Mad for It is a British game show for children which was produced by Carlton Television broadcast on ITV from 2 September 1998 to 31 March 2000. Series 1 was hosted by former Nickelodeon presenters Mike McClean and Yiolanda Tokkallos. Series 2 was hosted by Mike McClean, Danielle Nicholls, and Nigel Mitchell. There was also a regular character called Pie Boy, played by Alex Verrey, who would go around hitting random people in the studio with flans in a manner like The Phantom Flan Flinger from Tiswas.
Games in the show Games included were: Stars Up Their Noses: Contestants are given 30 seconds to show their talent. The name of the game is derived from impersonation talent show Stars in Their Eyes. This competition was won at the end of the second series, by the then fifteen-year-old Katie Melua. Box Clever: Contestants answer questions and pick a prize from a box if correct. That's My Pet: Contestants need to guess which is their pet amongst several similar looking animals.
A frequent feature of Mad For It was "gunge", a green slimy goo which was regularly poured onto losing contestants and occasionally on the hosts themselves. Those who lost the games were sent to a "Dungeon of Gunge" – an enclosure directly beneath a large nose, which expelled gunge onto the hapless prisoners. In the last episode, the tables were turned and the pie boy ended up getting shoved in the dungeon.
The most notable contestant on Mad For It was Katie Melua, who appeared on the show when she was fifteen. She won the "Stars Up Their Noses" game after singing "Without You" by Badfinger. If she had lost the challenge, she would have been gunged.
The show was considered a parody of "adult programmes like Blind Date and Stars in their Eyes".
Episode Guide Series 1 Episode 1 (2 September 1998) Musical guest: Five ("Everybody Get Up") Backchat with the Bedheads Stars Up Their Nose - Heat 1 Order Act Talent Result 1 Acquiess 5-piece male rock band performing the song "Supersonic" by Oasis Eliminated 2 Tom Fieldhouse Unicycling and diablo juggling to "Harmonica Man" by Bravado Heat Winner 3 Lucy Kingsnorth Singing the song "Ain't That Just the Way" by Lutricia McNeal Eliminated How Far Will You Go? That's My Pet
Episode 2 (9 September 1998) Musical guest: Ultra ("The Right Time") Backchat with the Bedheads Smarty Pants Stars Up Their Nose - Heat 2 Order Act Talent Result 1 Aaron Buckingham Singing the song "No Matter What" by Boyzone Eliminated 2 Bethanie Hooton Dancing to "C'est la Vie" by B*Witched Eliminated 3 Melanie Femi-Ola Singing the song "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes Heat Winner Make It a Date Prize: A day at the racetrack with Team McLaren Boy Result Girl Result Dean Not chosen Lucinda Not chosen Dan Not chosen Rhian Not chosen Nick Not chosen Jo Not chosenDavidChosenSamChosen James Not chosen Suzanne Not chosen Ian Not chosen Caroline Not chosen
Episode 3 (16 September 1998) Musical guest: B*Witched ("Rollercoaster") Backchat with the Bedheads Stars Up Their Nose - Heat 3 Order Act Talent Result 1 The Spice Boys Dancing and miming the song "Wannabe" by Spice Girls Eliminated 2 Instant Replay 4-piece girl group singing the song "Power of a Woman" by Eternal Eliminated 3 Stephen and Michael Line dancing to "Kung Fu Fighting" by Bus Stop and Carl Douglas Heat Winner Make It a Date Prize: A day at Zippo's Circus Boy Result Girl Result Adam Not chosen Laura Not chosen Bobby Not chosen Donna Not chosen Andy Not chosen Marie Anne Not chosen Joe Not chosen Jenny Not chosenRyanChosen Tori Not chosen Daniel Not chosenCharlotteChosen That's My Pet
Episode 4 (23 September 1998) Musical guest: Billie ("Girlfriend") Backchat with the Bedheads Sad or Bad? Stars Up Their Nose - Semi Final 1 Order Act Winner of Talent Result 1 Tom Fieldhouse Heat 1 Unicycling and diablo juggling to "Harmonica Man" by Bravado Semi Final Winner 2 Melanie Femi-Ola Heat 2 Singing the song "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes Eliminated 3 Stephen and Michael Heat 3 Line dancing to "C'est la Vie" by B*Witched Eliminated How Far Will You Go?
Series 2
Transmissions Series Start date End date Episodes 1 2 September 1998 10 March 1999 26 2 7 January 2000 31 March 2000 13
References
External links
Mad for It at British Film Institute