The Crunch! (partially found Nickelodeon UK interactive show; 2005)

The Crunch - Opening Titles.

Status: Partially Found

The Crunch was a morning TV block on Nickelodeon UK, presented by comedians Ed Petrie, Mark Felgate, Beth Palmer, and Sy Thomas. The show was filmed daily “as live,”^[1] and took place in the basement of Nick Towers.^[2] It featured studio games and skits that aired between Nicktoons and live action shows. At the time, The Crunch was the only breakfast show aimed at kids.^[3]

The Kid Crew and Interactive Programming

The Crunch was envisioned as an interactive show that gave kids an active role in the production.^[3] In addition to features that allowed viewers to engage online,^[4]^[5] each episode featured a Kid Crew of four kids who helped with various production tasks, such as sound technician or camera operator.^[3] The Kid Crew also participated in studio games and skits, and were described as being quite vocal.^[2]

Notable Skits

The show featured many memorable skits. One of The Crunch’s highlights were the humorous skits involving the show’s signature substance S.C.U.M.M. (an acronym for Sticky, Clammy, Unpleasantly Messy Materials). Noteworthy skits included the SCUMM Gameshow, SCUMM Nationals (a mock horse race), the SCUMM Auction, and SCUMM-Ba-Yah (a musical scout camp skit, complete with hippie commune members). The presenters often played recurring characters for these skits, showcasing their comedic versatility.

Schedule, Programming, and Popularity

The Crunch aired weekday mornings from 7-9am from 2005 - 2006. It also aired briefly as an afternoon block. There was also a summer edition known as The Crunch: Summer Sizzle.^[6] Nickelodeon shows that aired during the block included Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, My Parents Are Aliens, SpongeBob SquarePants, and The Fairly Odd Parents.^[4]^[7] At one point, The Crunch was the highest rated programme on Nickelodeon UK.^[8] The Nick Towers illustration produced for the show by The Boy Fitz Hammond was an iconic part of Nickelodeon UK branding in the mid-2000s.^[9]^[5]

Availability Status

The show survives only in a few brief fragments or clips, such as those found as part of presenter demo reels or Nickelodeon fan edits. Very few of such clips have surfaced. Due to Nickelodeon parent company Viacom’s lack of archiving,^[10] it is likely that the only surviving archive of the show comes from home recordings made by viewers. No complete episodes are known to exist.