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 (31)
1. Series 2, Show 1
Aired 3 September 1983 • 120 min
2. Series 2, Show 2
Aired 10 September 1983 • 120 min
3. Series 2, Show 3
Aired 17 September 1983 • 120 min
4. Series 2, Show 4
Aired 24 September 1983 • 120 min
5. Series 2, Show 5
Aired 1 October 1983 • 120 min
6. Series 2, Show 6
Aired 8 October 1983 • 120 min
7. Series 2, Show 7
Aired 15 October 1983 • 120 min
8. Series 2, Show 8
Aired 22 October 1983 • 120 min
9. Series 2, Show 9
Aired 29 October 1983 • 120 min
10. Series 2, Show 10
Aired 5 November 1983 • 120 min
11. Series 2, Show 11
Aired 12 November 1983 • 120 min
12. Series 2, Show 12
Aired 19 November 1983 • 120 min
13. Series 2, Show 13
Aired 26 November 1983 • 120 min
14. Series 2, Show 14
Aired 3 December 1983 • 120 min
15. Series 2, Show 15
Aired 10 December 1983 • 120 min
16. Series 2, Show 16
Aired 17 December 1983 • 120 min
17. Series 2, Show 17
Aired 7 January 1984 • 120 min
18. Series 2, Show 18
Aired 14 January 1984 • 120 min
19. Series 2, Show 19
Aired 21 January 1984 • 120 min
20. Series 2, Show 20
Aired 28 January 1984 • 120 min
21. Series 2, Show 21
Aired 4 February 1984 • 120 min
22. Series 2, Show 22
Aired 11 February 1984 • 120 min
23. Series 2, Show 23
Aired 18 February 1984 • 120 min
24. Series 2, Show 24
Aired 25 February 1984 • 120 min
25. Series 2, Show 25
Aired 3 March 1984 • 120 min
26. Series 2, Show 26
Aired 10 March 1984 • 120 min
27. Series 2, Show 27
Aired 17 March 1984 • 120 min
28. Series 2, Show 28
Aired 24 March 1984 • 120 min
29. Series 2, Show 29
Aired 31 March 1984 • 120 min
30. Series 2, Show 30
Aired 7 April 1984 • 120 min
31. Series 2, Show 31
Aired 14 April 1984 • 120 min