The chaotic energy of 90s kids TV that spawned a thousand sugar rushes.
Season 8 • Episode 50
LatestLive & Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning children's magazine programme, running from 1993 to 2001. The fourth in a succession of Saturday morning shows, it was the replacement for Going Live!, and took many of its features from it, such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of cartoons. Once Live & Kicking had become established in series two, it reached its height in popularity during series four, when it was presented by Zoë Ball and Jamie Theakston; their final episode won a BAFTA award. After this the series ratings dropped with the launch of SMTV Live on ITV and was eventually cancelled in 2001.
Production
Live TV with actual children calling in—what could go wrong? Everything. Gloriously.
Acting
Zoë Ball and Jamie Theakston's chemistry carried peak BBC before they both got too famous.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Live & Kicking represented the last gasp of appointment children's TV before digital channels fragmented young audiences forever.
Going Live! alumni Andy Crane and Edd the Duck briefly appeared in early episodes as continuity ghosts.
GB
