Get Fresh


Get Fresh is a children's television programme that ran from 1986 to 1988 in the United Kingdom.

Format

A Saturday-morning kids' TV show, broadcast on the Children's ITV network. The show featured Gareth Jones, Charlotte Hindle, and, for the first year of its run, Gian Sammarco, the British child actor best known for his portrayal of the character 'Adrian Mole'. Sammarco was replaced for the 2nd and 3rd series by a puppet named Gilbert the Alien.
Each week the series would be broadcast from a different UK location and centred on the Millennium Dustbin, a fictional space ship in which the presenters would travel the country. The show invited a live audience to attend and give vox-pop comments, to give presentations on local community activities, and to participate in games and challenges. Pop stars would also appear to perform on the show.
The show featured a unique play-by-phone challenge, using the Amiga video game Xenon, where viewers would call in and shout "left, left, right, shoot" commands to a blindfolded player. Get Fresh also featured the animated series The Centurions and The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers.

Spin-offs

Get Fresh Sunday was a pre-recorded Sunday morning edition of the show also presented by Gaz, Charlotte and Gilbert. This spin-off featured The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin and Gummi Bears and studio-based interviews and features, and was more item-based than the activity driven Saturday live show.
Gilbert later featured in a further two series for Tyne Tees Television, Gilbert's Fridge and Gilbert's Late.

Production notes

The series was administrated by Tyne Tees Television from a Central Unit based at their London office, but was produced in conjunction with the local ITV station from where the series was to broadcast that week.
Get Fresh Sunday was produced solely by Border Television.
The theme music for the programme was written by Mick Jones of The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite fame.

Series 1 - 1986