"Chums" was one of the most popular and longest-running sketches that appeared on SM:TV Live - a children's program on British television that ran from 1998 to 2003.

SM:TV stands for Saturday Morning TV Live, and was headed by Ant and Dec and Cat Deeley from its beginnings in 1998. The trio were essentially the ones who drove the show to ratings championship for many years running. It's been credited as being one of only four British Saturday morning shows to run all year round, and was the first and longest running (as of October 2004) - from August 1998 until the show ended in December 2003.

SM:TV was similar to many children's programs, in that they had sketches, games, prizes, songs and kids as the audience. However, what made it stood apart from the rest at that time was that its content were more than sugar and spice and all things nice. Instead of being all nice and patronizing, the presenters turned into big brothers and sister who were at times nice but at times mean and at times gross. For example, Challenge Ant, one of the games which invited kids to ask Ant questions, had Ant taunting kids who lost to him at the end. Likewise, kids who won in the end were given the 'right' to taunt Ant. It was also common for the content to include some homosexual undertones (like in Captain Justice), rude and crude situations and even some really naughty ones. While that may not have sat well with the younger children, older children and teenagers and no doubt some adults took to this very well.

Ant and Dec left the show for greener pastures in 2001, while Cat Deeley left in a year later, and the show quickly went downhill with the loss of the original presenters.

"Chums" was a parody of America's "Friends", although apart from the similar opening titles and the fact that 3 friends are sharing a flat, there is nothing much in common in terms of the stories and plots. Every episode featured characters played by famous personalities as special guests such as Sting, Jerry Springer, Westlife, S Club 7, Mariah Carey, Atomic Kittens etc... Many recurring themes and plot lines appeared in Chums, such as the romance between Dec and Cat, and their kiss that was interrupted every episode (they did finally kiss in the last episode before Ant and Dec left the show). Every episode when Cat and Dec were about to kiss, Dec would say the phrase "Me and Cat, alone in the flat... I think I'm going to kiss her!" And episodes nearly always ended with the "freeze-frame", where everyone would freeze exactly where they were, a joke taken straight out of Police Squad.

Much of the jokes from "Chums" came from the fact that this was all live each week meaning that there were many chances for goofs and ad-libs, all of which the presenters usually were able to quickly come back into momentum and continue acting. There's also the characters hanging things on the wall and allowing them to fall off like nothing happened because the "hooks" and "cupboards" and other furnitures are actually painted onto the walls. Then there are the cliches, lame jokes and some over-dramatic situations like "cue the dramatic music!"

The stories usually are extremely light and to some extent even slapstick, but I do find them enjoyable especially on a stressful day. Childish they may be, but this is after all made for kids! It reminds me of a really good Chinese variety show and perhaps some of Stephen Chow's best comedies.

Below are some of my favourite clips...

"Ant Aid" (Part 1) was a parody of "Band Aid" that appeared on their 100th show special. "Band Aid" was a British and Irish charity group to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Starred tons of guest celebrities... That song was funny!

In the goof where Dec accidently blurts "Clare" before saying in a fluster "What's your name again...? Cat! Cat!", Clare Buckfeld actually was Dec's fiancée at the time when this was recorded. They have since seperated.

"He always buys us those 'magic eye' books! He can never take a hint!"
"I know! I know exactly what you mean! Every single birthday and Christmas I always get a PJ & Duncan CD. And you know what, it's always the same one because somehow I just manage to... errr... well, mislaid the one before..."
"And you'll continue to get that album, young lady. His bed is only 2 inches off the ceiling with unsold copies of that album under his mattress."


"Ant Aid" (Part 2)


"The One With The Prize Lemming 1", stars guest celebrity Amanda Holden (now judge in Britain's Got Talent) and Matthew Kelly in a two-parter.


"The One With The Prize Lemming 2"

"Declan, the cage is open but I can't see the little fella." (referring to the lemming)
"I do apologize" (turns round to zip his pants)


"The One With The Stag Do" (Part 1), starring puppets Sooty and Sweep from the British children's show Sooty. Can't believe this got past as a children's program, with a stripper, crude puppets and dysfunctional thoughts about marriage!! But it's another fun one.

"I'm off to organize re-shref-ments..."
"What are you organizing?"
"Refreshments!.... for my stag 'morning'!"
"Have you been drinking already?"


"The One With The Stag Do" (Part 2)

Towards the end of the clip is the beginning of another sketch called "Dec Says..." in which a narcisstic Dec would read out a problem by a viewer. Dec would then begin to describe how he was once in a similar situation but was able to get out of his because of his excellence. However Ant, who was always standing nearby, would remember things differently and then we would fade into a flashback of Dec's adolescence. The flashback would always show Dec as an obnoxious, inconsiderate, cheeky schoolboy who would always get himself into trouble, usually involving the show's guests playing a teacher, the police, etc. It also featured Cat Deeley as "Cat the Dog". Ant sometimes appeared in the sketch as well as an obese teenager called Gi-ant.

The continuation can be found here.


Much of the info from Wikipedia.