Big Breakfast (the)

From 8 to 12 november 1993, Kim was co-presenter of this Channel 4 breakfast show with Chris Evans. In five two-hour shows, Kim participated in a show which most viewers may classify as “crazy” or “fast-paced”…

The Big Breakfast episodes featuring Kim Wilde as co-presenter:

Before becoming a co-presenter, Kim already appeared on the programme once as a guest, and she would return as a guest a few times after, until the show’s demise on March 29, 2002.

Kim about the Big Breakfast

On Friday 17th September, I screen-tested for (…) The big breakfast. Things went well, and despite my tripping over cables and running out of questions in an interview with a man and his dog, Amber, I was offered the job to co-host with Chris Evans for the week Gaby Roslin went on holiday. This would entail a week of 3.00 am starts, followed by 2 hours of live-TV, including comedy sketches, interviews and general larking around. It sounded hard work, but being a big fan of the show, as well as being Chris Evans’ no. 1 fan, I accepted without hesitation. However, on the 4th and 5th of November, after rehearsing with Chris and the crazy Breakfast crew, I realised I’d really jumped in the deepest end I’ve ever jumped in. In fact, I was so nervous that had someone given me an opportunity to back out, I would have. The show looks very relaxed and fun to the viewer, but to me it was terrifying, and I wondered how I was ever going to coope with the job. Before I had time to have a nervous breakdown the show arrived on November 8th, and for the first time in my life I was a live TV Breakfast show host!
I went on to have one of the most challenging and exciting weeks of my life. I felt I really rose to the occasion, and loved working with Chris and his gang. All the nerves and self doubt flew out the window as I decided to give my very best. (1)

Mum’s always been my biggest fan and she always made me feel much greater than I thought I was. I only did The Big Breakfast after great encouragement from her. I couldn’t do it right up until the camera went on. It was horrendous. I said to Mum: ‘I know you believe in me but you have to understand that everyone has their limitations, and this is mine.’ (2)

Interview sources

(1) Kim Wilde Fanclub Magazine Christmas 1993
(2) Relative values: Kim and Joyce Wilde, Sunday Times Magazine (UK), 1 October 2000


The Big Breakfast

Date
29 January 1996
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

Kim appears in the program as a special guest. She is interviewed by Zig and Zag, the house puppets, and also by the two presenters. Because of the news of her going to do the musical ‘Tommy’ she also has to do a pinball challenge. Halfway through this, she is dressed up as a ‘pinball wizard’ (groan).

The Big Breakfast

Date
24 December 1995
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

Kim wishes the viewers a Merry Christmas.

The Big Breakfast

Date
4 December 1995
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

In a segment in which various celebrities say what they had for breakfast, Kim answers this question as well.

The Big Breakfast

Date
1 December 1995
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

Kim Wilde is special guest during this installment of The Big Breakfast. She appears several times during the show, for an interview, to pose questions for the viewers and to participate in a strange ice hockey quiz.

The Big Breakfast

Date
6 December 1994
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The Big Breakfast’s Keith Chegwin crashes into Kims house early in the morning for their “Down Your Doorstep” segment. Kim finds herself showing her knicker drawer to the UK, ski-ing down her stairs and singing “Kids in America” in the shower!

The Big Breakfast

Date
18 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

On Kims Birthday, Chris Evans calls her up at 7 in the morning to congratulate her. Kim is obviously still a bit sleepy, but accepts Chris’s wishes gracefully of course…
Co-presenter Gaby Roslin is meanwhile waving with a picture of Kim.

Chris Evans: This girl has got her birthday today, Kim Wilde! (cheers) 33 years old today, of course Kim was on the show last week but apparently she’s on the phone now. Hello!
Hello hun’

Is that you?
Yeah…

I said I’d call you, didn’t I?
Yeah, you did!

There you are… Happy birthday to Kimmy.
Thanks hun, how are you?

I’m very well, thank you very much.
How’s Gaby?

Gaby: Hello! Happy birthday!
Hi hun.

Chris: She’s still sort of smarting from the reviews you got last week which were quite good.
(Laughs)

So how have you been since Friday? I mean, how’s the comedown from the Big Breakfast been?
Well, I’ve missed everyone, I’ve missed everyone there. Where’s Val?

Val’s around somewhere. He’s in the other room as usual.
I’ve missed you Val, we had a thing there, Val.

Did you? He’s still got it. Been to the doctor’s twice, but eh… can’t do anything about it. So describe the scene there, are you watching TV in the bed or are you in the living room?
Well I’m lying in bed in my house, upstairs and I got the telly on.

Big telly, small telly?
Medium size telly.

So it is your birthday, that’s why we’re calling, how you gonna celebrate?
I’m gonna hang out here, hopefully get some pressies and my parents take me out to dinner tonight.

How beautiful, what a beautiful thing. Anywhere posh?
I think it’s quite posh, yeah.

And look, we’ve actually got you some presents. Here are your presents, here. But Kim, they’re a bit big and they might not fit in the post, so how would you like us to get them to you?
What do you mean, bring them personally to me?

Well I suppose one of us could… if you’d like that.
Yeah, I would actually.

Well, we’ll have a look a bit later. (Gestures to other people in the room.) Okay Kim happy birthday, gotta go bye bye!

The Big Breakfast

Date
12 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The last of five days The Big Breakfast, presented by Chris Evans and Kim Wilde. Special guests in the studio are Roxanne, Marty (jr.) and Joyce Wilde, they also appear on screen two times when Chris Evans focuses his attention on them.
The daily sketch involves ducks, which Chris and Kim are searching, so when Kim actually says “Duck!” Chris has no clue that he should in fact duck for the man with the ladder. An obviously unrehearsed bit of ‘comedy’…
Kim interviews the family of the week again, and a kid who has played soccer in a McDonald’s commercial. After all this, Chris and Kim drive off, and Kim’s week of presenting early morning TV programme’s is over.

The Big Breakfast

Date
11 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The fourth of five days The Big Breakfast, presented by Chris Evans and Kim Wilde! The show starts off with Chris remarking that he’s been out with Kim the night before, and some more insinuations can be heard in the two hours after that.
Kim is again interviewing the family of this week and a man who has been in a trailer for almost six months by way of protesting.

The Big Breakfast

Date
10 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The third of five days The Big Breakfast, presented by Chris Evans and Kim Wilde.
Kim conducts an interview in the “Meet the family” section, in which every week a random family is selected for a week long ‘introduction’. Kim also interviews a couple with a dog that has been treated on a very expensive trip to Spain by cab.
In a daily short sketch, Kim does some soccer, scoring a goal while knocking the other players “unconscious” by “kissing” them.

The Big Breakfast

Date
9 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The second of five days The Big Breakfast, presented by Chris Evans and Kim Wilde.

Kim conducts an interview in the ‘Meet the family’ section. Kim also interviews a man who is the world Cluedo champion. After a news break, Chris and Kim are caught snogging on camera.

The Big Breakfast

Date
8 November 1993
Channel
Channel 4 (UK)

The first of five days The Big Breakfast, presented by Chris Evans and…. Kim Wilde! Filling in for Gaby Roslin, she treated the viewers to a very pleasant morning for a week.