Live from Studio Five was an early-evening British magazine programme produced by Sky News for Channel 5. It was presented by Kate Walsh and a lineup of co-presenters. It featured interviews and discussions on topical issues, emphasizing show-business news and celebrity gossip after originally covering stories from a popular news agenda. It aired its final edition on 4 February 2011 and was replaced by OK! TV in February 2011.
Overview
Live from Studio Five initially aired on weekdays from 18:30 (later 18.25) to 19:30, and featured a mix of news, celebrity gossip, interviews, and chat. There was a weather forecast at the end of the show. It replaced Channel 5's early evening news programme Five News at 7. It was reduced to a half-hour format in August 2010 when Five News at 7 was revived.
History
From July 2010, Live from Studio Five began airing from 18:30 to 19:00, when Don't Stop Believers, a daily bulletin show, from Channel 5's talent show Don't Stop Believing, began occupying the 18:25 slot. On 2 August 2010, Live from Studio Five began airing from 18:25 to 19:00, cutting the show's duration from 65 minutes to 35 minutes. The change was made, to prevent the show from running at the same time as BBC One's The One Show, which is shown on weekdays, from 19:00 to 19:30. 5 News at 7 returned, airing directly after Live from Studio Five. On 23 August 2010, Live from Studio Five returned to its 18:25 slot, following the end of the series of Don't Stop Believing.
The programme celebrated its first birthday in September 2010 with a special edition featuring guests Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner, stars of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and a live studio performance from Example. The birthday show also saw messages from some of the celebrities who had appeared on the programme and a look back at highlights of the first year.
In its final weeks on air, the show was presented by Kate Walsh, the only member of the original presenting team and guest presenters, including Natalie Pinkham and Brian Dowling. The programme aired its final edition on 4 February 2011, which ended with a five-minute montage of highlights from its 17 months on air.
Presenting team
Live from Studio Five, was originally presented by former model Melinda Messenger, former footballer Ian Wright, and The Apprentice runner-up Kate Walsh.
It was announced on 29 January 2010 that Messenger had quit her role to focus on other projects, with a series of guest hosts replacing her. Messenger later announced that she had left the show following a disagreement with fellow presenter Ian Wright. Messenger made her last appearance on the programme on 26 February 2010. The position of the third main presenter was not permanently filled until a month after Messenger's departure. During this period, guest presenters had stints in the post, including Emma Willis.
In 2010, it was announced that Willis would replace Melinda Messenger on the Channel 5 series Live from Studio Five, but after only two months, Willis announced she would be departing in order to co-present Big Brother's Little Brother and was therefore replaced by Jayne Middlemiss.
At the beginning of the 12 August 2010 edition of the programme, Walsh and Middlemiss announced that Wright was not presenting the show that evening. At the end of the broadcast, they said Wright was not returning, and would no longer present the programme. Channel 5 announced that Wright had left the programme after the station did not renew his contract. It was later revealed that Wright had been sacked from Live from Studio Five after falling out with the show's bosses over Channel 5's summer talent show Don't Stop Believing. Wright was also reported to be unhappy with other changes at the programme, such as its daily airtime being cut from 65 minutes to just 35 minutes. During a radio interview with Absolute Radio the day after he was axed, Wright stated, "It's just been arguments for the last couple of weeks." Wright's contract was due to end in September 2010, but show bosses decided not to renew it, and he made his final appearance on 11 August.
Wright was not replaced following his departure, and the programme continued with only two studio presenters. It was revealed live on air on 23 December 2010 that Middlemiss was to depart the show after seven months as presenter.
Brian Dowling co-hosted the final show with Walsh on 4 February 2011.
Presenters
Main presenters
Kate Walsh (2009–2011) Brian Dowling (2011) Jayne Middlemiss (2010) Emma Willis (2010) Ian Wright (2009–2010) Melinda Messenger (2009–2010)