As the Bell Rings (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
As the Bell Rings is a Disney Channel UK Original Interstitial program
. Its name is based on the show As the World Turns
The format is a selection of short live-action comedy sequences. It is a British adaptation of the Disney Channel Italy Original Series Quelli dell'intervallo
.
under the working title Break Kids, however this never happened and the original episodes using the working title were quickly aired on Disney Channel prior to the show's official start. In September Disney Channel aired a similar show 'Break Kids' but it was not very successful and was cancelled after the first few episodes aired.
Interstitial program
In television programming, an interstitial program refers to a short program which is often shown between movies or other events, e.g. a cast interview after movies on premium channels...
. Its name is based on the show As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
The format is a selection of short live-action comedy sequences. It is a British adaptation of the Disney Channel Italy Original Series Quelli dell'intervallo
Quelli dell'intervallo
Quelli dell'intervallo is an Italian situation comedy produced by Disney Channel Italy. The show focuses on kids as they chat and get into unexpected situations while at a window in their school....
.
Premise
It follows the adventures of a number of students at Shakespeare High School, who use their school break to sort out problems with life and love, friends and foe, home and homework. All of the action takes place in front of a window, and there is no other live action away from the hallway.Production
The show was originally intended to be shown on Disney Channel's rival network Nickelodeon UKNickelodeon UK
Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993...
under the working title Break Kids, however this never happened and the original episodes using the working title were quickly aired on Disney Channel prior to the show's official start. In September Disney Channel aired a similar show 'Break Kids' but it was not very successful and was cancelled after the first few episodes aired.
Cast and Characters
- Brad KavanaghBrad KavanaghBrad Lewis Kavanagh is an English actor and singer-songwriter, originally from Whitehaven, Cumbria.-Acting career:Kavanagh made his acting debut in the West End in Billy Elliot the Musical as Billy's best friend, Michael, at the age of 11...
as Dylan (Series 2) - Dylan is known as the rocker, he writes songs and plays his guitar for at least 20 hours a day. He has a crush on Emma but won't admit it. He is cool, down to earth and is into rock music.
- Gregg SulkinGregg SulkinGregg Sulkin is an English actor. He made his film debut in the 2006 British release Sixty Six, and subsequently became known for appearing in the Disney comedy series As the Bell Rings and Wizards of Waverly Place. In 2010, he starred in the television movie Avalon High.-Life and career:Sulkin...
as JJ (series 1-2) - JJ is known as ‘The Hopeless Romantic’. He is madly in love with Bella and tries all he can to get her to notice him, however, he is cursed with bad luckBad LuckBad Luck may refer to:* Harmful or negative luck* Bad Luck , a 1960 film directed by Andrzej Munk* "Bad Luck" * "Bad Luck" * Bad Luck, an album by Trophy Scars...
. He’s always in trouble, constantly breaking items around the school, or forgetting his homework. He always has a complicated scheme to get himself out of trouble, but these usually make the situation worse. JJ’s best friend is the coolest kid in school, Danny. JJ is pretty fashionable in a lazy ‘doesn’t spend long choosing his clothes’ kind of way, and he enjoys Indie rockIndie rockIndie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
Music.
- Emily Gloyens as Gabby (Series 1-2) - Gabby is known as ‘The Nervous Wreck’. She desperately wants to be popular, and this desperation makes her very nervous. In turn, this makes her talk too much. She also has the peculiar habit of screaming with excitement. She is very bad at keeping secrets, but this makes her popular if other students want to know something about anyone else. It is widely acknowledged that she’d actually be OK if she’d just calmed down slightly. Gabby mainly likes pop musicPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
but will happily listen to anything.
- Pax Baldwin as Reece (Series 1-2) - Reece is known as ‘The School Police’ and the head student. He is the teacher-appointed liaison between staff and pupils. He serves out his position with great pride and enthusiasm, and this means that anything he hears will get straight back to the teachers. He can’t understand why this makes him unpopular and assumes everyone is just jealous of his status. Reece would like to fit in more, but not if that means putting his position in jeopardy. He is efficient and hard working, and has the uncanny ability of being able to appear where and when you’d least like to see him. He organises many of the official school events, although it is believed that this is the only because he won't get an invite any other way. Reece believes that Shakespeare High should have a uniform. He is too busy to take an interest in popular musicPopular musicPopular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
, but he has a formal dress sense.
- Chris Parkinson as Briggs (Series 1) - Briggs is known as ‘The Big Doofus’. Bip lacks in brains, he makes up for in enthusiasm. He eats a lot too, and food is definitely the way to his heart. He also enjoys important roles in other people's plans. He might not understand the plan, but he’ll do everything he can to carry it out. He’s a good guy, but his size and surprising strength can get him into trouble. They can also be useful to his friends. He is into heavy rock musicRock musicRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and likes wearing JeansJeansJeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
and a T-shirtT-shirtA T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
(in the Italian version he wears rapper's dresses). Bip does not appear in Season 2.
- Jennifer Veal as Lucy (series 1-2) - Lucy is known as ‘The Young One.’ She is smart and funny, but cursed with being 1 year younger than everyone else. It doesn’t matter how trendy she is, or how many times she embarrasses her older brother JJ with her sharp wit, she will always be treated like a kid by the others. She is desperate to be accepted by the older kids, and this desperation provides a massive hole in her armour. The young looking haircuts and clothes that her Mum persistently buys for her don’t help! She has developed an alliance with Warren because she is the only one close to his intellectual level, and because he is the only older kid who treats her as an equal. She tries to dress like Bella, but she shops with her Mum, and this makes this hard! Lucy likes Hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
music.
- Sydney Rae White as Emma - Emma is known as ‘The Matchmaker’. She’s attractive, but lacks self-confidence. She’s always overshadowed by her best friend Bella. Emma gets a lot of attention from boys. She can’t believe anyone would be interested in her. In season 2 Emma becomes known as 'the rebel' who has a crush on Dylan and becomes a rebel bordering rock chick.
- Daniel AnthonyDaniel Anthony (actor)Daniel Jevoughn Anthony is a British television, musical theatre and voice actor. He has appeared in several television shows as minor recurring or regular roles and is known for his role as Clyde Langer in the Doctor Who spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:Daniel Anthony was...
as Danny - Danny is known as ‘The Cool Kid’. He is effortlessly good at everything and this makes him very popular with the girls, although he doesn’t seem to notice. He’s best friends with JJ and always becomes implicated in his plans. However, he never gets into any trouble. The one thing Danny lacks is imagination and that’s what makes JJ the perfect friend for him. Things are considered more fun with JJ around. Danny is naturally fashionable, and looks good in everything, whilst he has a diverse taste in music.
- Lara Hendrickse as Bella - Bella is known as a ‘Primadonna Fashionista with a Sharp Tongue’. She is self-obsessed and may have an over-developed sense of her own beauty, popularity and intelligenceIntelligenceIntelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
. Her vanity makes her an easy target for practical jokes and teasing, but she’ll never change her drama queen ways. She loves the spotlight, and though she may refuse JJ’s attentions, she would definitely miss it if they stopped. However, it might be hinted that she may have, deep down, some feelings for JJ, considering that in the episode "Dude in the Iron Mask", even though she already knew that JJ was the man wearing the iron mask (bucket), she tried to ask him out to go on a date. Unfortunately, in the end, it was revealed that the boy she asked out was Warren in JJ'S costume. Her image and fashion choices mean the world to Bella who won’t be seen dead in anything other than the latest trends. She also enjoys Pop MusicPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
.
- Olivia Scott-Taylor as Rocky (series 1-2) - Rocky is a very sporty girl. She can sometimes scare boys a little because of her strength.
- Warren - Warren aka "The Know it All" is a highly intelligent student. In an episode he had magical powers such as opening and closing lockers with the click of his fingers. He also has a crush on Emma.
- Jack BlumenauJack BlumenauJack Blumenau is a British actor, renowned for his work portraying children and little people or borrowers.-Biography:...
as Tinker (season 2) - Tinker is known as ‘The Joker’. Tinker is clever but a bit superficial and virtually everything he does is part of some joke or prank. Be careful what you eat, drink, or sit on when he’s about. His problem is that he’s been doing it so long that all his friends are on their guard and no one believes anything he says. This drives him to new and more imaginative pranks, but also leads to problems when he genuinely needs something. He is regularly the target of revenge attacks. Although Tinker is definitely ‘one of the gang’ he does seem to be following his own agenda… He doesn't have a specific fashion sense and he'll wear anything and everything. He listens to all sorts of music, as long as it’s modern. Tinker is not in season 2 as he was replaced by Josh.
- Cameron ButterwickCameron ButterwickCameron Butterwick is a British actor best known for his role as 'Josh' on the Disney Channel UK series As The Bell Rings. He also played Adil's brother on various episodes of Genie in the house...
as Josh (Season 2) - Josh is the new joker, taking over from family member Tinker, and he is similar, but just slightly more sneaky! He is always on the lookout for the latest victim to play a prank on. His tricks include turning faces blue, cheating in a plant contest and levitating Bella's handbag! He is always laughing, smiling, and telling people ridiculous jokes, mostly for his own amusement. He wears colourful clothes, which reflect his personality.