OK! TV explained

Genre:Entertainment and celebrity/News magazine
Creator:OK!
Channel 5
Presenter:Matt Johnson
Kate Walsh
Jeff Brazier
Jenny Frost
Josie Gibson
Runtime:30–35 minutes (inc. adverts)
Country:United Kingdom
Producer:5 News/Sky News
Editor:David Kermode
David Betts
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:208
List Episodes:List of OK! TV episodes
Language:English
Network:Channel 5
Related:Live from Studio Five

OK! TV is an early evening magazine programme which was broadcast on Channel 5 between 14 February 2011 and 16 December 2011. It was a brand extension of celebrity title OK! Magazine. It replaced the former magazine and discussion show Live from Studio Five on 1 February 2011,[1] and was presented by Kate Walsh and Matt Johnson, both of whom later left the programme. Jeff Brazier and Jenny Frost replaced Walsh and Johnson in August 2011 and presented the show until its cancellation.[2]

The show was made by the 5 News team and produced by Sky News for Channel 5. On 8 November 2011, it was announced that the show has been cancelled by Channel 5. The show aired its final edition on 16 December after ten months on air due to the contract for 5 News returning to ITN.[3]

Previous series

The show's first series was broadcast in 1999 on ITV.[4] In 1999, Carlton Television poached the executive producer of This Morning to set up a celebrity department. The first production was OK! TV, a tie-in with the celebrity lifestyle magazine, which ran on Friday nights for six weeks from November to December 1999. Fiona Phillips hosted with Nigel Havers, Twiggy, Patsy Palmer and Tracie Bennett. Guests included Sharon Stone, Paula Yates and Tom Jones.[5]

Overview

OK! TV aired on weekdays from 18:25 to 19.00, and featured a mix of news, celebrity gossip, interviews, and chat. It replaced Live from Studio Five which was axed on 4 February 2011. Denise van Outen and Matt Johnson were announced as presenters of the programme on 3 February 2011.[6] However, the following week, van Outen pulled out of presenting the show and was replaced by former Live from Studio Five host Kate Walsh.[7]

On 5 April 2011, Walsh and Johnson announced that the launch of OK! TV Sunday from 10 April 2011, showing highlights of the previous week's episodes.[8] The format was cancelled after a few weeks on air.

OK! TV: When 'Bruv Takes Over

On Wednesday 17 August 2011, Brazier and Frost presented a spin-off show devoted to Big Brother 12 and Celebrity Big Brother 8. It made its debut on the eve of the launch of CBB8. The format mixed showbiz news with reports on the previous day's events in the house along with some exclusive episode previews.

Opening titles and set

The opening titles use the same logo as OK magazine and feature various celebrities including Cheryl Cole and Kate Moss.[9] The original set included a blue sofa where guests were interviewed and with a large OK! logo. For the duration of Big Brother 2011, the studio was moved to Elstree Studios.

Launch

The debut show on 14 February 2011 contained an interview in the studio with Louis Walsh with Jenson Button acting as celebrity reporter.[10]

Reception and ratings

Stuart Heritage of The Guardian was unimpressed with the programme's first edition. He dubbed it, "a remedial level One Show" and "colossally vapid".[11] The ratings for the debut show showed an improvement on Live from Studio Fives low audience figures gaining 449,000 viewers (2.1%).[12]

Cancellation

In November 2011, it was announced that OKTV was to be axed from Channel 5's schedules as part of negotiations for ITN to take over as news producer for the channel in early 2012. It aired its final edition on 16 December 2011.[13] This final edition contained a montage of clips from Brazier and Frost's time presenting the show but did not feature any material from Walsh and Johnson's interviews. The last live act to appear on the show was The Wombles who closed the very last edition of the show.

On-air team

Presenters

TenurePresenterPosition
14 February 2011 – 16 August 2011Matt JohnsonMain presenter(s)
17 August 2011 – 16 December 2011Jeff Brazier
Jenny Frost

Guest presenters

DatesPresenterRelated note(s)
13–17, 20 June 2011Jenny FrostKate Walsh holiday cover
4–5, 11–15 July 2011Jeff BrazierMatt Johnson absence
28 July; 4, 11 August 2011Michael Underwood
30 August – 2 September 2011Josie GibsonJenny Frost holiday cover
5–7 December 2011Adam RickittJeff Brazier cover

Reporters

TenurePresenterNotes
14 February 2011 – 16 December 2011Josie GibsonSocial networking reporter
Minnie StephensonShowbiz reporter
Serene BransonUnited States reporter
30 June 2011 – 16 August 2011Jeff BrazierEntertainment reporter

Episodes

See main article: List of OK! TV episodes.

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12224910 Five axes Live from Studio Five
  2. http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/206122/Jenny-Frost-exclusive-meet-hot-new-OK-TV-host-/ JENNY FROST EXCLUSIVE: MEET HOT NEW OK! TV HOST
  3. Web site: Channel 5 to axe OK! TV. Mark. Sweney. 8 November 2011. www.theguardian.com.
  4. [Fiona Phillips]
  5. Web site: OK! TV (1) . TV ARK . 2021-08-29.
  6. News: Denise Van Outen to host Channel 5's OK! TV . Plunkett . John . 3 February 2011 . guardian.co.uk . 9 February 2011.
  7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12431793 Denise Van Outen pulls out of new Channel Five show
  8. http://uk-tv-guide.com/programme-details/Channel+5/10+April+2011/09%3A15/OK!+TV+Sunday/Entertainment/ OK! TV Sunday
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJQuFAlHj2E OK!TV opening titles
  10. http://www.radiotimes.com/blogs/1182-ok-tv-kate-walsh-matt-johnson/ Channel 5's new tea-time offering is not OK and barely TV
  11. Stuart Heritage OK! TV. It's neither. Channel 5's new show aims low and misses guardian.co.uk, 14 February 2011.
  12. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a303868/bbc-ones-outcasts-slumps-to-29m.html BBC One's 'Outcasts' slumps to 2.9m
  13. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/media/news/a349773/channel-5-axes-ok-tv-after-itn-news-deal.html 'Channel 5 axes OKTV after ITN news deal'