'I often say to people that everyone has re-written history...' Sarah Cawood says Girlie Show deserves retrospective praise
Sarah Cawood says it's deserved that her critically panned 1990s TV series 'The Girlie Show' is now being recognised as an important part of '90s television.
Sarah Cawood is proud that 'The Girlie Show' is now considered an integral part of '90s TV.
The Channel 4 series was broadcast between 1996 and 1997 and was presented by Sarah, Claire Gorham, Rachel Williams and Sara Cox.
It was known for having live performances - it was the first show The Spice Girls ever appeared on - practical jokes involving audience members, interviews and a segment with 'The Naked Apes' who were four guys from Sunderland who were filmed each week in a variety of different situations, including going on a trip to Amsterdam and trying to pick up women in a gay nightclub.
'The Girlie Show' was critically panned at the time for embracing "ladette" culture and its amateur feel, but now it has been lauded for the format and for creating the first reality TV segment with 'The Naked Apes'.
Sara, 52, now feels vindicated for what she and her co-presenters were trying to achieve.
Speaking to Contact Music at the launch of Live Odyssey in Camden Market, London, on Tuesday night (20.05.25), she said: "I often say to people that everyone has re-written history when it comes to 'The Girlie Show'.
"Poor Sara and I were absolutely vilified.
"It was really, really horrible at the time. I didn’t work for a long time. My reputation never truly recovered from 'The Girlie Show'.
“So it is really nice now that everybody has decided it was part of the culture and my name sometimes gets dropped into the odd documentary or there’s a clip of us in one. That makes me very proud.
"I’m here for the re-writing of history when it comes to 'The Girlie Show'.
Despite the reappraisal of the programme, Sarah doesn't think 'The Girlie Show' should ever be brought back like 'TFI Friday' was in 2015 - 15 years after it was taken off air.
When asked if there could ever be a 'Girlie Show' reunion, she said: "I think it’s a bit like 'Fawlty Towers'; 12 episodes done, brilliant, part of history.
"I think sometimes if you revisit things for the sake of revisiting them then they’re never quite the same. Maybe just leave it where it is. Preserved nicely in Jack Daniels!”
Cawood was joined at the launch of Live Odyssey by a host of celebrity guests, including tennis legend Pat Cash, Madness frontman Suggs, former Kajagoogoo singer Limahl, Libertines drummer Gary Powell and Altered Images singer Claire Grogan.
Live Odyssey is a new experience exploring six decades of British music, from Beatlemania to the grime revolution and everything in between - with never-before-seen exhibitions and memorabilia, as well as expert insight into the music courtesy of veterans of the UK music industry.
Visitors can explore the exhibits demoted to bands and artists and even watch a holographic performance by The Libertines.
Julia Baird, the half-sister of John Lennon, was in attendance to unveil a multi-sensory immersive exhibit dedicated to the late Beatles legend.#
For more information and tickets visit the official Live Odyssey website.
