Eurotrash (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Eurotrash is a 30-minute magazine-format programme in English
produced by Rapido Television. It was shown in the United Kingdom
on Channel 4
from 1993 and was a late-night comical review of weird and wonderful topics from around the world (despite the 'Euro' title, though it did focus on Western and central Europe for the most part). The show averaged around a 20 percent audience share, pulling in around 2-3 million viewers each week. Channel 4's Slot Average for Eurotrash's broadcast time is around 900,000 viewers, making the show an important hit for the channel.
It ran for 16 series (over 160 episodes) until 2007, making it one of the UK's longest running late-night entertainment shows. Channel 4 infrequently re-runs the series and repeats can be found on the Comedy Central (UK)
Channel and Livingit. Series 1 is also now available on 4oD
. After more than 10 years of broadcast, the show built up a substantial following and Eurotrash has around 15 million fans, and various fan sites.
All intellectual property rights to the series are now controlled by the production company, Rapido Television.
As of 2009, Channel 4 have no plans for any further series.
for London
-based Rapido Television by Peter Stuart, an American producer and director. Rapido Television makes over 100 programme titles, mostly for Channel 4, and was originally launched with backing by Richard Branson
. The first Eurotrash series were presented by Antoine de Caunes
and Jean-Paul Gaultier
, with narrative voiceovers by British comic actress Maria McErlane
. Gaultier left at the end of series 7 and de Caunes then co-presented with a range of guest presenters, including Swedish
actress/model Victoria Silvstedt
. A number of features and stars survived from series one, including Pepe and Popo, two cardboard giraffes made from toilet paper tubes, and the Belgian singer Eddy Wally
. Victoria Silvstedt
was a semi-regular during 2003, often appearing in the studio with de Caunes to present the Naked Germans of the Week feature. Graham Norton
also featured as a roving reporter in series 9.
In 2009 digital channel Living TV began airing a series of new compilation episodes under the title 'Eurotrash: The Sexy Bits'. These included new voiceovers from original narrator Maria McErlane.
. Topics covered included rabbit-showjumping, singing dogs, 'nude cleaning services', magicians, porn stars (such as the late Lolo Ferrari
) and Europe
's very worst (but usually popular in their host country) bands and singers.
The series was voiced by Maria McErlane
. Davina McCall
provided English voice translations in series 1. In later years Kate Robbins
provided voice dubbing for the strange continental "stars", which she performed in Yorkshire
and other English regional accents
and similar quirky anglicised effects. Johnny Daukes, former singer and writer with the indie Band FIN in the 1990s, provided male voices in a similar fashion throughout the series.
One issue had an obituary of Lolo Ferrari
which was produced and broadcast with straight dubbing as a mark of respect, which stood out from the usual comic tone of the programme.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
produced by Rapido Television. It was shown in the United Kingdom
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...
on 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...
from 1993 and was a late-night comical review of weird and wonderful topics from around the world (despite the 'Euro' title, though it did focus on Western and central Europe for the most part). The show averaged around a 20 percent audience share, pulling in around 2-3 million viewers each week. Channel 4's Slot Average for Eurotrash's broadcast time is around 900,000 viewers, making the show an important hit for the channel.
It ran for 16 series (over 160 episodes) until 2007, making it one of the UK's longest running late-night entertainment shows. Channel 4 infrequently re-runs the series and repeats can be found on the Comedy Central (UK)
Comedy Central (UK)
Comedy Central in the United Kingdom and Ireland is a localised version of Comedy Central which first began in the United States in the 1990s. The television channel is available through the Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk TV in the United Kingdom, Sky Ireland, UPC Ireland and Magnet Networks in the...
Channel and Livingit. Series 1 is also now available on 4oD
4oD
4oD is a video on demand service from Channel 4. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives...
. After more than 10 years of broadcast, the show built up a substantial following and Eurotrash has around 15 million fans, and various fan sites.
All intellectual property rights to the series are now controlled by the production company, Rapido Television.
As of 2009, Channel 4 have no plans for any further series.
History
The show was conceived in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Rapido Television by Peter Stuart, an American producer and director. Rapido Television makes over 100 programme titles, mostly for Channel 4, and was originally launched with backing by Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
. The first Eurotrash series were presented by Antoine de Caunes
Antoine de Caunes
Antoine de Caunes is a television presenter, actor, writer and film director. He is the son of two prominent French personalities, television journalist-reporter Georges de Caunes and television announcer Jacqueline Joubert...
and Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier , born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. In the past, he has hosted the television series Eurotrash....
, with narrative voiceovers by British comic actress Maria McErlane
Maria McErlane
Maria McErlane is a British actress and presenter specialising in comedy. She has appeared in several TV series, including The Fast Show, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Thin Ice and Happiness, and "straight" roles in The Bill and Holby City but is probably best known as the narrator for Antoine de Caunes...
. Gaultier left at the end of series 7 and de Caunes then co-presented with a range of guest presenters, including Swedish
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....
actress/model Victoria Silvstedt
Victoria Silvstedt
Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
. A number of features and stars survived from series one, including Pepe and Popo, two cardboard giraffes made from toilet paper tubes, and the Belgian singer Eddy Wally
Eddy Wally
Eddy Wally is a singer from Zelzate , and is the self-proclaimed "Voice Of Europe".-General information:...
. Victoria Silvstedt
Victoria Silvstedt
Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
was a semi-regular during 2003, often appearing in the studio with de Caunes to present the Naked Germans of the Week feature. Graham Norton
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton , is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist...
also featured as a roving reporter in series 9.
In 2009 digital channel Living TV began airing a series of new compilation episodes under the title 'Eurotrash: The Sexy Bits'. These included new voiceovers from original narrator Maria McErlane.
Content
Despite being a big budget show (around £400,000 per hour to make) the programme was surreal and had a deliberate low budget feel. Bright colourful pop-art studio backgrounds used to be built full size, but in later years chromakey was used with model shots, adding to the comical 'trashy' feel. Studio material was shot in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Topics covered included rabbit-showjumping, singing dogs, 'nude cleaning services', magicians, porn stars (such as the late Lolo Ferrari
Lolo Ferrari
Lolo Ferrari, born Eve Valois , was a French dancer, sex star, pornographic actress, actress and singer billed as "the woman with the largest breasts in the world" though their size was artificially achieved....
) and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's very worst (but usually popular in their host country) bands and singers.
The series was voiced by Maria McErlane
Maria McErlane
Maria McErlane is a British actress and presenter specialising in comedy. She has appeared in several TV series, including The Fast Show, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Thin Ice and Happiness, and "straight" roles in The Bill and Holby City but is probably best known as the narrator for Antoine de Caunes...
. Davina McCall
Davina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
provided English voice translations in series 1. In later years Kate Robbins
Kate Robbins
Katherine Robbins is an English actress, comedienne and singer.-Biography:Robbins is a first cousin once removed of Paul McCartney and older sister of Amy Robbins . She attended Wirral Grammar School for Girls and won the Drama Prizes each year, notably with her monologue "All this glitters is not...
provided voice dubbing for the strange continental "stars", which she performed in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and other English regional accents
English language in England
The English language in England refers to the English language as spoken in England. These forms of English are a subsection of British English, as spoken throughout Great Britain. Other terms used to refer to the English language as spoken in England include:...
and similar quirky anglicised effects. Johnny Daukes, former singer and writer with the indie Band FIN in the 1990s, provided male voices in a similar fashion throughout the series.
One issue had an obituary of Lolo Ferrari
Lolo Ferrari
Lolo Ferrari, born Eve Valois , was a French dancer, sex star, pornographic actress, actress and singer billed as "the woman with the largest breasts in the world" though their size was artificially achieved....
which was produced and broadcast with straight dubbing as a mark of respect, which stood out from the usual comic tone of the programme.