The Big Spell
(Review based on the Week, open to complete re-write.) |
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| - | Remarkable (part of EndemolShine group) for Sky 1, 8 January 2017 to present | + | Remarkable (part of EndemolShine group) for Sky 1, 8 January 2017 to present <!-- 25 February 2017 (8 episodes in 1 series) |
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Revision as of 19:39, 12 August 2017
Contents |
Host
Sue Perkins and Joe Lycett
Co-hosts
Pronouncer: Moira Stuart
Broadcast
Remarkable (part of EndemolShine group) for Sky 1, 8 January 2017 to present .
The contest is between children of 9 to 13 years, and is in front of a small studio audience. Sue Perkins hosts on stage, she brings empathy and bonhomie, and brings out the best in the youngsters. Words are pronounced and enunciated by the clear diction of Moira Stuart. Joe Lycett spends most of the show backstage, hearing reactions from the parents.
The Big Spell has a very unusual style, it cuts between action on stage, reactions from Joe and the parents, and confessional pieces from the children. It made for disorientating viewing, and some viewers wondered if they were seeing the whole contest. We reckon the producers found themselves light on material - each hour-long show had about 25 minutes of spelling action, and had to pad out with emotional manipulation.
Hexagons were the show's motif; the colour scheme was close to Hive Minds.
In its native Australia, Spelling Star was hyped by Network Ten, didn't live up to expectations, and was relegated from primetime to a lesser slot. This side of the world, The Big Spell received only quiet promotion from Sky, went out at 5.30 on Sunday evenings, and lived down to these reduced expectations.
Theme music
According to the credits, "Original music by Dinesh Wicks & Adam Gock of the DA's Office"
Inventor
The credits say, "Based on the format 'Spelling Star' created by Endemol Shine Australia and Network Ten Pty Ltd 2014. Format distributed by Endemol Shine Group."
