A NEW LOOK FOR ONE OF TV’S MOST FAMOUS INSTITUTIONS:

BASIL’S SWAP SHOP OPENS FOR BUSINESS ON CBBC

Children’s favourite Basil Brush® will get a whole new generation of children swapping this January on CBBC. Basil’s Swap Shop will open its doors to offer children across the UK the chance to swap their stuff and anything goes, from gadgets and gizmos, to games and gear – everything is swappable on this show. 

THE FOX FACTOR

This revival of classic show Swap Shop is being hosted by the loveable Basil Brush® whose characteristically cheeky wit, charm and irresistible energy make him the perfect host for Swap Shop. Presenting alongside Basil will be Barney Harwood, best known for causing mayhem with CBBC’s Prank Patrol.

INTERACTIVE SWAPPING

Viewers will be able to do more than just watch Basil’s Swap Shop on TV by playing along live or online. Basil’s Swap Shop catapults the Swap Shop format into the 21st century, with a mix of interactive and hilarious comedy entertainment, jokes, sketches, music and games, all reflecting Basil’s own unique character. 

From 26th December onwards, the Swap Shop window will open online at bbc.co.uk/cbbc where children will be able to leave the details of their swap and have the chance to be featured on the show. Other children can also post their bids and details of what they’d like to offer in exchange. 

CELEBRITY SWAPPING 

It’s not just children who have things to swap. Each week, sports stars, pop stars, actors and star guests will be visiting the Swap Shop to trade their goods with children. Every guest that visits Basil’s Swap Shop must have something to swap – so get ready to see some of the nation’s favourite stars trading some interesting items…

TOP TEN SWAPS 

Every week Basil will give a rundown of the Top Ten Swaps chart, which will be updated throughout the show and will feature live chats with the children who are trading on-air, while exploring some of the more bizarre, funny and peculiar transactions taking place. 

Basil’s Swap Shop is a studio-based live entertainment show which will broadcast from January on CBBC on BBC2, aiming to get children swapping some of the great piles of ‘stuff’ cluttering up their homes.

This was last night at BBC Television Centre, and the studio recording of It Started With Swap Shop. To go into too much detail would spoil the show – which goes out on December 28 on BBC2. Nevertheless, it’ll be no surprise to report Noel, Maggie, Keith and John were all in attendance, along with a respectable representation from their successors (wot no Dick and Dom?). 

Edmonds was utterly word perfect throughout, and proved quick on his feet when it came to improv. No – ahem – posh pauses here. Alas, sometimes “Liquid Sex” Noel put in an appearance. “Have you ever stroked a weasel?” asked one guest (come on, you can guess who). “I’ve stroked a badger,” countered the bearded one. “And a few beavers”.

Hopefully, that won’t make the final cut. 

Something, however, that might is the clear animosity between Keith and Maggie. Bounding on to set, Cheggers greeted Noel and John with delight, and then, “Hello, you” to his ex-wife. Later, when Keith was “out and about” scampering among the studio audience, Noel held up a pair of klackers and joked that Maggie had Cheggers’ balls. And then, when Ms Philbin donned a pair of specs, she hissed “I haven’t had laser treatment like someone“.

But these are tiny details. The occasion itself was fantastic. Achingly nostalgic. Just seeing old footage of Keith reading bus route details was Proustian. How the celebratory atmosphere will translate to telly, though, is a different matter. I fear the studio audience will just be an irritant… don’t be too harsh on us.

When it was all over, Noel made a typically Noel speech. It had been an “extraordinary” night. No-one makes children’s programmes like the BBC… An organisation who, as he continued, he lapsed into referring as “we”. We? Edmonds may claim he’s happier than ever opening boxes after Countdown, but it’s clear where his heart lies. 

Noel on the Beeb. It’s actually what we all want.