Saturday Disney (UK TV series)

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Saturday Disney was a television programme on GMTV, broadcast from 2/1/1993 to 1998 on Saturday mornings.

Initially presented by Stuart Miles and Pippa Ford-Jones, with other presenters including Tara Lynne O'Neill, was a mixture of Disney cartoons old and new, celebrity guests, games and features.

The set featured a wonky house, an 'outside' area (which was in fact still the studio), a jail cell, and an area known as 'The splatter dome'. The entire set was deliberately cartoon-like in appearance.

After around 5 months into the series, Pippa was suddenly dropped from the show. The reason's surrounding her departure are not clear. At first Stuart told the audience that "Pippa isn't here this week" and introduced Carmen Ejogo as a stand-in. But Pippa never returned and was soon removed from the opening title sequence. However, some pre-recorded location items featuring Pippa were shown over the weeks after her departure. This would perhaps indicate that she was originally expected to still be part of the presenting line-up during the time which they aired. Carmen then remained as the female presenter on a permanent basis, and after the departure of Stuart, become the sole presenter until the show's demise.

Disney cartoons were the main staple, of which the show was built around. Other features included; The splatter dome.

GMTV were criticised for extending the shows running time in early 1993. After just 3 months, GMTV replaced Teen Win Lose Or Draw which ran from 8.50 - 9.25am with a newly imported cartoon Darkwing Duck which ran under the Saturday Disney strand. It was said that GMTV were putting ratings and advertising revenue's before educational values.