Beat the Boss

Beat the Boss
Beat the Boss Title Card
Genre	Business Gameshow
Directed by	Various
Presented by	Saira Khan (2006-2008) Cameron Johnson (2009)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4 (series 5 commissioned)
No. of episodes	31 (5 episodes commissioned)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Gillian Scothern
Producer(s)	Moray London
Editor(s)	Various
Camera setup	Various
Running time	28 minutes
Release
Original network	BBC One
Original release	22 May 2006 – 29 June 2009
External links
Website

Beat the Boss was a business gameshow broadcast in the United Kingdom as part of the BBC's children-oriented programming, CBBC. It was presented by Cameron Johnson and originally Saira Khan. The format features two teams, one team of children named "The Bright Sparks", and one team of adults named "The Big Shots", creating a product that will appeal to the children's market. At the end of each episode, a panel of children vote for their favourite product and the team with the most votes wins a limousine ride home while the losers take the bus.

Series 1

Fruit Drink

1. Aired: Monday 22 May 2006
2. Filmed: 2005
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner:

Portable pooch pack

1. Aired: Monday 29 May 2006
2. Filmed: 2005
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Big Shots

Ultimate Leisure Inflatable

1. Aired: Monday 5 June 2006
2. Filmed: 2005
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Dream Sleepover Kit

1. Aired: Monday 12 June 2006
2. Filmed: 2005
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Practical Joke Product

1. Aired: Monday 19 June 2006
2. Filmed: 2005
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Comic Relief does Beat the Boss

A special version of Beat the Boss was shown before Red Nose Day 2007. It involved The Bright Sparks and a celebrity team of The Big Shots composed of Joe Pasquale, Duncan Bannatyne and Chantelle Preston. The teams had to design a suit for Lenny Henry to wear on the night. Viewers were asked to phone in and vote for their favourite. During Red Nose Day 2007, Saira Khan and the two teams were on the stage, and Saira Khan announced that the winners were "The Bright Sparks", Lenny Henry came from backstage wearing the designed suit.

Series 2

Board Game

1. Aired: Monday 21 May 2007
2. Filmed: 2006
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Ice cream

1. Aired: Monday 23 April 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Big Shots

Part1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDJcrDdiTmY

Part2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP3zJqzaaYs&feature=relmfu

Part3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Indfoip7E1Y&feature=relmfu

Cycling Product

1. Aired: Monday 4 June 2007
2. Filmed: 2006
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Hair Styling Product

1. Aired: Monday 11 June 2007
2. Filmed: 2006
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Football Training kit

1. Aired: Monday 18 June 2007
2. Filmed: 2006
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Big Shots

Chill out chair

1. Aired: Monday 10 September 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Breakfast Cereal

1. Aired: Monday 17 September 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Brief:
4. Bright Sparks:
5. Bright Sparks product:
6. Big Shots:
7. Big Shots product:
8. Winner: The Big Shots

Pet product

1. Aired: Monday 24 September 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Outdoor Game

1. Aired: Monday 1 October 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Swimming product

1. Aired: Monday 8 October 2007
2. Filmed: 2007
3. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Series 3

Reptiles

1. Aired: Monday 20 May 2008
2. Filmed: 2007 - 2008

• Brief: Create a new product for the pet reptile market
• Bright Sparks:
• Bright Sparks product: An Australian-themed reptile house called "Dragon's Lair"
• Big Shots:
• Big Shots product: A reptile house with a desert environment
• Winner: The Bright Sparks

Toy rocket

1. Aired: Monday 27 May 2008
2. Filmed: 2007

• Brief: Design a new toy rocket
• Bright Sparks product: A water-powered rocket
• Big Shots product: A Concorde-shaped rocket with a camera attachment
• Winner: The Bright Sparks

Bed

1. Aired: Monday 2 June 2008
2. Filmed: 2007

• Brief: Design a new bed for kids
• Bright Sparks product: A football-themed bed
• Big Shots product: A four-poster bed with lighting
• Winner: The Big Shots

Hand Luggage

1. Aired: Monday 9 June 2008
2. Filmed: 2007

• Brief: Design a new item of hand luggage for kids
• Bright Sparks:
• Bright Sparks product: A rucksack with musical extras, called "Music Magic"
• Big Shots:
• Big Shots product: A globe-themed bag, called "Globag"
• Winner: The Bright Sparks

Tent

1. Aired: Monday 16 June 2008
2. Filmed: 2007

• Brief: Design a new outdoors product for kids
• Bright Sparks product: A four-armed tent, "Smiley Podz"
• Big Shots product: A tent with different areas for different activities, called "Octo Pad"
• Winner: The Bright Sparks

Birthday Cake

1. Aired: Monday 23 June 2008
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief: Design a birthday cake
• Bright Sparks product: A star-shaped cake surrounded with cupcakes, called "Shout Out Cake Kit"
• Big Shots product: A jungle-themed cake, called "The Amazing Exploding Chocolate Lake Cake"
• Winner: The Big Shots

Series 4 & Beat the Boss USA

Series 4 was partly filmed in America, with an American presenter (Cameron Johnson from Oprah's Big Give), American Big Shots, and one of the three Bright Sparks was also American. It was filmed during the Summer of 2008 and aired beginning January 2009. The first five episodes are called "Beat the Boss USA".

Dog Outfit

1. Aired: Thursday 8 January 2009
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief: Design a dog outfit
• Location: New York
• Company:
• Bright Sparks:
• Bright Sparks product: A reversible purple or light blue dog outfit with short sleeves
• Big Shots:
• Big Shots product: A reversible camouflage or brown velvet dog oufit with mp3 pocket
• Winner: The Big Shots

Cheesecake

1. Aired: Thursday 15 January 2009
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief: Invent a brand new flavour and design of American cheesecake for children
• Location: Los Angeles
• Company: The Cheesecake Factory
• Bright Sparks:Sierra (US), Laura, Harry
• Bright Sparks product: "Inside-out Trio" (Three different flavoured cheesecake-balls with layered flavouring inside)
• Big Shots: David H. Lawrence XVII
• Big Shots product:"My Own Cheesecake" (A blank cheesecake with supplied toppings can be used)
• Winner: The Big Shots

Outdoor Craze

1. Aired: Thursday 22 January 2009
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief: Create a "backyard" craze to sweep the nation.
• Location: San Francisco
• Company: Wham-O
• Bright Sparks: Eli (US), Rhys, Ruth
• Bright Sparks product: Water-squirting pogo stick.[1]
• Big Shots: Bob Goodson (YouNoodle), Margret Schmidt (TiVo), Ray Everett-Church
• Big Shots product: Aerobatic planes with adjustable target hoops.[2]
• Winner: The Bright Sparks
• Watch the Episode: BBC iPlayer [3]

All Purpose Sauce

1. Aired: Thursday 29 January 2009
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief:
• Location: Pittsburgh
• Company: Heinz
• Bright Sparks: Brana (12, US), Rory (12), Rosy (12)
• Bright Sparks product:
• Big Shots: Emmai Alaquiva (Ya Momz House), Kelley Skoloda (Ketchum), Nathan Martin (DeepLocal.com)
• Big Shots product:
• Winner: The Big Shots

Street Wear

1. Aired: Thursday 5 February 2009
2. Filmed: 2008

• Brief:
• Location: Los Angeles
• Company:
• Bright Sparks:
• Bright Sparks product:
• Big Shots:
• Big Shots product:
• Winner: The Big Shots

Go-Kart and Suit

1. Aired: Monday 1 June 2009
2. Filmed: 2009
3. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Secret Den

1. Aired: Monday 8 June 2009
2. Filmed: 2009
3. Winner: The Big Shots

Inflatable Beach Game

1. Aired: Monday 15 June 2009
2. Filmed: 2009
3. Winner: The Big Shots

Luxury Cat Pad

1. Aired: Monday 22 June 2009
2. Filmed: 2009
3. Winner: The Bright Sparks

Wet Weather Gear

1. Aired: Monday 29 June 2009
2. Filmed: 2009
3. Winner: The Big Shots

Other versions

In September 2008, an Irish version of the show in Irish language started on BBC Northern Ireland. Hosted by Céara Ní Choinn, it is titled Gaisce Gnó (Be the Business). In this version, the Big Shots appear to come more from the visual media world than from big business. The first challenge was to create a board game.