Saturday Superstore

Saturday Superstore was a children's television series broadcast on BBC1 from 1982 until 1987.[1] It was shown on Saturday mornings with presenters including Mike Read, Sarah Greene, Keith Chegwin, and John Craven.[2] 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 entertainment
Presented byMike Read
Sarah Greene (series 2–5)
Keith Chegwin
John Craven
Phillip Hodson
Maggie Philbin (series 1)
Crow
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original language(s)English
No. of series5
No. of episodes142
Production
Running time165–195 minutes
Release
Original networkBBC1
Picture format4:3
Original release2 October 1982 (1982-10-02) –
18 April 1987 (1987-04-18)

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 twenty 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[3] 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

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

Regular
SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodes
12 October 1982[4]26 March 1983[5]25
21 October 1983[6]14 April 1984[7]28
329 September 1984[8]13 April 1985[9]29
428 September 1985[10]19 April 1986[11]30
527 September 1986[12]18 April 1987[13]30

Specials
DateEntitle
2 May 1983[14]Mike Read's Replay Selection (Part 1)
30 May 1983[15]Mike Read's Replay Selection (Part 2)
7 May 1984[16]Mike Read's Replay Selection (Part 1)
29 June 1984[17]Mike Read's Replay Selection (Part 2)
26 September 1984[18]Superstore Superstars 1984
17 September 1985[19]Saturday Superstore News

References
  1. "BBC - Cult - Classic TV - Saturday Superstore (1982-1987)". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  2. "Saturday morning's wake-up call". BBC News. 20 March 2001. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  3. "Cult: Reviews" bbc.co.uk.
  4. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 2 October 1982". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  5. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 26 March 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 1 October 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  7. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 14 April 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 29 September 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 13 April 1985". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  10. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 28 September 1985". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  11. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 19 April 1986". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  12. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 27 September 1986". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  13. "Saturday Superstore - BBC One London - 18 April 1987". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  14. "Mike Read's Replay Selection - BBC One London - 2 May 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  15. "Mike Read's Replay Selection - BBC One London - 30 May 1983". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  16. "Mike Read's Replay Selection - BBC One London - 7 May 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  17. "Mike Read's Replay Selection - BBC One London - 29 June 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  18. "Superstore Superstars 1984 - BBC One London - 26 September 1984". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  19. "Saturday Superstore News - BBC One London - 17 September 1985". BBC Genome Project. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
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