SM:TV to be switched off
ITV has axed the Saturday morning children's show which helped make stars of Ant and Dec.
The Geordie duo of Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly were the original hosts of SM:TV Live and CD:UK along with Cat Deeley.
It also gave a first TV job to Big Brother winner Brian Dowling. But the show will finish its run in the autumn.
Ant and Dec helped to break BBC1's domination of Saturday morning television for the first time. But the show's fortunes dwindled when they left two years ago to present new ITV shows including Pop Idol.
The decision to axe the 9.25am show follows its decline from a 48-per-cent audience share to just 15 per cent. CD:UK, which follows the main SM:TV show at 11.30am, will continue at least until the end of 2004.
Steven Andrew, ITV's controller of children's programmes, said: "After five fantastic years of SM:TV we all recognised it was time for a change.
"We have gone for a show that is all about fun with a team with bags of fresh ideas. I'm confident the new show, teamed with CD:UK, will be a compelling proposition for kids."
