What was the best Saturday morning kids TV programme

A. Saturday morning is now a key ratings battleground between the BBC and ITV. The BBC has come up with a "sexier, sassier" show for children after losing ground to ITV's Ant and Dec show. It is planning a fundamental shake-up of Saturday morning television schedules and will bring in former wild child Dani Behr to front a new show.

It is a far cry from the woolly jumpers of Noel Edminds. He hosted the Multi-Coloured Swap Shop on BBC1 between 1976 and 1982. He was joined by Maggie Philbin and John Craven as Keith Chegwin toured the country looking for swaperamas.

Q. What has Saturday morning TV offered over the years

A. One of the most successful kids TV programmes ever was Tiswas, which ran between 1977 and 1982. Chris Tarrant, Lenny Henry, Sally James and Bob Carolgees (and Spit the Dog) reinvented the soberish world of children's television for ITV. The show introduced The Phanton Flan-flinger and children and guests had buckets of cold spaghetti thrown over them.

Between 1982-1987 the BBC ran the Saturday Superstore which was presented by Mike Read, Sarah Greene and Cheggers and John Craven.

ITV came up with Number 73 as its opposition. This was set in a terraced house in Maistone where Sandi Toksvig played a landlady presiding over an extended family.

Going Live was the BBC's offering between 1987 and 1992. Philip Schofield and Sarah Greene were the hosts and show introduced sketches from Trevor and Simon and Gordon the Gopher. The BBC dominated the TV market for the next few years, between 1988 and 1997, as the ITV came up with shows such as Motormouth, What's Up Doc and Scratchy and Co, which failed to catch on.

In 1993 Live and Kicking was launched. Andi Peters and Emma Forbes established a dominant BBC partnership followed by the pairing of Zoe Ball and Jamie Theakston. It ran until last year.

Then in 1998 ITV came up with SMTV Live. The Geordi duo Ant & Dec aided by Cat Deeley recreated the early success of Tiswas.

Q. What will the BBC's new show be called

A. It will be called The Saturday Show, and it will be aimed at a wider audience than Live & Kicking.

Q. What will ITV do in competition

A. Blaze Television, which makes SMTV for ITV1, is understood to be grooming the Big Brother winner Brian Dowling as a successor to Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who are expected to leave the show in January.

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By Katharine MacColl