A DEVOUTLY devolved kids’ talent contest, pitting region against region in a knockout contest compered initially by ED “STEWPOT” STEWART, and latterly by CHRIS KELLY, on a mission to discover which ITV region held the most variously talented 12-14-year-olds (latterly 10-16 years). The Junior Television Trophy and an all-expenses-paid weekend in Paris were the prizes on offer, a NEW FACES-esque celebrity panel judged the efforts, and the first edition kicked off with a bout between Grampian and Tyne-Tees. The odd thing was, anything was grist to their talent mill – “singing, dancing, playing an instrument, acting, painting, writing poetry…anything!” – giving the affair a strange apples and oranges vibe. Celeb judges included THE SCAFFOLD, THE PAPER DOLLS, MIKE YARWOOD, LEW CHRISTIE, AYSHEA and BRIAN BENNET, and HANK MARVIN.
Jane H
April 24, 2022 at 5:12 pm
Anyone else a contestant on this? I was in 1971 when Chris Kelly was the host. Clodagh Rogers, Lawrence Payne and someone else were the judges. Represented Yorkshire TV in the ‘dexterity’ spot. Didn’t know until I turned up at Granada Studios in Manchester that I had to knit. Not my forte. The other team won.