ITV has dropped the axe on Saturday morning kids show SM:tv Live after five years, according to this week's Broadcast.
Ratings have steadily declined since the departure of Ant and Dec two years ago, so much so that the BBC's rival Saturday Show recently overtook SM:tv for the first time.
"After such a great run and more awards than any other Saturday morning show, we agreed with ITV that it was time to move on," SM:tv executive producer Conor McAnally told the magazine.
SM:tv Live, currently presented by Tess Daly, Des Clarke and Shavaughn Ruakere, will run through until the autumn on ITV1, after which it will be replaced in the same slot by SM:tv Gold until Christmas.
A brand new series will begin in January 2004 with an initial run of one year. The as-yet untilted show will target 4-12 year olds and include "games, sketches, music and acquired programming, with increased interactive elements." SM:tv companion show CD:UK will remain in its current slot.
"After five fantastic years of SM:TV we all recognised it was time for a change," said ITV children's controller Steven Andrew. "We have gone for a show that is all about fun with a team with bags of fresh ideas. I'm confident the new show, teamed with CD:UK, will be a compelling proposition for kids."
Ratings have steadily declined since the departure of Ant and Dec two years ago, so much so that the BBC's rival Saturday Show recently overtook SM:tv for the first time.
"After such a great run and more awards than any other Saturday morning show, we agreed with ITV that it was time to move on," SM:tv executive producer Conor McAnally told the magazine.
SM:tv Live, currently presented by Tess Daly, Des Clarke and Shavaughn Ruakere, will run through until the autumn on ITV1, after which it will be replaced in the same slot by SM:tv Gold until Christmas.
A brand new series will begin in January 2004 with an initial run of one year. The as-yet untilted show will target 4-12 year olds and include "games, sketches, music and acquired programming, with increased interactive elements." SM:tv companion show CD:UK will remain in its current slot.
"After five fantastic years of SM:TV we all recognised it was time for a change," said ITV children's controller Steven Andrew. "We have gone for a show that is all about fun with a team with bags of fresh ideas. I'm confident the new show, teamed with CD:UK, will be a compelling proposition for kids."
