Don't Forget Your Toothbrush
Encyclopedia
Don't Forget Your Toothbrush is a Saturday night light entertainment show originally broadcast in the United Kingdom
in 1994, and has also been adapted in Australia
, Belgium
, Finland
, France
, Germany
, Denmark
, Italy
, Norway
, Sweden
, the United States
, the Netherlands
and Portugal
. The format is distributed internationally by DRG.
. The first pilot was considered unsuccessful by executives and Evans himself. Michael Grade
, chief executive of Channel 4
, said that the pilot was "like amateur's hour". Feeling pressured, Evans ordered the studio audience to laugh at his jokes, threatening to humiliate any dissenters on stage. Despite two failed pilots, the broadcaster was reluctant to waste the money that they had spent developing the show. At some point in the process, executive producer Sebastian Scott left the project and Evans invited William G. Stewart
, an experienced games show producer, to develop the show. The show ran for two series in 1994 and 1995 on Channel 4. Shows were transmitted live on Saturday nights the first series at 10pm, the second at 9pm. Each episode would be repeated at teatime on the following Monday (series 1) or Sunday (series 2).
The theme music was composed by David Arnold
, though Jools Holland
(with his Big Band in series one, and Rhythm and Blues Orchestra in series two) provided the music during the live shows. They accompanied the star performers, who included Barry White
, Lulu
and Tony Hadley
. Evans ended each show with a song. In series one he sang Morecambe and Wise
's "Bring Me Sunshine
" with that week's star guest, while in series two he sang Andy Williams
' "It's So Easy".
The star guest took part in the Superfan quiz to see if they knew more trivia about themselves than a huge fan, against whom they were competing. The prize was a possession of the stars that only a true fan would value. During the quiz round, usually between questions, Chris Evans would ask for the clock to be stopped, and then have a brief conversation with the celebrity guest regarding the question just asked, before starting it up again for the next one.
Toothbrush was also a game show. Each member of the audience was obliged to bring to the studio their passport, a suitcase and the following week off work (unless they were unemployed or, as was pointed out, didn't care if they got sacked). Two members of the audience were selected to take part in the "Light Your Lemon" quiz as a team, as well as a phone-in viewer. The contestants in the studio would be asked nine questions and if they got five right they would 'light the lemon' on a giant cocktail glass situated on stage. However, if they got five wrong they would 'flash the flake' on a giant ice cream cone and the contestant at home would be asked a single question by Jools Holland which, if they got right, would win them the exotic holiday (if they got it wrong, the game would be awarded to the studio contestants). If the studio contestants won, they went to some exotic destination (such as Mauritius
) immediately after the show. If they lost, they went to a less exotic place (such as Margate
) chosen for its alliteration to the first. Evans would introduce this segment by looking between alternate cameras in time to a drum beat that parodied the scene changes from one of his favourite TV shows, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
.
The hostess for the first series was Evans' then girlfriend Rachel Tatton Brown, who had previously worked at The Big Breakfast. Despite being a former model, Tatton Brown was uncomfortable in front of the cameras and aspired to move onto something else. She was replaced in the second series by his then new girlfriend, Jadene Doran, who was introduced as "Ms Let Your Hair Down", and would appear on stage with her hair tied up, letting it drop as she arrived on stage.
One game featured during the second series involved the audience flashing their house lights on and off at a prescribed moment. A camera in a mystery location would search for someone taking part. When a house had been found, the occupants (who were never seen) would play a game in which Evans would tell them to throw 10 household items out of specific windows, for example "Throw a kettle out of the main bedroom window".
What was undoubtedly the biggest moment in the show's history came in the penultimate show of the second series, when Chris Evans kept touting a huge surprise throughout the show, but did not reveal it until he was about to play "Light Your Lemon". The audience were quite unprepared for how big a surprise it was when Evans announced that if the studio contestants won the exotic holiday, then every member of the audience would go for a week's holiday at Disneyland Paris. Obviously, the atmosphere was euphoric, and everyone was on tenterhooks in case the contestants lost the game. They won, and the whole audience left for Disneyland Paris immediately after the show.
During the second series, it was announced that there would be no third series, in order to allow the show to go out on a high. Evans soon signed up to host the Radio 1
breakfast show, and returned to Channel 4 with TFI Friday
.
, hosted by Tim Ferguson
and Wendy Mooney.
It won the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program at the Logie Awards of 1996
. Only one season was produced, reportedly due to the cost of making the show and the prizes.
Executive producer Sandy Scott was previously involved with Family Feud
and C'mon, Have A Go!
.
in June 2000. The host was Mark Curry
. The contestants who were selected from the studio audience could play and win prizes.
In June 2009, it was announced that the show was being revived for Dutch TV.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1994, and has also been adapted in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The format is distributed internationally by DRG.
British
The show was written and presented by Chris Evans in his first major venture away from The Big BreakfastThe Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former...
. The first pilot was considered unsuccessful by executives and Evans himself. Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
, chief executive of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, said that the pilot was "like amateur's hour". Feeling pressured, Evans ordered the studio audience to laugh at his jokes, threatening to humiliate any dissenters on stage. Despite two failed pilots, the broadcaster was reluctant to waste the money that they had spent developing the show. At some point in the process, executive producer Sebastian Scott left the project and Evans invited William G. Stewart
William G. Stewart
William Gladstone Stewart is an English television producer and director of comedy and game shows, now best known as the former presenter of the Channel 4 quiz show Fifteen to One.-Career:...
, an experienced games show producer, to develop the show. The show ran for two series in 1994 and 1995 on Channel 4. Shows were transmitted live on Saturday nights the first series at 10pm, the second at 9pm. Each episode would be repeated at teatime on the following Monday (series 1) or Sunday (series 2).
The theme music was composed by David Arnold
David Arnold
David Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, the 1994 film Stargate, the 1996 film Independence Day, and the television series Little Britain.-Film and television career:...
, though Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
(with his Big Band in series one, and Rhythm and Blues Orchestra in series two) provided the music during the live shows. They accompanied the star performers, who included Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
, Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
and Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley
Tony Hadley is an English pop singer-songwriter, occasional stage actor and radio presenter who gained celebrity as the lead vocalist for the 1980s band Spandau Ballet.-Early life:...
. Evans ended each show with a song. In series one he sang Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
's "Bring Me Sunshine
Bring Me Sunshine
"Bring Me Sunshine" was the best-known signature of Morecambe & Wise. The duo regularly used the song to close their shows for the BBC in the 1970s...
" with that week's star guest, while in series two he sang Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
' "It's So Easy".
The star guest took part in the Superfan quiz to see if they knew more trivia about themselves than a huge fan, against whom they were competing. The prize was a possession of the stars that only a true fan would value. During the quiz round, usually between questions, Chris Evans would ask for the clock to be stopped, and then have a brief conversation with the celebrity guest regarding the question just asked, before starting it up again for the next one.
Toothbrush was also a game show. Each member of the audience was obliged to bring to the studio their passport, a suitcase and the following week off work (unless they were unemployed or, as was pointed out, didn't care if they got sacked). Two members of the audience were selected to take part in the "Light Your Lemon" quiz as a team, as well as a phone-in viewer. The contestants in the studio would be asked nine questions and if they got five right they would 'light the lemon' on a giant cocktail glass situated on stage. However, if they got five wrong they would 'flash the flake' on a giant ice cream cone and the contestant at home would be asked a single question by Jools Holland which, if they got right, would win them the exotic holiday (if they got it wrong, the game would be awarded to the studio contestants). If the studio contestants won, they went to some exotic destination (such as Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
) immediately after the show. If they lost, they went to a less exotic place (such as Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
) chosen for its alliteration to the first. Evans would introduce this segment by looking between alternate cameras in time to a drum beat that parodied the scene changes from one of his favourite TV shows, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
.
The hostess for the first series was Evans' then girlfriend Rachel Tatton Brown, who had previously worked at The Big Breakfast. Despite being a former model, Tatton Brown was uncomfortable in front of the cameras and aspired to move onto something else. She was replaced in the second series by his then new girlfriend, Jadene Doran, who was introduced as "Ms Let Your Hair Down", and would appear on stage with her hair tied up, letting it drop as she arrived on stage.
One game featured during the second series involved the audience flashing their house lights on and off at a prescribed moment. A camera in a mystery location would search for someone taking part. When a house had been found, the occupants (who were never seen) would play a game in which Evans would tell them to throw 10 household items out of specific windows, for example "Throw a kettle out of the main bedroom window".
What was undoubtedly the biggest moment in the show's history came in the penultimate show of the second series, when Chris Evans kept touting a huge surprise throughout the show, but did not reveal it until he was about to play "Light Your Lemon". The audience were quite unprepared for how big a surprise it was when Evans announced that if the studio contestants won the exotic holiday, then every member of the audience would go for a week's holiday at Disneyland Paris. Obviously, the atmosphere was euphoric, and everyone was on tenterhooks in case the contestants lost the game. They won, and the whole audience left for Disneyland Paris immediately after the show.
During the second series, it was announced that there would be no third series, in order to allow the show to go out on a high. Evans soon signed up to host the Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
breakfast show, and returned to Channel 4 with TFI Friday
TFI Friday
TFI Friday is an entertainment show broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2000. The show produced by Ginger Productions, written by Danny Baker and hosted by Chris Evans, for the first 5 series. The final series was hosted by a number of Guest Presenters. It was broadcast on...
.
Australian
The show first aired on 15 August 1995 on the Nine NetworkNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
, hosted by Tim Ferguson
Tim Ferguson
Timothy Dorcen Langbene "Tim" Ferguson is an Australian comedian and television presenter.- Background :...
and Wendy Mooney.
It won the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program at the Logie Awards of 1996
Logie Awards of 1996
The 38th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 21 April 1996 at Melbourne Park Centre and broadcast on the Nine Network. Daryl Somers from Hey Hey It's Saturday was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening...
. Only one season was produced, reportedly due to the cost of making the show and the prizes.
Executive producer Sandy Scott was previously involved with Family Feud
Bert's Family Feud
Bert's Family Feud was the third Australian version of the game show Family Feud. The series was produced by Grundy Television in conjunction with FremantleMedia. It was broadcast on the Nine Network and hosted by Bert Newton...
and C'mon, Have A Go!
C'mon, Have A Go!
C'mon, Have A Go! was an Australian television game show broadcast on the Seven Network in 1985 and 1986. The show was hosted by Tony Young....
.
American
One season was broadcast on Comedy CentralComedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
in June 2000. The host was Mark Curry
Mark Curry (actor)
Mark G. Curry is an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the star of the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and as one of the various hosts of the syndicated series It's Showtime at the Apollo.-Early life and education:...
. The contestants who were selected from the studio audience could play and win prizes.
Netherlands and 2009 revival
In the Netherlands, Uhhh... Vergeet Je Tandenborstel Niet! was broadcast by the Veronica television station from 1995 to 1999. It was presented by Rolf Wouters.In June 2009, it was announced that the show was being revived for Dutch TV.
Others
- In Belgium, Vergeet je tandenborstel niet was presented by Walter Grootaers on VT4VT4VT4 is a Flemish commercial television channel. It is part of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG.The channel began broadcasting on 1 February 1995. The channel initially had no Belgian broadcasting license and was transmitted via London . The channel now broadcasts legally from Zaventem in Belgium...
in 1999. - In Denmark, Husk lige tandbørsten (Remember The Toothbrush) was broadcast by Danmarks RadioDanmarks RadioDR – officially rendered into English as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation – is Denmark's national broadcasting corporation. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is today Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enterprise...
from 1995 to 1996 and the presenter was Casper ChristensenCasper ChristensenCasper Lindholm Christensen is a Danish comedian. He has hosted many shows including Casper & Mandrilaftalen, the Danish airing of Shooting Stars and Don't Forget Your Toothbrush , and the Danish version of Deal or No Deal...
http://imdb.com/title/tt0318896/. - In Sweden, Glöm inte tandborsten ran in the 1990s, hosted by Joakim Geigert.
- In Finland, Passi ja hammasharja ran between 1996 and 1998, hosted by local celebrities Tino Singh and Taru Valkeapää. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383814/.
- In France, N'oubliez pas votre brosse à dents was broadcast in 1994 and presented by NaguiNaguiNagui Fam is an Egyptian-born French TV and radio personality of Egyptian and Italian descent. In his professional life, he goes by his first name Nagui.- Biography :...
http://imdb.com/title/tt0195474/. - In Germany, Pack die Zahnbürste ein was broadcast by Sat.1Sat.1Sat.1 is a privately owned German television broadcasting station. Sat.1 was the first privately owned television broadcasting station in Germany, having started one day before RTL Television....
from 1994 to 1996 and presented by Ingolf LückIngolf LückIngolf Lück is a German actor, comedian and television host.He hosted several sketch comedy shows from which the most known is Die Wochenshow, aired on Sat.1 between 1996 and 2002.Lück had a little role in Das Boot....
, and later Elmar Hörig]http://www.fernsehserien.de/index.php?serie=2056&tv=Pack_die_Zahnbuerste_ein. - In Italy, Non Dimenticate Lo Spazzolino da Denti was broadcast by Canale 5Canale 5Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
in 22 April 1995 and presented by Rosario FiorelloRosario FiorelloRosario Tindaro Fiorello , known just as Fiorello, is an Italian comedian, singer, radio and television presenter.-Career:...
. After was broadcast by Italia 1Italia 1Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival...
in 3 November 1996 and presented initially by Ambra AngioliniAmbra AngioliniAmbra Angiolini was an Italian TV host and singer in the '90s. Nowadays she mainly works as an actress.Her career began in 1992, at the age of 15, when she took part in the second edition of Non è la Rai....
and after by Gerry ScottiGerry ScottiGerry Scotti is an Italian television presenter, actor and former member of the Italian Parliament.Scotti was born Virginio Scotti on August 7, 1956 in Miradolo Terme, Pavia. After giving up studying law Scotti began his career as a disc jockey at Radio Milano International...
and closed down due to poor ratings. - In Portugal, Não se esqueça da sua escova de dentes was broadcast by SIC TV from 1994–1995 and presented by Teresa Guilherme.
- In Norway, "Glem ikke tannbørsten" ran in 2000, hosted by Paal Tarjei Aasheim
- In Chile, "No te olvides El Cepillo de Dientes" (Don't forget the toothbrush) was broadcast by Megavisión in 1996.