Motormouth
Encyclopedia
Motormouth was a Saturday morning children's television series that was produced by Television South
and aired across the ITV
network for four series, running between 3 September 1988 and 4 April 1992. Each series generally ran from the autumn of one year to the spring of the next, as was common among many 'main' Saturday morning series.
The programme was launched following the decision to axe No. 73
, which had run in the same slot until early 1988. No. 73 had been revamped during its final series as 7T3, with a partially exterior set. However, the new 7T3 set-up was expensive and difficult to produce, and so it was decided to switch to a fully studio-based set-up. The new show was produced as the same studio complex (The Maidstone Studios
) as its predecessor, and many of the production team (and several presenters) transferred to the new show. Whereas No. 73 had included an inherent narrative storyline, the decision was taken that Motormouth would have a straightforward magazine presentation format.
The studio set for the first series was dominated by several giant inflatable elements, including a giant motorised mouth, from which the show took its name. In the second series, billed in some cases as Motormouth II or Motormouth 2, there were changes, including the introduction of new graphics and set elements based on ikt:cog|cogs] and sprockets. The use of the giant mouth declined following this alteration.
The show's third series - which boasted new graphics and remixed theme music, and was for a brief time billed as All New Motormouth - also had a new, predominantly white set; the giant mouth was removed altogether at this point, along with all other remaining inflatables. This series saw the introduction of a diner
-style set (sometimes referred to as 'The Motormouth Cafe') which saw guests and audience members sitting at tables. This format and styling was left largely intact for the fourth series.
. Neil Buchanan
and Andrea Arnold
were joined by new recruits Caroline Hanson, Tony Gregory and Julian Ballantyne.
For the second series, Andrea Arnold ceased to be a main presenter and instead filed location reports from sites around the world which were broadcast into the programme. Hanson and Ballantyne departed the programme, replaced by Gaby Roslin
and Steve Johnson. Buchanan and Gregory remained. Generally Buchanan, Gregory and Roslin would present the studio elements with Johnson hosting the gameshow inserts It's Torture, Gunge 'em In The Dungeon and Mouse Trap (based upon the board game of the same name
).
By the third series, Andrea Arnold had left the programme entirely, with Tony Gregory also departing, replaced by former CBBC
presenter Andy Crane
. Crane, Buchanan, Roslin and Johnson remained as presenters until the end of the show's run.
parody
set behind the scenes of the programme. The cast of Spin-off included Richard Waites
, who had previously appeared in the final series of No. 73
/7T3. Spin-off was dropped after the first series.
A similar fictional production storyline was reintroduced in the programme's fourth series (though the Spin-off title was not revived). Instead of being separated from the main programme, the comedy-drama element was woven into the main programme, with characters from the fictional production team mingling with hosts and guests to create a more flowing storyline. The cast of this element was completely different from that of Spin-off and included Carla Mendonça
, who played Juliet Nichols. A wedding
between two members of this "team" formed the backbone storyline in the final edition of the series.
The programme also included imported cartoons as inserted content; cartoons which were featured during the programme's run included She-Ra: Princess of Power
, Samurai Pizza Cats
, The Real Ghostbusters
and Scooby Doo.
had been told that they would lose their ITV
franchise (to Meridian Broadcasting
) at the end of 1992, though TVS planned an appeal against the decision. Thus, at the time of the final Motormouth, the future of TVS was unclear. It was decided to close the programme altogether, and the final show closed with a sign-off from the presenters, including Neil Buchanan who had fronted all four series.
Scottish Television
took over arrangements for the winter Saturday morning, when Nigel Pickard transferred to the company from TVS. Scottish Television
entered into an agreement with Warner Bros.
to create a new show, What's Up Doc?
, which, like Motormouth, broadcast from the Maidstone Studios, Andy Crane transferred from Motormouth to the new show, joined by Yvette Fielding
and Pat Sharp
.
gameshow, Terror Towers, in the mid-1990s.
Gaby Roslin's next role after Motormouth came in September 1992 when she and Chris Evans launched The Big Breakfast
on Channel 4
. She's since presented City Hospital, Children In Need and The Terry & Gaby Show amongst others.
Andy Crane remained with What's Up Doc? for its three-year run. He presented news programming for Manchester-based Channel M
until the axe on 19 March 2010.
Andrea Arnold moved into film-making, winning an Oscar
in 2004 and a BAFTA in 2007.
Tony Gregory is a TV director whose credits include Big Brother
.
Neil Buchanan remained with CITV until 2007, producing shows through his company The Media Merchants
and hosting Finders Keepers and Art Attack
.
The Maidstone Studios have since been used as a production base for other Saturday morning programmes including Ministry of Mayhem and Basil's Swap Shop
.
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
and aired across the 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...
network for four series, running between 3 September 1988 and 4 April 1992. Each series generally ran from the autumn of one year to the spring of the next, as was common among many 'main' Saturday morning series.
The programme was launched following the decision to axe No. 73
No. 73
No 73, later re-titled 7T3, was a British 1980s children's TV show produced by Television South for the ITV network. It was broadcast live on Saturday mornings and ran from 1982 to 1988...
, which had run in the same slot until early 1988. No. 73 had been revamped during its final series as 7T3, with a partially exterior set. However, the new 7T3 set-up was expensive and difficult to produce, and so it was decided to switch to a fully studio-based set-up. The new show was produced as the same studio complex (The Maidstone Studios
The Maidstone Studios
The Maidstone Studios, formerly called TVS Television Centre is a television studio complex with radio studio facilities based at Vinters Park in Maidstone, Kent UK...
) as its predecessor, and many of the production team (and several presenters) transferred to the new show. Whereas No. 73 had included an inherent narrative storyline, the decision was taken that Motormouth would have a straightforward magazine presentation format.
The studio set for the first series was dominated by several giant inflatable elements, including a giant motorised mouth, from which the show took its name. In the second series, billed in some cases as Motormouth II or Motormouth 2, there were changes, including the introduction of new graphics and set elements based on ikt:cog|cogs] and sprockets. The use of the giant mouth declined following this alteration.
The show's third series - which boasted new graphics and remixed theme music, and was for a brief time billed as All New Motormouth - also had a new, predominantly white set; the giant mouth was removed altogether at this point, along with all other remaining inflatables. This series saw the introduction of a diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
-style set (sometimes referred to as 'The Motormouth Cafe') which saw guests and audience members sitting at tables. This format and styling was left largely intact for the fourth series.
Presenters
The first series was presented by a five-strong lineup of hosts, two of whom had previously appeared on No. 73No. 73
No 73, later re-titled 7T3, was a British 1980s children's TV show produced by Television South for the ITV network. It was broadcast live on Saturday mornings and ran from 1982 to 1988...
. Neil Buchanan
Neil Buchanan
Neil Buchanan is an English television presenter best known for his work on the CITV programme Art Attack, a television programme that he presented during its run from 1990 to 2007...
and Andrea Arnold
Andrea Arnold
Andrea Arnold OBE is a filmmaker and former actress from England, who made her feature film directorial debut in 2006 with Red Road.-Early TV work:...
were joined by new recruits Caroline Hanson, Tony Gregory and Julian Ballantyne.
For the second series, Andrea Arnold ceased to be a main presenter and instead filed location reports from sites around the world which were broadcast into the programme. Hanson and Ballantyne departed the programme, replaced by Gaby Roslin
Gaby Roslin
Gaby Roslin is an English television presenter and actress. She rose to fame while co-presenting The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996, and also presented the BBC's Children in Need charity appeal from 1994 to 2004....
and Steve Johnson. Buchanan and Gregory remained. Generally Buchanan, Gregory and Roslin would present the studio elements with Johnson hosting the gameshow inserts It's Torture, Gunge 'em In The Dungeon and Mouse Trap (based upon the board game of the same name
Mouse Trap (board game)
Mouse Trap is a board game first published by Ideal in 1963 for two or more players. Over the course of the game, players at first cooperate to build a working Rube Goldberg-like mouse trap...
).
By the third series, Andrea Arnold had left the programme entirely, with Tony Gregory also departing, replaced by former CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
presenter Andy Crane
Andy Crane
Howard Andrew 'Andy' Crane is an English television and radio presenter, best known for presenting Children's BBC , amongst many others.-Career:...
. Crane, Buchanan, Roslin and Johnson remained as presenters until the end of the show's run.
Fictional elements
The first series' episodes included Spin-off, a soap operaSoap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
set behind the scenes of the programme. The cast of Spin-off included Richard Waites
Richard Waites
Richard C. Waites, J.D., Ph.D., , a noted board certified trial attorney and social psychologist, is an internationally recognized expert in jury and courtroom decision maker research, a field he helped to develop and that he continues to advance...
, who had previously appeared in the final series of No. 73
No. 73
No 73, later re-titled 7T3, was a British 1980s children's TV show produced by Television South for the ITV network. It was broadcast live on Saturday mornings and ran from 1982 to 1988...
/7T3. Spin-off was dropped after the first series.
A similar fictional production storyline was reintroduced in the programme's fourth series (though the Spin-off title was not revived). Instead of being separated from the main programme, the comedy-drama element was woven into the main programme, with characters from the fictional production team mingling with hosts and guests to create a more flowing storyline. The cast of this element was completely different from that of Spin-off and included Carla Mendonça
Carla Mendonça
Carla Mendonça is an English actress. She has a degree in Theatre Studies and Dramatic Art from the University of Warwick...
, who played Juliet Nichols. A wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
between two members of this "team" formed the backbone storyline in the final edition of the series.
The programme also included imported cartoons as inserted content; cartoons which were featured during the programme's run included She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power
She-Ra: Princess of Power is an American animated television series produced in 1985 by Filmation. It is a spinoff of Filmation's highly successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, aimed primarily at a young girls' audience to counter-balance the latter show's popularity with boys...
, Samurai Pizza Cats
Samurai Pizza Cats
Samurai Pizza Cats, known as in Japan, is an anime series produced by Tatsunoko Productions and Sotsu Agency. The series was aired from February 1, 1990 to February 12, 1991, totaling up to 54 episodes...
, The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
and Scooby Doo.
Cancellaton and replacement
Motormouth came to an end in April 1992. During the final series' run, Television SouthTelevision South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
had been told that they would lose their 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...
franchise (to Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
) at the end of 1992, though TVS planned an appeal against the decision. Thus, at the time of the final Motormouth, the future of TVS was unclear. It was decided to close the programme altogether, and the final show closed with a sign-off from the presenters, including Neil Buchanan who had fronted all four series.
Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
took over arrangements for the winter Saturday morning, when Nigel Pickard transferred to the company from TVS. Scottish Television
Scottish Television
Scottish Television is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active...
entered into an agreement with Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
to create a new show, What's Up Doc?
What's Up Doc? (TV series)
What's Up Doc? was a Saturday Morning children's variety series produced Scottish Television and aired on ITV from 1992 to 1995 and hosted by Andy Crane, Yvette Fielding and Pat Sharp...
, which, like Motormouth, broadcast from the Maidstone Studios, Andy Crane transferred from Motormouth to the new show, joined by Yvette Fielding
Yvette Fielding
Yvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
and Pat Sharp
Pat Sharp
Pat Sharp is a British radio and television presenter and disc jockey. In the UK, he is known mainly for his work on the children's television programme Fun House, his former mullet and his radio shows as well as his support of Arsenal...
.
Post-Motormouth
Steve Johnson went on to host a CITVCITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
gameshow, Terror Towers, in the mid-1990s.
Gaby Roslin's next role after Motormouth came in September 1992 when she and Chris Evans launched The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former...
on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. She's since presented City Hospital, Children In Need and The Terry & Gaby Show amongst others.
Andy Crane remained with What's Up Doc? for its three-year run. He presented news programming for Manchester-based Channel M
Channel m
Channel M is a regional television station, based in Manchester, England. It began broadcasting on 14 February 2000 as Manchester Student Television and is owned and operated by the Guardian Media Group.-Coverage:...
until the axe on 19 March 2010.
Andrea Arnold moved into film-making, winning an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
in 2004 and a BAFTA in 2007.
Tony Gregory is a TV director whose credits include Big Brother
Big Brother (TV series)
Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. Each series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than 15 participants. The housemates try to win a cash...
.
Neil Buchanan remained with CITV until 2007, producing shows through his company The Media Merchants
The Media Merchants
The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd. was an independent television production company specialising in children's programmes, run by Neil Buchanan and Tim Edmunds.-History:...
and hosting Finders Keepers and Art Attack
Art Attack
Art Attack is a British children's television series revolving around art. The original series was one of ITV's longest running programmes, running from 1990 to 2007, and was presented throughout by Neil Buchanan. The brand new series launched on Disney Junior on June 6 2011 and is presented by...
.
The Maidstone Studios have since been used as a production base for other Saturday morning programmes including Ministry of Mayhem and Basil's Swap Shop
Basil's Swap Shop
Basil & Barney's Swap Shop is a British children's television series that was produced for CBBC and ran on Saturday mornings on BBC Two and CBBC Channel from 5 January 2008 to 25 September 2010...
.
Series guide
- Series 1: 58 editions (Saturdays/Sundays) - 3 September 1988 - 26 March 1989
- Series 2: 29 editions - 9 September 1989 - 31 March 1990
- Series 3: 31 editions - 1 September 1990 - 30 March 1991
- Series 4: 32 editions - 31 August 1991 - 4 April 1992