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Saturday Superstore

Saturday Superstore is a British children's television series that aired on BBC1 from 2 October 1982 to 18 April 1987.[2] It was shown on Saturday mornings with presenters including Mike Read, Sarah Greene, Keith Chegwin, and John Craven.[3] The show was very similar to its predecessor Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, which had ended the previous October–March season following its presenter Noel Edmonds moving away from children's TV to present his prime-time Late Late Breakfast Show.

Saturday Superstore
GenreChildren's
Presented by
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes142
Production
Production locationBBC Television Centre[1]
Running time165–195 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC1
Release2 October 1982 (1982-10-2) –
18 April 1987 (1987-4-18)

A regular spot on the show was their children's talent show "Search for a Superstar". The winner of the 1986 search were Claire and Friends, spawning the top-20 hit "It's 'Orrible Being in Love (When You're 8½)". In 1987, the contest was won by Juvenile Jazz, which included future OMD and occasional Stone Roses keyboard-player Nigel Ipinson.

For much of its run, Saturday Superstore retained the same famous phone-in number, 01-811-8055, as its predecessor.

Amongst its most memorable moments were the pop group Matt Bianco being verbally abused by a phone-in caller[4] and The Flying Pickets offering as a competition prize a tea-towel bearing the face of Karl Marx. Other notable guests included Wham!, who answered questions about their lives to callers and read out competition answers and winners.

The presenters released a single entitled "Two Left Feet", though it failed to chart. The theme tune, entitled "Down At The Superstore", was also released by The Assistants, consisting of Dave Edmunds, B. A. Robertson, Cheryl Baker, Junior and Suzi Quatro.

Then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeared in one show in 1987 leading up to that year's election campaign, making the newspaper headlines when she was repeatedly asked by a girl "In the event of a nuclear war, where will you be?".

It Started With Swap Shop

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Saturday Superstore had its own section of the BBC's It Started With Swap Shop in 2006. It featured Keith Chegwin chatting to Mike Read and Crow. Mike Read, John Craven and Keith Chegwin took part in the 'Now That's What I Call Saturday Mornings Quiz' for the Saturday Superstore part of the show and a selection of clips from the show were shown.

Transmissions

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Series Start date End date Episodes
1 2 October 1982[5] 26 March 1983[6] 25
2 1 October 1983[7] 14 April 1984[8] 28
3 29 September 1984[9] 13 April 1985[10] 29
4 28 September 1985[11] 19 April 1986[12] 30
5 27 September 1986[13] 18 April 1987[14] 30

References

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  1. ^ "BBC TV Centre". Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  2. ^ "BBC - Cult - Classic TV - Saturday Superstore (1982-1987)". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Saturday morning's wake-up call". BBC News. 20 March 2001. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Cult: Reviews" bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 2 October 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 26 March 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 1 October 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 14 April 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 29 September 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 13 April 1985". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 28 September 1985". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 19 April 1986". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 27 September 1986". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 18 April 1987". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
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