Jump to content

The DJ Kat Show

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The DJ Kat Show, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025
The DJ Kat Show
Company typeChildren's television series
IndustryTelevision entertainment
FoundedSeptember 1, 1986; 40 years ago (1986-09-01)
DefunctDecember 31, 1995 (1995-12-31)
Headquarters
Hilversum (until 1989), London (from 1989)
,
Netherlands, United Kingdom
Key people
John de Mol (producer), Linda de Mol (co-star), Robert 'Robbie' Hahn (original puppeteer), Don Austen (puppeteer from 1989), Joost Timp (scriptwriter)
ParentJohn de Mol Produkties / Endemol

The DJ Kat Show was a children's television series starring the puppet character DJ Kat alongside Linda de Mol, the sister of Endemol's founder John de Mol. It was broadcast from 1 September 1986 until 31 December 1995 on Sky Channel, which later became Sky One and Sky Europe. The programme aired during weekday mornings and afternoons before eventually moving to weekend slots. The show featured a wide array of imported animated cartoons. A distinct American adaptation was also produced, airing on Fox network affiliates such as flagship station WNYW. This article concentrates on the original European edition.

History

The European production was managed by John de Mol Produkties, the company founded by John de Mol that later developed into Endemol. Linda de Mol, his sister, co-starred in the show. All segments linking the cartoons were filmed in Hilversum, Netherlands, with scripts authored by Joost Timp.

DJ & Kat

The character DJ Kat was a puppet clad in a black leather jacket who enjoyed playing records and snacking on junk food, notably mashed peas and carrots accompanied by milk served in an unclean glass. His signature introduction declared: "This is the DJ Kat show and I am DJ Kat...that's my name. It's a D and a J and a Kat with a K.", highlighting the Dutch spelling of "cat." Initially, puppeteer Robert 'Robbie' Hahn performed DJ Kat, but from 1989 until 1995, British puppeteer Don Austen took over for more than 2,000 episodes aired on Sky One. The programme received the PACE Satellite Award during its run.

The Linda de Mol/Steffanie Pitt/Catrina Hylton-Hull years (1986–1992)

Linda de Mol co-hosted from the show's inception in 1986 before pursuing opportunities in German television and other Endemol projects such as the original Dutch version of Deal or No Deal. When Sky Channel transitioned to focus solely on UK audiences in early 1989, production relocated from Hilversum to Blackbird Productions in London. Linda’s final appearance was broadcast on 3 February 1989; she was succeeded by Steffanie Pitt starting 6 February, who was accompanied by a new puppet character named Yummy Tickle Mouse. Pitt departed on 8 September 1989 to join the fictional female band 'The Sweet Potatoes'. Around this period, Hahn handed over the role of DJ Kat to Don Austen.

Hahn returned to the Netherlands to collaborate again with Linda de Mol on De Billy Hotdog Show, a weekly programme featuring a canine character.

Catrina Hylton-Hull, stepdaughter of Rod Hull, joined the cast after auditions and debuted on 11 September 1989. To refresh the format, sketches were incorporated into the show; however, viewer numbers declined. By 1992, Sky One was close to canceling the series. A UK-based production team—Patricia Mordecai, John Northover, and Gale Claydon—was appointed to revamp the programme with Catrina initially contracted as presenter alongside rotating guest hosts. Nevertheless, creative differences resulted in her resignation by mid-June 1992.

Second incarnation (1992–1995)

Following Catrina Hylton-Hull’s exit in 1992, the show underwent a significant overhaul featuring a new studio design, theme music, and opening titles when it relaunched on 13 July 1992. This second phase starred West End actor Simon Jermond and singer Marcelle Duprey ("Marcie") as co-hosts, with Joe Greco serving as an occasional substitute. After Jermond left in July 1993, Greco assumed full-time hosting duties until the series concluded in 1995. Recurring guests included Alison Way, Peter Corey, David 'Saint' Rubin, and future soap actress Jacqueline Pirie. Interactive segments such as 'Katz Alley' and 'Joke Machine' invited audience participation through phone-in contests offering prizes.

This updated format initially improved ratings thanks to extensive scripting contributions from Don Austen, Joe Greco, and Marcelle Duprey. In September 1994, the Saturday spin-off KTV replaced Sky One’s Fun Factory, emphasizing documentary-style content and comedy sketches like 'General Accident' and 'Arthur Square,' which highlighted Jacqueline Pirie’s acting talents. A more subdued Sunday edition of The DJ Kat Show also aired regularly, typically hosted by DJ Kat alongside Joe Greco.

Termination of the Series (1995)

By the year 1995, diminishing audience numbers prompted series editor Michelle Kimber, alongside writers Peter Corey and Dave Arthur, director John Northover, and production members Patricia Mordecai, Michael Kerrigan, and Gale Claydon, to determine that the show had reached its natural conclusion. In August of that year, lead producers David Drewery and Paul Cole declared that no further renewals or redesigns would take place; Sky One officially confirmed the series' cancellation at the close of 1995.

John Northover cited the primary reasons for the decline in viewership as a lack of fresh scripts and repetitive material. The show's final broadcast occurred on 31 December 1995, after which it was replaced in January 1996 by the brief morning program Boiled Egg & Soldiers, which did not succeed in attracting a significant audience.

United States Adaptation

An American adaptation of The DJ Kat Show debuted on New York’s WNYW station on 28 November 1987. Set within a basement clubhouse at a television station, this version showcased the witty cat puppet DJ Kat alongside assistant Elizabeth Rose, entertaining viewers through comedic sketches interspersed between reruns of Woody Woodpecker and Looney Tunes cartoons. Puppeteer Jim Martin, who also provided DJ Kat's voice, created the show with producer and writer Steve Howard. Initially focused on cartoon wrap-arounds, the format shifted to live-action storylines centered on DJ Kat’s efforts to become the station’s leading personality despite challenges posed by their tight-fisted manager.

Eventually, Martin and Rose departed, with entertainer Craig Marin and comedic actress Carmen De La Paz taking over hosting duties. The program aired Saturday mornings until December 1987 before transitioning to Sundays starting January 1988. At this point, cartoons were removed to concentrate on narrative-driven segments featuring DJ Kat and De La Paz’s character Jennifer Davis.

The American DJ Kat Show remained on WNYW until 24 December 1988. Following this period, DJ Kat along with other Flexitoon puppets appeared during weekday afternoon cartoon slots until March 1991, coinciding with the launch of Fox Kids Network.

Sky One Undun

Sky One Undun, a children's television block, was broadcast from 3 January through 18 October 1996 on the satellite and cable channel Sky One throughout Europe.

Featured Shows

After concluding DJ Kat, Sky One repurposed its tombstone ident for this new children’s programming segment known as Sky One Undun. This block ceased when the majority of Sky's children’s content transitioned to Fox Kids Network following its launch on 19 October 1996.

Animated Series Broadcasted During the Show

External links

Related profiles

CCroc FilesBBrum (TV series)SStar Academy (French TV series)AAgro's Cartoon Connection
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=The_DJ_Kat_Show&oldid=63246"