CrewVC

Over the years a selection of merchandise was released in the shops for the discerning fan's delight. Here's a guide to Big Breakfast stuff that now sells for around £3 on eBay...

1993

After being on air for a year Planet 24 realised that the BB was a ratings winner. Could this success be converted into shop-shelf filling profits? Okay so Chris and Gaby action figures were unlikely but there were some attempts at launching a BB brand.

First off the shelves was 'The Best of The Big Breakfast' a 1993 video celebrating a year of your brightest brekkie. Now deleted you could try ebay.co.uk has been known to feature auctions for the item! It featured many classic moments from the first year including One Lump Or Two, the classic Notar Helicopter OB and the death of Alfred Hitch.

1993 also saw the launch of an accompanying book. Geoff Tibballs 'The Big Breakfast Bowl' provided a bright and breezy guide to the house, it's crew and it's guests. Other products included an alarm clock in the shape of the pink TV from the kitchen and the launch of The Big Breakfast Album featuring dance remixes of the greatest hits of the year. Sadly it didn't reach the heights of the 'Now' series and thus a follow up never appeared.

Finally released in the nations pubs was the first of three 'The Big Breakfast' Fruit machines featuring a crude graphic of the house, chickens and the shows logo.

Also this year you could countdown to Christmas in true style with an official Big Breakfast advent calendar.

1994

This was the year of Zig 'n' Zag. The show's colourful aliens were so popular a whole line of merchandise featuring the duo was launched, T-Shirts, comics, toys and puppets themselves were all marketed culminating in a single release; 'Them Girls Them Girls' entered the charts at number 5 on 24th December 1994 and remained there for 9 weeks. The duo from Zog also promoted Golden Wonder Crisps with a special giveaway where every packet had a prize - admittedly some of these prizes were paper-clips or rubber bands but you can't say them Aliens weren't generous.

Food was the theme for the Big Breakfast that year. To coincide with the Zig & Zag promotion Golden Wonder launched The Big Breakfast Flavour Crisps. Packaged in white with the shows pink logo the potato snacks tasted distinctly of bacon with just a hint of tomato!

Also in 1994 The Big Breakfast Orange Marmalade was launched exclusively for Safeways. Christmas saw the only other notable release - a The Big Breakfast board game hit the shops.

1995

With Chris Evans leaving the show its ratings declined, thus so did the merchandise. This year saw the launch of a plate, mug and bowl set exclusive to Boots. The plate and bowl had a blue gingham print with pink BB logo while the cup was bright yellow and oversized! It also featured the bright logo. Meanwhile 1st July 1995 saw Zig & Zag return to the charts with 'Hands Up! Hands Up!' It reached number 21 and fell out of the UK chart after 3 weeks.

Also available in the shops around this time was the first of two watches produced as a tie in. With blue PVC straps the hands were knives and forks. The hours between 7-9am were shaded in pink reminding you not to miss you favourite show. Also the four was done in the channel 4 logo.

One of the strangest Big Breakfast ranges came in the shape of bath accessories. The show was giving away water proof swimming bags at the same time as Big Breakfast bubble bath hit the shelves. The bubbles were cleverly packaged in a replica of the BB fountain which graced the rear of the Big Breakfast house until the back garden was redecorated and a swimming pool added in 1996.

During the summer of 1996 the Eggs On Legs roadshow toured the UK, available to buy were a number of Roadshow tie-ins including Eggs On Legs Dogtags, a CD Single of the Cock a Doodle Dance and the second fruit machine bearing the Big Breakfast's name was branded with Eggs On Legs logos.

1996

The show was revamped and became more 'magazine' like in it's approach. With the show tackling lifestyle issues so did it's merchandise as a 'The Big Breakfast Diet Book' was launched nationwide. Earlier in 1996 the show ran a promotion with Brooke Bond's D Tea where you collected tokens for an exclusive mugand a chance to win a set visit to the house. Also around this time the Big Breakfast crew with Lily Savage released a charity Christmas single to raise money for the Shelter fund for homeless people.

1998

1997 came and went with no goodies being released. The show had barely survived the axe just as Johnny Vaughan joined the presenting team, with the ratings up merchandise returned. Firstly Boots re-launched theBig Breakfast oversized coffee mug although the logo was now blue instead of pink. In October a third Big Breakfast book was released this time concentrating on the show's favourite item 'Vital Statistics.' The book actually written by the production team featured some great shots of Johnny, Denise and the house.

Also 1998 saw the show's fourth, and final, attempt at topping the charts. Despite pleas to buy the record and Denise promising to run around The Big Breakfast Garden topless if it got to number one 'Especially For You' charted on December 26th 1998 at number 3. It remained in the charts for 10 weeks with all profits going to Children In Need. The second Big Breakfast watch tied in with the Vaughany era. Again it had PVC straps and again the hands were knives & forks but this time a better purple and yellow colour scheme. The straps were yellow and featured an egg-effect print.

February 1998 was also the year the show earned it's first web presence as A Load Of Bow Locks went live (that's this site!) and in May the show's first official page - 2 photos and some text about Find Me A Model at channel4.com! This was bettered on 5th October 1998 when the official website bigbreakfast.channel4.com was launched.

1999

Largely thanks to Denise's departure the show became unstable during 1999 so Merchandise was non existent. There were rumours of a new Big Breakfast video and even a monthly magazine but nothing ever appeared. On 10th April 1999 'Especially For You' returned to the charts at number 53 but only for 2 weeks

2000

2000 got off to a good start in April with the launch of the charity chocolate house. Nestle packaged mini versions of its best selling bars in a miniature Big Breakfast house. The Easter gift also included a friendship band in the colours of the shows curtains. Sadly many fans boycotted the release thanks to some dodgy Nestle doings highlighted by the Mark Thomas Comedy Product - this meant that Nestle didn't raise as much for charity as they'd hoped but the chocolate was nice. 2000 saw perhaps the shows oddest release - Big Breakfast Pajamas. Only available in Tescos Shorts, long johns and nighties were all available in pink and blue with the Big Breakfast sunburst splashed across the chest. Fans desperate for BB related products found one unofficial piece of history.www.getmapping.com offers the chance to buy a high quality aerial photo of any postcode area you desire. So if your want to see Lock Keepers Cottages from above simply type E3 2NN and there's the BB house - swimming pool and all!

During 2000 the third and final Big Breakfast Fruit machine made an appearance. The fruit machine featured similar features to the original except graphic and fonts were updated to tie-in with the shows current look. As well as Court With Your Pants down and Get Your Nuts Out this machine had bonus features including Vital Statistics and Route To Midnight.

Christmas 2000 saw, the final piece of BB stuff - it's second board game. The Big Breakfast Vital Statistics was based on the favourite slot which had actually been missing from the show for quite a while. Oddly Gibson Games chose a picture of Vaughan to go on the box despite his much publiscised departure from the show just weeks after its release.

Sadly with the shows axing it's likely we've seen the shows logo in shops aisles for the last time. But don't despair BB fans. If your desperate for a bargain keep your eyes on Ebay as BB related items often make an appearance.