born into a family steeped in motorcycle sport—his father, Martin Lampkin, was the first FIM Trial World Championship winner in 1975, and his Uncle Arthur was also a regular...
. Perhaps the best remembered incident from both versions of the programme was when a ten-year-old competitor in Junior Kick Start, Mark Scofield, fell from an obstacle into a ditch. Two volunteers from the St. John Ambulance
St. John Ambulance
St John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John...
attempted to help but themselves fell into the ditch in comical fashion; commentator Peter Purves had to apologise as he struggled to hold back laughing at the incident.
In both programmes, contestants on a trials bike attempted to complete a course against the clock featuring a variety of obstacles to be overcome. Typical obstacles included riding over a VW Beetle or ascending a steep banking or cliff-face. Penalties, in the form of time added to their round time, would be given for putting a foot on the ground while tackling an obstacle or touching or knocking over specified parts of an obstacle (such as the "bunny hop"). The courses and obstacles were designed to be slightly easier for the younger contestants in Junior Kick Start.
The other notable contestant to appear on the show is Jean-Pierre Goy, who later became a stunt motorcyclist, most notable for his stunt sequence for the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Bruce Feirstein wrote the screenplay, and it was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. It follows Bond as he tries to stop a media mogul from engineering...
.
Other media
A video-game inspired by the series called Kick Start was released for the Commodore 64Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
in 1985 by Mastertronic
Mastertronic
Mastertronic was originally a publisher and distributor of low-cost computer game software founded in 1983. Their first games were distributed in mid-1984. At its peak the label was the dominant software publisher in the UK, a position achieved by selling cassette-based software at the £1.99...
. It was also released for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and Atari 8-bit computers. According to the game's programmer, Shaun Southern, "The C64 version's name at least, was a shameless rip-off of the TV series."