King Arthur's Disasters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

King Arthur's Disasters
Format	Children's Animated Comedy
Starring	Rik Mayall Matt Lucas Morwenna Banks Phil Cornwell
Country of origin	UK
Language(s)	English
No. of episodes	26 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time	30 mins approx.
Broadcast
Original channel	CITV on ITV1 (premier episodes) Nicktoons (rpts of series 1)
Original airing	Spring 2005
External links
King Arthur's Disasters Official website
IMDb profile

King Arthur's Disasters is an animated series that airs on CITV on ITV1 in the United Kingdom, Cartoon Network in Latin America, France and Portugal, ABC Australia and Toon Disney in both Italy and Spain. As of 2006, Nicktoons UK began airing repeats of series 1. Created by Paul Parkes, the series depicts the (often anachronistic) attempts by King Arthur, assisted by the wizard Merlin, to woo the beautiful but self-obsessed Princess Guinevere. Due to the popularity of the show, it was picked up for a second series which began/ transmission on CITV on ITV1 in the UK on the 6th November 2006.

The episodes all start with Princess Guinevere requesting (though not always directly) some object or animal or being which she apparently desperately wants or truly has need of. Arthur, in return for her agreed hand in marriage (though always to no avail) will set off on a quest usually with Merlin and sometimes accompanied by others, knights of his round table, to gain the item required. He will be beset by numerous dangers before finally reaching his goal, but something will always ruin it or its effects and Guinevere will never be pleased, or if she is, soon after she will be displeased. The main antagonists to the king are his two rebellious knights, Sir Launcelot and Sir Martyn, who constantly quarrel between each other but share the king as a common enemy.

King Arthur's Disasters was the highest rated new CITV show during Spring 2005. It regularly achieved an audience share of over 20% of kids and it regularly won its time slot against CBBC.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006 the show was nominated for a children's BAFTA for Best Animation, but lost to The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers.^[1]