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11th Sep 2014

Feeling Old? You Will After You Hear When The First ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ Episode Aired!

Her

You might well feel your age today ladies as 24 years ago the first episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air aired.

Yes, we nearly dropped in shock too.

The popular programme, which catapulted Will Smith to further fame, hit our screens on September 10th 1990 and ran for six years until May 1996.

The 1990s show starred Smith who played a fictionalized version of himself. He was a streetwise teenager who had been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Bel Air to basically learn some manners (as our beloved Irish mammies would say).

1. Tyra Banks and Will Smith: Yes, before Will started dating his now wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, he went out with Tyra for a year after she appeared in a few episodes of his comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Seriously.
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air catapulted Will Smith to further fame.

Hailing from West Philadelphia, the character ran into all sorts of problems and caused a great deal of mayhem in his new home of Bel Air.

The show was an immediate hit with viewers not least because of its catchy theme song, written and performed by Smith. (Let’s face it, we all know the words!)

Geoffrey Butler (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) The man must have the patience of a saint to put up with all the shenanigans Will and Carlton got up to.
Geoffrey the Butler was another show favourite.

Following the success of the show, Smith moved from the world of television into films and is the only actor to have eight consecutive films to gross over $100 million at the domestic box office and 11 consecutive films gross over $150 million internationally.

He also went on to receive Best Actor nominations at the Oscars for his roles in Ali and The Pursuit of Happiness. 

But that’s enough about him, you can take a trip down memory lane right now, as we have included a clip from the first episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air below… enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJHhmmUDDrY