23 November 2007
A special interview with former Uned 5 presenter Gethin Jones will mark the popular youth magazine show’s 1000th episode tonight at 6.30pm.
The Strictly Come Dancing and Blue Peter star started his TV career on Uned 5 in September 2002, co-presenting with Radio Cymru’s DJ Lisa Gwilym and Gareth Owen.
Uned 5 has secured behind-the-scenes access to Gethin’s rehearsals with his co dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, Camilla Dallerup and over the past weeks presenters Mari Lovgreen and Llinos Lee have received dancing lessons from the twinkle-toed star.
In the 1000th episode of Uned 5 we’ll follow Gethin’s progress in the competition to date and hear what he has to say about the whole experience in a special interview with Lisa Gwilym filmed at Gethin’s secondary school, Ysgol Glantaf in Cardiff. Back in the studio Llinos Lee, Rhydian Bowen Phillips and Mari Lovgreen will be joined by actor Llŷr Evans and popular band Sibrydion.
Uned 5, which kicks-off the weekend with the catchphrase, “Gwenwch, mae’n nos Wener” (Smile, it’s Friday), has recently been re-launched to appeal to an older, teenage audience. The show was first broadcast in February 1994 and presented by Gaynor Davies, Garmon Emyr and Nia Dafydd. In its 13 years on air it has been fronted by 16 presenters, and all have gone on to present further shows on S4C and further afield, notably Gethin Jones (Blue Peter), Rhodri Owen (Holiday, Most Haunted, X-Ray), Lowri Morgan (Ralïo) and Heledd Cynwal (Wedi 7).
The show is broadcast from a purpose built house in a studio in Caernarfon, and features celebrity guests, news items, lively chat, bands, sketches and film interviews. Highlights over the years include Gethin learning to fly a light aircraft and Lowri Morgan’s 12,500 feet adventure to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to visit the wreck of the R.M.S Titanic.
BAFTA Cymru award-winner Mari Lovgreen, who began her career answering the phones on Uned 5, before winning the prestigious prize for Best Newcomer as a presenter on the show says: “It’s a great achievement for Uned 5 to reach its 1000th edition and it’s still as popular as ever and going from strength to strength.
“It’s a great way of kicking off the weekend and as it’s a live programme the adrenaline is always pumping and anything goes! Rhydian, Llinos and the whole production crew are fantastic to work with and among the highlights for me so far have been presenting Uned 5 specials from Melbourne, Thailand and Machu Picchu. I couldn’t dream of a better job!”
Uned 5 Fast Facts:-
• The first episode of Uned 5 was broadcast on 17 February, 1994. The series has run regularly since then.
• Items from the programme can be seen world-wide on the website – www.uned5.co.uk and it was the first S4C programme to be shown on demand on broadband.
• To date the show has been fronted by 16 presenters including Gethin Jones, Rhodri Owen, Lisa Gwilym, Catrin Mai, Lowri Morgan and Bedwyr Rees.
• 3,000 guests have appeared on the programme including names such as Ioan Gruffudd, Cerys Matthews, Mathew Rhys, Glyn Wise and Siân Lloyd.
Uned, Friday, 23 November, 6.30pm, S4C
www.uned5.co.uk
