SMart

SMart
Genre Art & Crafts
Presented by Mark Speight (1994–2008)
Jay Burridge (1994–2003)
Zoë 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)
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of series 16
Production
Executive producer(s) Joe Godwin
Running time 25 minutes
(1994–2006)
60 minutes
(2007–09)
Release
Original network BBC One
(1994–2006)
BBC Two
(2007–08)
CBBC Channel
(2009)
Original release 5 October 1994 (1994-10-05) – 4 April 2009 (2009-04-04)
External links
Website

SMart was a British CBBC television programme based on the subject of 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 BBC Pebble Mill 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; it was previously a 25-minute show. The 'older' 25 minute shows from 1994–2005 (it didn't appear in the 2006 series) also featured Morph, originally from Take Hart. It has 199 episodes. CBBC last aired SMart on 11 August 2011.

The programme

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.

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 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.

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.

Following the death of presenter Mark Speight's fiancee 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 that there would still be a new series of SMart in the autumn, but editions featuring Speight are unlikely to be repeated.[2]

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.

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

Presenter Start Finish
Zoë Ball 1994 1996
Josie d'Arby 1996 1998
Jay Burridge 1994 2003
Susan Ribeiro 2002 2003
Lizi Botham 1999 2004
Mark Speight 1994 2008
Kirsten O'Brien 1999 2009
Mike Fischetti 2007 2009

Guest presenters

2007

9 September 16 September 23 September 30 September 7 October 14 October 21 October 28 October 4 November 11 November 18 November 25 November 2 December 9 December 16 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 Anthony Horowitz

2008

29 June 6 July 13 July 20 July 27 July 3 August 10 August 17 August 24 August 31 August 7 September 14 September 21 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 January 10 January 17 January 31 January 7 February 14 February 21 February 28 February 7 March 14 March 21 March 28 March 4 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

Series Editions Start Date Finish Date
Series 1 6 5 October 1994 9 November 1994
Series 2 12 5 October 1995 21 December 1995
Series 3 11 3 October 1996 19 December 1996
Series 4 12 2 October 1997 18 December 1997
Series 5 11 1 October 1998 17 December 1998
Series 6 12 7 October 1999 23 December 1999
Series 7 12 5 October 2000 21 December 2000
Series 8 13 13 November 2001 27 December 2001
Series 9 13 November 2002 1 January 2003
Series 10 10 October 2003 23 December 2003
Series 11 14 October 2004 20 March 2005
Africa Week Special 1 4 July 2005 4 July 2005
Series 12 15 29 November 2005 22 December 2005
Series 13 15 18 November 2006 16 January 2007
Series 14 16 12 September 2007 23 December 2007
Series 15 13 29 June 2008 21 September 2008
Series 16 13 3 January 2009 4 April 2009

Smart on the Road series guide

Series Editions Start Date Finish Date
Series 1 12 8 January 1999 26 March 1999
Special 1 9 April 1999 9 April 1999
Series 2 13 10 January 2000 27 March 2000
Specials 2 28 March 2000 29 May 2000
Series 3 12 5 January 2001 23 March 2001
Special 1 30 March 2001 30 March 2001
Series 4 13 28 December 2001 22 March 2002
Series 5 13 14 January 2003 25 February 2003

Deadly Art

Recently (as of March 2011) CBBC have started airing Deadly Art which follows 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). It is expected that this will replace SMart as no more SMart episodes have been aired since 2009.

References

  1. "Presenter Speight hanged himself". BBC News Online. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  2. "TV presenter left suicide notes". BBC News Online. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
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