After almost three decades of entertaining music lovers and giving hopefuls, both in the world of TV and music, a chance to cut their teeth, MTV UK has finally come to an end.
Though the television channel will remain on our airwaves, those distinctly British productions will no longer feature on our screens, after parent company Paramount made the call to end them after more than 25 years of local programming.
For many of a certain age, we still recall the thrill of coming home after school in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, or going to a friend’s house if you couldn’t afford Sky or Cable TV, and investing our time that should have been spent on homework instead watching ‘Hitlist UK’ - or a personal favourite of mine, ‘So 90s.’
The network also happened to be the place where some of the UK’s biggest household names first ventured into the world of presenting, and while some may have fallen off the map, others have continued to have a steady flow of work, with some even becoming names on US television.
Join me as we bid farewell to MTV UK in its more familiar guise, and a toast to these 13 names that passed the halls of their offices in Camden Town over the years.
7. Edith Bowman
Edith Bowman (left) started her career as a newsreader for MTV UK before co-presenting Hitlist UK alongside Cat Deeley. Known for her deep love of music, she quickly became a respected broadcaster. She later moved to BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2, and continues to host her popular podcast, Soundtracking with Edith Bowman. | JMEnternational/Getty Images
8. Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe became a legendary figure on MTV UK, hosting shows like Brand Spanking New and Gonzo in the early 2000s. His passion for music and encyclopaedic knowledge earned him a massive following. He later moved to BBC Radio 1 and then made a high-profile jump to the US, where he is now the global creative director and a lead host for Apple Music. | Sam Jones/Avalon/Getty Images
9. June Sarpong
June Sarpong was a dynamic and socially conscious presenter who was a regular on MTV from the mid-90s, interviewing both pop stars and political figures. After her time at the network, she went on to host shows for Channel 4 and Sky News. Sarpong is also an author and a leading advocate for diversity and inclusion, having served as the BBC's first Director of Creative Diversity. | Bruno Vincent/Getty Images
10. Armstrong and Miller
The comedy duo of Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller hosted the irreverent comedy show So 90s on MTV in the late 90s, where they used sketches and witty commentary to look back at the pop culture of the decade. After their time on MTV, they became a household name for their sketch show The Armstrong & Miller Show. | Getty Images
11. Alex Zane
Starting in the early 2000s, Alex Zane became a fixture on MTV as the host of MTV TRL UK. Known for his sharp wit and comedic timing, he was a natural in the interview chair. Today, Zane is a successful comedian and presenter, hosting movie-themed shows for Sky and working as a film reviewer for The Sun newspaper. | Jo Hale/Getty Images for MTV
12. Rick Edwards
Rick Edwards brought his intellectual humour and quick-fire questions to MTV in the mid-2000s. Known for his presenting roles on shows like T4 and Freshly Squeezed, he was a favourite with a new generation of viewers. Since then, he has gone on to host the BBC's flagship 5 Live Breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images