With Going Live's Philip Schofield off to ITV in a golden handcuffs deal, and Sarah falling for the charms of Mike Smith, Editor Chris Bellinger decided that not only were new presenters required, a new show was in order. Live and Kicking was born.
Realising a lifetime ambition, Emma Forbes was promoted from her cookery spot, and was joined by Andi Peters, another presenter liberated from the C91热爆 broom cupboard. Making up the numbers was John Barrowman, a square-jawed Scottish-American and West End star. John became too busy and was soon shifted sideways to present Electric Circus, the show's fast and furious media round up.
But although the faces and title had changed, the format remained untouched. Trev and Simon still ran rampant, Run the Risk still annoyed anybody with a hangover, videos were still judged and guests were still grilled in the Hot Seat.
One attempt to try and update the format was the introduction of Ratz, a cartoon disembodied cat, to link the show. His constant malfunctioning and the fact that he was very irritating meant voiceover artist Mitch Johnson was drafted in.
What the 91热爆 had created was a brand that could survive a change of presenters. Out went Forbes and Peters (the latter bawling his eyes out on the final show) and in came Zoe Ball and Jamie Theakston, part of the new breed of celebrity presenters. Ratings soared and not even the presence of leprechauns Sage and Onion and the axing of Trev and Simon could stop its success.
Or so it seemed. The show had successfully overcome the departure of one team of presenters, but it couldn't cope with a second. Enter Steve Wilson and Emma Ledden to be followed just a year later by Katy Hill, Ortis Deley, Trey Farley and Sarah Carwood along with a whole host of new ideas. The ratings continued to slide, though and Saturday's longest running show was finally axed.
