About this season
The Saturday Show was Birmingham-based Central Television's flagship Saturday morning kids TV show which replaced their previous show Tiswas. It ran on ITV for two series between 1982 and 1984. It was originally planned that popular wrestler Big Daddy would star and that it would be called "Big Daddy's Saturday Show". A pilot show was recorded with Big Daddy presenting, assisted by Isla St Clair and short films were shot with Big Daddy to insert in the upcoming series; a trailer for "Big Daddy's Saturday Show", complete with logo was shown on ITV the Saturday morning before the show was due to air. It was then announced during the week that Big Daddy was dropping out and that Isla St Clair would now take the lead, with ex-Magpie host Tommy Boyd assisting and with Jeremy Beadle being used as an occasional "stand in" host. The actor David Rappaport was also a fixture playing the character "Shades", as was soccer legend, Jimmy Greaves. It was never made publicly clear why Big Daddy dropped out so close to transmission; no settlement was ever reached between him and Central. The second season of the show featured a regular technology spot called 'Interface'. Presented by IT journalist Chris Palmer, it featured a couple of notable TV firsts. It broadcast a computer programme live which viewers could record from their TV and upload to a Spectrum. The initial attempt failed due to interference on the feed from the studio floor, but it was re-broadcast the following week and many viewers successfully recorded and loaded the programme. The second 'first' for the show was the game 'Up for Grabs' which was a game played live in the studio by a player in their own home via a computer and a modem. The contestant had to steer a robotic arm and pick up prizes from a rotating turntable. This proved incredibly difficult as the contestants found it difficult to gauge the depth of the arm and also the response time of the robot arm was slow. Still, this predated many other interactive game shows by many years.
Episodes (25)
1. Series 1, Show 1
Aired 30 October 1982 • 120 min
2. Series 1, Show 2
Aired 6 November 1982 • 120 min
3. Series 1, Show 3
Aired 13 November 1982 • 120 min
4. Series 1, Show 4
Aired 20 November 1982 • 120 min
5. Series 1, Show 5
Aired 27 November 1982 • 120 min
6. Series 1, Show 6
Aired 4 December 1982 • 120 min
7. Series 1, Show 7
Aired 11 December 1982 • 120 min
8. Series 1, Show 8
Aired 18 December 1982 • 120 min
9. Series 1, Show 9
Aired 8 January 1983 • 120 min
10. Series 1, Show 10
Aired 15 January 1983 • 120 min
11. Series 1, Show 11
Aired 22 January 1983 • 120 min
12. Series 1, Show 12
Aired 29 January 1983 • 120 min
13. Series 1, Show 13
Aired 5 February 1983 • 120 min
14. Series 1, Show 14
Aired 12 February 1983 • 120 min
15. Series 1, Show 15
Aired 19 February 1983 • 120 min
16. Series 1, Show 16
Aired 26 February 1983 • 120 min
17. Series 1, Show 17
Aired 5 March 1983 • 120 min
18. Series 1, Show 18
Aired 12 March 1983 • 120 min
19. Series 1, Show 19
Aired 19 March 1983 • 120 min
20. Series 1, Show 20
Aired 26 March 1983 • 120 min
21. Series 1, Show 21
Aired 2 April 1983 • 120 min
22. Series 1, Show 22
Aired 9 April 1983 • 120 min
23. Series 1, Show 23
Aired 16 April 1983 • 120 min
24. Series 1, Show 24
Aired 23 April 1983 • 120 min
25. Series 1, Show 25
Aired 30 April 1983 • 120 min