The Gadget Show

Show name	The Gadget Show
Caption	The Gadget Show Logo, 2010 Onwards.
Format	Lifestyle, Technology
Creator	Ewan KeilRichard PearsonJames Woodroffe
Developer	Ewan Keil
Writer	Ewan Keil
Director	Alex ArmsteadTom McTaggartJohn BoamDavid LeightonJessica MatthewsKaren O'DonovanMark Corden
Creative director	Ewan Keil
Presenter	Suzi PerryJason BradburyJon BentleyOrtis DeleyPollyanna Woodward
Theme music composer	Barrie Gledden
Opentheme	"In the Machine"
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Num series	13
Num episodes	197(as of 20 December 2010)
Executive producer	Ewan Keil
Head of production	Debbie Vile
Producer	Christine ButlerLiz RumboldColin Byrne
Asst producer	Jessica MatthewsKaren O'DonovanDionne South
Editor	Ajay BhadresaBrian CharlesKeith BrownJames HeyAdam HumphriesLeigh NichollsNeil Parkinson
Post production	Cat McLeod
Location	The Custard Factory
Runtime	30 minutes (Series 1-2)45 minutes (Series 3-6)60 minutes (Series 7-)
Company	North One Television
Distributor	All3Media
Channel	Five
Picture format
First aired
Last aired	present
Website	http://fwd.five.tv/gadget-show

The Gadget Show is a British television series focusing on technology and is broadcast on Five. Originally, a thirty minute show, it was extended to forty-five minutes, then later to one hour. The theme tune used is "In the Machine" by Barrie Gledden. Repeats have also aired on the digital channels Fiver, Dave (in edited down half-hour versions) and Five's Internet on-demand service Demand Five. In Australia, it is aired on The Lifestyle Channel.

Format

Each week Monday at 20:00 on Channel 5, the show previews and reviews the latest gadgets, and broadcasts the latest technology news. The show is aimed at giving the mass consumer an insight into the gadget world and in addition, it aims to give enough information for the more "geeky" or knowledgeable audience, but still making it accessible to the more casual viewer. The show has featured Blu-ray Discs, video cameras, MP3 players and other technologies. A segment showing viewers how to get the most out of their technology is also often included along with a competition to win anything from £5,000 to £30,000 worth of new gadgets. Each series usually contains a special episode focusing on a particular technology conference or expo. Past conferences include CeBIT and The Next Fest.

Series 5 saw a slight tweak in the format, with the three presenters hosting from a studio base, although a lot of the show still takes place outside of the studio. The studio sections are filmed at The Custard Factory on Gibb Street in Birmingham, England. A recurring theme in the updated format is a regular challenge between Jason and Suzi (and occasionally Jon and / or Ortis), typically set around particular gadget(s) and their testing or use based around it. Another addition is that now the week's main featured gadget(s), typically reviewed by Jon, is given a 'G rating' from one to five. The seventh series, which started on 29 October 2007, saw the programme promoted to a 20:00 start time (previously 19:15), and running increased from forty-five minutes to one hour.

From series 8, there is also a new "Top 5" feature which consists of the Top 5 gadgets in a certain category. At the start of the eleventh series, a new item was introduced, called the "Wall of Fame" where Ortis or Suzi and Jason pick their favourite gadget from a particular category that they think changed the face of modern gadgetry, and then Jon picks the one to win and go up on the wall. There are also several other recurring features (such as aforementioned "Top 5", and 'The Focus Group' - testing products with various groups of people, who vote for their best one) which are featured in episodes on a semi-regular basis.

The show also offers a competition, (answering a multiple choice question, by phone, SMS or postal entry) that gives the winner on some occasions up to 180 prizes.

For 2010, the programme received a rebrand centred on the typeface "Museo". This included refreshed titles and break bumpers.

Also in 2010, the show will be seeing the release of a supporting magazine called 'The Gadget Show Magazine'.

Guinness World Records

During the challenge section of the Gadget Show, the team is sometimes asked to set new Guinness World Records. So far the Gadget Show has set three new records for;

The fastest speed in a water jet powered car is 26.8 kmh (16.65 mph) and was achieved by Jason Bradbury (UK) on the set of The Gadget Show at Wattisham Airfield, Ipswitch, UK, on 15 March 2010. The longest ramp jump performed by a remote controlled model car is 26.18m achieved by an HPI Vorza, controlled by Jason Bradbury (UK) on the set of The Gadget Show in Birmingham, UK, on 25 March 2010. The largest game of Tetris measured at 105.79 m² and was played on The Gadget Show in Birmingham, UK on 15 September 2010.

Presenters

Current presenters

Jon Bentley

Jason Bradbury

Ortis Deley

Suzi Perry

Pollyanna Woodward

Former presenters

Tom Dunmore - 3 episodes

Dallas Campbell - 22 episodes

Gail Porter - 7 episodes (due to Suzi suffering ectopic pregnancy)

Dionne South - now presents Gadget Show Web TV

Website and YouTube channel

The Gadget Show website, which now is part of Five's FiveFWD website, contains information on topics and products discussed and featured on the show. In addition, the site contains product reviews, how-tos and news. The show launched a campaign for free WiFi access across the country. Viewers were urged to register their support on the show’s website; Jason Bradbury promised to take the issue to 10 Downing Street if the need arose, which it did, but got a reply rejecting his petition after over 30,000 names were sent in. Jon Bentley has also set up A Basic Website designed by Jon for a "How to" feature in series 2.

The website also now includes free 'web episodes', containing extra material not featured on the TV programme.

The Gadget Show also has a YouTube channel which features special behind the scenes videos and Web TV episodes. The Gadget Show YouTube Channel.

The Gadget Show Live

The Gadget Show Live is a yearly event that takes place at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre in April. The show features an exhibition with all the year's must-have gadgets. The show also features a super theater, sponsored by Sony, which features a 1 hour show presented by Suzi Perry, Jason Bradbury, Jon Bentley and Ortis Deley. In 2011, The show will take place between April 13 and April 17.

See also

Bang Goes the Theory

Click

DIY

Tomorrow's World

Daily Planet

References

External links

The Gadget Show at five.tv

Category:Five television programmes Category:2004 television series debuts Category:2004 in British television Category:2000s British television series