Cereal Time is the new daily collaborative series from Jimmy Hill and Charlie McDonnell.
Jimmy Hill and Charlie McDonnell have launched Cereal Time, a new series created in partnership with Hank Green. Premiering 8 June, the show will air Monday to Friday at 7.00 BST, and will feature discussions of trending topics and the duo participating in various challenges and YouTube tags.
Speaking with TenEighty, Charlie said: “The idea actually came from Hank Green, who’s the executive producer of the show. I was telling him how I was feeling a bit unsure about what to do with myself after finishing my short film project, asking for his advice on what he’d like to see me do next. Pretty quickly, he threw a few ideas at me for new channels, one of which was a show called Cereal, in which I’d ‘have breakfast with a friend and talk about things and do things’. Vague, but enough to go on!”
A lunch with Jimmy is what ultimately set the wheels in motion for the project, which would end up being called Cereal Time. “How could I say no?! I was sold as soon as Charlie told me the idea. I’ve always had a passion for radio and presenting, and have been vlogging for years, so it seemed like the perfect fit. We started working on ideas for the show pretty much straight away and I think we both felt early on we were onto something great.”
Taking direct influence from Good Mythical Morning, a show fronted by US vloggers Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, the pair set to work with creating their own original content for a UK audience. “We were very conscious about wanting to build on their general concept and make our own, unique spin on it,” explains Charlie. “It’s also worth pointing out that [we] ran the idea by Rhett & Link and got their blessing before starting out!”
The show will air every weekday morning, with the pair hoping the show will become “part of people’s morning routine, the thing you put on when you’re getting ready to leave the house or are on the bus to school”. They hope that Cereal Time will be the morning show for the YouTube generation.
The show will feature various YouTube guests, as well as celebrities.
“We’re working it all out as we go along, so it will be a bit chaotic but loads of fun,” says Jimmy. “Lots of games, challenges and chat. It’s essentially a big morning hangout.”
Cereal Time will see both Charlie and Jimmy working with a presenting format, a role both are keen on. “Presenting has been my main ‘job’ for the past few years, but this project is totally unique for me, as we have total control over what we do – it really is our show,” explains Jimmy. “Typically, you don’t get that if you’re hired as a presenter.”
Charlie adds: “Personally, I only find myself uncomfortable in the presenter role when I don’t have the freedom to be myself. With this show, Jimmy and I (along with our producer, Josh) are coming up with all the episode ideas and scripts ourselves. It’s no less our voice than how our video blogs work. If anything, how I come across in this this show is much closer to how I am in real life than in my video blogs, just by virtue of the fact that I’m not able to edit out all my mistakes and fumbles!”
Cereal Time will feature a loose format, so it will seem as if the pair are “two mates having a chat”. Each will be playing off each other and the show won’t feature any editing.
“Charlie and I have known each other for years, so we’re relaxed with each other and on the same page, in regards to how we want the show to turn out,” states Jimmy. “I think we both see this as a long term project, so we’re both very willing to try lots of different things and see how it works!”
You can view the debut episode of Cereal Time below.
Want More?
Charlie recently offered up some advice regarding rebranding your videos and content. Check it out!
For updates follow @TenEightyUK on Twitter or TenEighty UK on Facebook.
