Level Up

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This article is about the BBC television programme. For information relating to the role-playing term, see Level up
Level Up
Genre Childrens, Entertainment
Running time 60 minutes
Creator(s) BBC
Starring Sam Nixon
Mark Rhodes
Ayesha Asantewaa
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original channel BBC
Original run April 3, 2006–September 1, 2006
Official website

Level Up was a UK children's TV programme broadcast by the BBC on CBBC Two and The CBBC Channel. It was launched on the 3rd of April 2006 and replaced Xchange as they bowed out from the daily schedule. The show is an hour long and during the school year broadcasts at 7:30am until 8:30am. During the school holidays, including Bank Holidays, the show airs from 9.30am until 10:30am.

The show is presented by Mark Rhodes and Sam Nixon who claimed a number one after coming second and third, respectively, in the second series of Pop Idol. They are also helped by Ayesha Asantewaa, presenter of the Big Toe radio show, who reads out the "Glitches and Fixes". Level Up is filmed in Studio TC10 (scene of the famous Clause 28 protest on the BBC evening news in 1987, when called N1) at BBC Television Centre in London.

The first series completed its four month run after it finished on 1 September 2006. However both the website and message boards will continue to run until the show returns in 2007. [citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Features of the show

The show has many features, including:

  • Infoburst, where Sam and Mark research the answer to questions sent in by viewers and answer them on the show.
  • The Techno Timeline, which takes Sam and Mark back in time and explains about the technology of the time. There is also information about new technology that is likely to be seen in the future.
  • Have-a-go, where a viewer sends in a short video about one of their skills (e.g. musical instrument, sport, etc.), and if chosen, is asked to come into the studio and let Sam and Mark have a go. The have-a-goer has to choose who was the best out of Sam or Mark and produces a small video of their tips and tricks for their skill which is then uploaded to the Level Up web site. The have-a-go series has now finished and Sam won overall.
  • 60 Seconds of Newsround, the CBBC news programme is aired at around 7:15 AM and again 8:15 AM during the show to keep viewers up-to-date on the latest news.
  • Instant Message, where a particular question is answered on the message board and some of the answers are read out on the show.
  • Billions Things, short humorous video clips of ideas of what to do if you're bored.
  • R8 Your M8, where two friends or 'mates' are given the choice of several 'missions' to earn points. Six points wins a V.I.P. visit to the Level Up studio where the mates can meet Sam and Mark. The missions include feeding a giraffe, cleaning up elephant faeces, running around with a silly costume on whilst dancing to music, amongst other things.
  • The Cheat Bros, where Sam and Mark give some 'advice' on a particular subject, such as acting, moving to secondary school, football, etc.
  • Player 2 Ready is a feature of the show where a viewer sends in a video about their interest, such as a club, sport, etc. and suggests that other viewers join in.

[edit] The Next Level

The Next Level, is was feature of the show where viewers interested in a certain job entered a competition and the winner was given the opportunity to work in a real-life environment, e.g. marine biology, sport commentating, etc.

Job Child Mentor Boss
Fashion Designer Imogen Erica Suet
Cook Blessing
Dog Trainer Matthew Nicky Richard
Sports Commentator Michael
Radio Journalist Kate Rose Will
Games Demonstrator Brendan Callum Tim
Archaeologist Kareem Andrew
Holiday Rep Tom Louise Ashley
Film director Grace Tim
Marine Biologist
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] The experts

Sam and Mark are also aided by young experts from a particular field. They are an integral part of the show and every so often present a section of the programme live in the studio with Sam and Mark, explaining about how viewers can get involved, i.e. the environmental expert, Sarah [1], encourages viewers to be more eco-friendly. The experts are:

  • Film - Ollie
  • Sport - Stuart
  • Dance - Matthew
  • Music - Jack
  • Books - Maxine
  • Animals - Peter
  • Environment - Sarah
  • Fashion - Imogen
  • Cooking - Blessing
  • Gardening - Sophie
  • Technology - Chrissie

Incidentally, two of the 'experts' have featured on the work experience part of the show, The Next Level.

[edit] The gamers

There are currently twelve gamers. On each program, three of the twelve gamers are spoken to, via a webcam from their houses using Skype. The connection is often lost during the show but quickly brought back up before they have to talk to the gamers. They join in with the discussions, are set challenges, try and help out with the 'glitches and fixes', and make video diaries of special events/trips/holidays they go on.

The twelve gamers from the first series:

  • Maria
  • Avijit
  • Callam
  • Chloe
  • Eleanor
  • Lauren
  • Rhys
  • Naomi
  • Ryan
  • Alice
  • Bradley
  • Sam

[edit] The Gamer Weekender

The Gamer Weekender was a special weekend arranged by Level Up of fun and challenges and the chance for all the gamers to meet up. The weekender included several logic, team and competitive challenges with prizes at the end. For each team challenge they passed the gamers would receive two or three 'creds' (heavy weights) which they used to try and raise up a water level in a tall transparent cylinder. In the end, the gamers didn't quite raise the water level high enough but were given another chance and finally managed to raise the water level and win the prize of a ride in a limousine, a helicopter flight and a barbecue prepared by Sam & Mark.

[edit] Glitches and fixes

Glitches and Fixes is the part of the show where Ayesha sorts through the 'glitches' and 'fixes'. 'Glitches' are problems which the viewers send in, either as a plain text message or a video. 'Fixes' are the other viewers suggestions to these problems which they phone, text or email in. The best are then put on the Level Up website for other viewers to vote on the top five, which are then read out on the show.

Group glitches are glitches sent in by a group (e.g. friends, club, etc.) that would require more effort to fix than normal glithes. When a group glitch is featured on the show Level Up try and fix it by sending along a pro-gamer - someone who specializes in the field of the glitch - e.g. a girls football club sent in a group glitch and Level Up sent along one of the England's top women's football players to help them.

[edit] The Website

The Level Up website [2] is an interactive website powered by Adobe Flash and features:

  • Two (regularly updated) gamer blogs.
  • A video player for watching:
    • Weekly web shows - like a short (two or three minute) episode Level Up.
    • The 'Billion Things' videos.
    • Tips from viewers who have come in to do a 'have-a-go' on their skill.
    • The profiles 'stats' of seven of the gamers.
    • The Level Up titles.
  • Games.
  • Making your own avatar.
  • Poll.
  • Message board.
  • A Contact Level Up page.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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