While the future of children’s television remains in question, we’re taking a whistle-stop tour of the past, to remind you how enlightening, enriching and good it can be.
When OFCOM published its probe into children’s programming in October 2007, it revealed that although there is more available content than ever before, the quality – particularly in terms of educational value – had undoubtedly slipped.
We have no idea what’s in store for the future of children’s TV in this country, but now seems like a good time to celebrate the shows of yesteryear. Some are still going strong today, which just goes to show the power of good quality home-grown kid’s TV…
Children's TV in the 1950s
In October 1958, a show came along that attempted to bridge the gap between the five and twelve-year-olds who were not being catered for. With interesting news features, interviews and art-and-craft ideas aplenty, Blue Peter was born and just like that millions of children all over the UK had something to keep them amused in the awkward gap between late afternoon and early evening – although we have been reliably informed that this wasn’t such an issue in the fifties. Blue Peter is still the only programme that embraces that entire age range, which at the time of the show’s launch was considered by many TV executives to be impossible. The fifties also spawned Watch with Mother, the first mixture of entertainment and education for pre-schoolers, and Enid Blyton’s Noddy made his TV debut in 1955.
Other memorables from the 1950’s
Andy Pandy
Bill and Ben
Pinky and Perky
Muffin the Mule
Felix the Cat
The Woodentops
Crackerjack
Captain Pugwash
The Sooty Show
Children's TV in the 1960s
The sixties saw a slightly more slapstick and psychedelic approach to children’s TV, personified by The Magic Roundabout. Conceptualised and animated by Frenchman Serge Danot, the English version was written and told by Eric Thompson. This multi-coloured madness was based in a garden and featured several weird and wonderful characters including a shaggy dog addicted to sugar (Dougal), a bouncy springy mustachioed man named Zebedee, and an intriguingly lethargic rabbit called Dylan. Throw in a bright pink cow called Ermintrude and you begin to understand why the show has evoked many to ask ‘was that really sugar?’ and ‘what was Dylan doing under that tree all day?’ We also have the sixties to thank for legendary story-time programme Jackanory, as well as animated classics like Camberwell Green and Trumpton.
Other memorables from the 1960’s
The Clangers
Pink Panther
Animal Magic
Play School
Mr Magoo
Thunderbirds
How
Vision On
Top Cat
Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin
Children's TV in the 1970s
Despite the fact he’s been around for years, only 13 original episodes were made of Mr. Benn, starting in 1971. This was a cartoon about a man who took regular trips to his local fancy dress shop which inevitably led to adventures relating to whatever outfit he tried on. Benn tried his hand at many roles, including cowboy, astronaut, wizard and pirate – but he never seemed to actually leave the shop with anything. Other seventies classics included the long-running school drama Grange Hill, the groundbreaking Saturday morning gunge-fest that was Tiswas and perhaps the less remembered Why Don’t You? Short for Why Don't You Just Switch Off Your Television Set and Go and Do Something Less Boring Instead?, the show saw different gangs of children spending the school holidays performing suggestions from viewers who wrote into the show.
Other memorables from the 1970’s
Button Moon
Multi-coloured Swap Shop
John Craven’s Newsround
Rentaghost
The Wombles
Willo the Wisp
The Basil Brush Show
Sesame Street
Worzel Gummidge
Jamie and the Magic Torch
Children's TV in the 1980s
The decade when we first succumbed to the temptation of animated US imports as the Transformers, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and Thundercats came rolling into the UK generally destroying things in an effortlessly cool manner that brought joy to kids everywhere. Popular as these shows were, they often did little to satisfy our children’s educational needs. Fortunately, we were making sturdy home grown products like Rainbow, Pob’s Programme and Art Attack, which to this day still sees Neil Buchanan running around outside and shouting at cameras in the sky. Going Live! continued the British tradition of fast-paced Saturday morning studio TV, making household names of Philip Schofield and his sidekick Gordon the Gopher, while Jim’ll Fix It saw DJ-crooner Jimmy Saville make kid’s dreams come true every Saturday afternoon.
Other memorables from the 1980’s
Bertha
The Really Wild Show
Postman Pat
Danger Mouse
The Moomins
Thomas the Tank Engine
Knightmare
Family Ness
Jossy’s Giants
The Trap Door
Children's TV in the 1990s
Despite the competition from international imports, British programme makers were still coming up with some pretty original stuff. A wonderful case in point being the Teletubbies – the fat, furry gang of custard guzzling aliens who sang songs and rubbed their bellies all day long took the pre-school viewing market by storm in 1997, becoming a cult hit overnight. Surreal as they sound, this was apparently educational TV at it’s most subliminal – teaching young children about colours and sounds with the occasional informative film projecting out of Tinky-Winky’s belly. Another UK success was award-winning comedy Maid Marian and Her Merry Men, providing a fresh take on the old Robin Hood story. Meanwhile, Geordie drama Byker Grove consolidated it’s success among young tweens and teens.
Other memorables from the 1990’s
How2
Archer’s Goon
Gamesmaster
Aquilla
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Bitsa
Rolf’s Cartoon Club
Chucklevision
Woof!
Alfonso Bonzo
Children's TV in the 2000s
And here we are, the current decade that is causing so much controversy. The imports continue to flood in, enabling television networks to benefit from the profits of global franchising while simultaneously saving money by producing less home grown programming. Although some cartoons and animations – such as Dora the Explorer, Bob the Builder and Handy Manny – have adapted to accomodate the educational needs of family viewing, on the whole we are lacking in genuinely informative television and even more so in television that is made on these shores. A prime example of the latter is My Life as a Popat, 2005’s BAFTA award nominated CITV comedy about your ‘average’ British family, who are inevitably anything but average. This series was a great success and still didn’t get comissioned for a second series. However, when it went on to win the BAFTA CITV reconsidered their position and commissioned the second series.
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