SMart

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SMart
SMart (BBC programme) (logo).jpg
GenreArt & Crafts
Presented by Mark Speight (1994–2008)
Jay Burridge (1994–2003)
Zoe Ball (1994–1996)
Josie d'Arby (1996–1998)
Kirsten O'Brien (1999–2009)
Lizi Botham (1999–2004)
Susan Ribeiro (2002–2003)
Mike Fischetti (2007–2009)
Various Guest Presenters (2007–2009)
Theme music composer Kjartan Poskitt (1994–2003)
Steve Brown (2003–07)
Matt Thomas (2007–09)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series16
No. of episodes199 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJoe Godwin
Production locations BBC Pebble Mill (1994–2004)
BBC Television Centre (2004–09)
Running time25 minutes (1994–2006)
60 minutes (2007–09)
Original release
Network BBC One (1994–2006)
BBC Two (2007–08)
CBBC (2009)
Release5 October 1994 (1994-10-05) 
4 April 2009 (2009-04-04)
Related
SMart on the Road
SMart Hart
SMarteenies

SMart was a British CBBC television programme based on art, which began in 1994 and ended in 2009. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Previously it had been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham. The format is similar to the Tony Hart programmes Take Hart and Hartbeat . The show was revamped into an hour-long show in 2007; from 1994 to 2006 it was previously a 25-minute show. From 1994 to 2005, the show also featured Morph, originally from Take Hart. The series run featured 199 episodes, last airing on 11 August 2011.

Contents

Production

The BBC noticed the success of Art Attack with Neil Buchanan for CITV which started in 1990 and decided to create their own art show that was accessible to children similar to Art Attack.[ citation needed ]

The original theme tune was composed by Kjartan Poskitt, famous for the Murderous Maths series of books. From 2003, a different tune was used, written by Steve Brown (known as the fictional musical director Glen Ponder in Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge ). In 2007, this was remixed by Matt Thomas of Mosquito Music in line with the new format.[ citation needed ]

In 2007, the new autumn series had a new format mixing some of the old segments with new ideas. It was aired on Sunday, and repeated on Wednesdays. It involved more child participation in games and celebrity guests. This new format also allowed for episodes of The Fairly OddParents (and sometimes Thumb Wrestling Federation) to be aired halfway in. One of the segments displayed art that had been sent in by viewers, to the backing music of 'Give It Away' by Zero 7.[ citation needed ]

Following the death of presenter Mark Speight's fiancée Natasha Collins in January 2008, repeats of the show and its CBeebies spin-off SMarteenies were suspended. Speight left the programme, saying his "tragic loss" had left him unable to continue; he later committed suicide. [1] The BBC indicated, however, that there would still be a new series of SMart later that year. [2]

The format was utilised again when a new series began with a new timeslot on Sunday 29 June 2008, airing on CBBC on BBC Two, still presented by Kirsten O'Brien and Mike Fischetti. A special tribute to Mark Speight was also broadcast. Along with this new format, guest presenters appear each week to assist the two presenters.[ citation needed ]

Series 16 began airing on 3 January 2009 in the same style to the series before. The major change was that the original airings moved to the CBBC channel rather than BBC Two. Kirsten O'Brien and Mike Fischetti both returned to host the show and the show continued to have guest presenters. The games involving children in the studio were dropped and instead children participated via webcam or pre-recorded on location. The show also added segments on fun aspects of digital photography.[ citation needed ]

Spin-offs

The success of SMart allowed it to spawn various spin-off series. The first was SMart on the Road where either Mark Speight or Kirsten O'Brien, with the help of Lizi Botham, would travel around the country helping people with major projects, for example decorating a room or making a fun garden. It starred Kirsten O'Brien, Mark Speight, Jay Burridge and Lizi Botham.

SMarteenies was the second spin-off, where Kirsten, Mark, Jay and "Bizi Lizi" went through fun makes for younger viewers, including man of letters and shapes and Kirsten's Household Makes with Doogie the Dog. This programme was specifically aimed at a younger demographic, roughly from 3–6 years old on was aired on CBeebies. It starred Kirsten O'Brien, Mark Speight, Jay Burridge and Lizi Botham.

A special episode, SMart Africa, was made by the BBC to coincide with Africa Week. The episode contained easy ways to make things. This episode, with Kirsten O'Brien and Mark Speight, was aired as part of the 2003 series.

Presenters

PresenterStartFinish
Zoe Ball 19941996
Josie d'Arby 19961998
Jay Burridge 19942003
Susan Ribeiro 20022003
Lizi Botham 19992004
Mark Speight 19942008
Kirsten O'Brien 19992009
Mike Fischetti 20072009

Guest presenters

2007

9 September16 September23 September30 September7 October14 October21 October28 October4 November11 November18 November25 November2 December9 December
Lil' Chris Ross Lee Anne Foy James Phelps & Oliver Phelps Lizo Mzimba Stephanie McIntosh Barney Harwood Bill Turnbull Dani Harmer Jake Humphrey Andy Akinwolere Edith Bowman Ed Petrie Iwan Thomas
16 December
Anthony Horowitz

2008

29 June6 July13 July20 July27 July3 August10 August17 August24 August31 August7 September14 September21 September
Sam Nixon & Mark Rhodes Melvin Odoom Ed Petrie Ortis Deley Lizo Mzimba Andy Akinwolere Michael Absalom James Mackenzie Ben Hanson & Ciaran Joyce Ted Robbins Rani Price Sam Nixon & Mark Rhodes Zöe Salmon

2009

3 January10 January17 January31 January7 February14 February21 February28 February7 March14 March21 March28 March4 April
Barney Harwood Arlene Phillips & Bruno Tonioli Ben Major Carol Kirkwood Johny Pitts Martin Offiah Konnie Huq Phillips Idowu The Saturdays Michael Absalom Helen Skelton & Joel Defries Andy Akinwolere Bill Oddie

Series guide

SeriesEditionsStart dateFinish date
165 October 19949 November 1994
2125 October 199521 December 1995
3123 October 199619 December 1996
4122 October 199718 December 1997
5121 October 199817 December 1998
6127 October 199923 December 1999
7125 October 200021 December 2000
81313 November 200127 December 2001
91312 November 20021 January 2003
101118 November 200326 December 2003
111016 November 200416 December 2004
121529 November 200522 December 2005
13159 January 200727 February 2007
14169 September 200723 December 2007
151329 June 200821 September 2008
16133 January 200928 March 2009

Smart on the Road series guide

SeriesEditionsStart DateFinish Date
1128 January 199926 March 1999
Special19 April 19999 April 1999
21310 January 200027 March 2000
Specials228 March 200029 May 2000
3125 January 200123 March 2001
Special130 March 200130 March 2001
41328 December 200122 March 2002
51314 January 200325 February 2003

Legacy

In March 2011, CBBC started to air Deadly Art which followed a very similar format to SMart and also stars Mike Fischetti. They look to the wild for inspiration (to tie in with the "Deadly" series e.g. Deadly 60). Then CBBC aired Totally Rubbish and their current art series is Art Ninja , whose presenter Ricky Martin said he watched Art Attack and SMart religiously as a child. [3]

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References

  1. "Presenter Speight hanged himself". BBC News. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  2. "TV presenter left suicide notes". BBC News. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  3. Arts, Creative Bloq Staff 2015-02-16T09:56:56 46Z Computer (16 February 2015). "Aardman designer encourages kids to get creative in art TV show". Creative Bloq.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)