1 9 8 7 – 1 9 8 8 (UK)
44 x 120 minute episodes
This ground-breaking and influential Channel 4 youth television series was broadcast live on Sundays from noon until two o’clock and featured current affairs, interviews and reports about youth culture.
The show became known for its heavily self-branded, frenetic visual style with wild camera work, rapid cuts, very short items and “blipverts” - a dense combination of innovative graphics, and pop video style visuals explaining everything from Third World debt to bulimia.
The Gerry Anderson claymation detective serial Dick Spanner P.I. was shown weekly during series 1. The ‘Flesh and Blood’ segment starred Australian actress Virginia Hey as Chablis.
The series was created by Jane Hewland and Janet Street-Porter, who was also editor of the first series.
Former NME journalist Charlie Parsons was one of the presenters and also part of the production staff. Other presenters included Jaswinder Bancil, Magenta Devine, Sankha Guha, Eric Harwood, Murray Boland, Tracey MacLeod, Sebastian Scott, and Trevor Ward.
Jaswinder Bancil
Magenta Devine
Sankha Guha
Eric Harwood
Murray Boland
Charlie Parsons
Tracey MacLeod
Sebastian Scott
Trevor Ward