No Sweat (partially found British children's television series; 1997-1998)

Title card.

Status: Partially Found

No Sweat was a British comedy show on CBBC in the late 90s.^[1] It followed North & South, a struggling boy band, played by James Hurst, Lee Otter, Tom Lowe, and Sam Chapman. The real-life group had four UK top 40 hits, including "I'm a Man Not a Boy", which debuted at No. 7 in May 97.^[2]

Beginnings

Tom Watkins formed the band. Tom, Lee, and Sam responded to adverts on Teletext, and James joined later. Mark Read left before the band began recording their debut album. They underwent screen tests by Initial Television before recording and filming their first series in Brighton in 1997.

1997 Series

The 1997 series was set in Brighton and followed James Hurst's character, Jimmy Osman. Jimmy and his mother, Beverley (played by Harriet Thorpe), were new to the area. Beverley loved competitions, even buying items she didn't need. Jimmy and his friend Greg Fuggle formed a band to attract girls and earn quick cash, overcoming school bullies Janis (Gemma McCluskie) and Carly (Jessica Meyer). They convinced Giles Beamish and Miles Smith-Jones from a rival school, St Ethelburga's, to join them and named the band North & South.

1998 Series

The TV show's second series premiered on the BBC in April 1998 but received lower ratings than the first. The band traveled across the UK in a run-down camper van, and their fourth single, a remix of the show's theme tune, did not perform well commercially. BMG Entertainment decided not to release the band's debut album, Allsorts, which had been delayed for a long time. Shortly after the second series ended, the band split up.