Throwback Attack

A New Series Of Podcasts - Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 19:47:00 +0000

Apologies for the lack of blog posts or any content of any form lately. I started a new full time job a few months ago which means I have been super busy and now have less free time than I did previously. But I do plan to write some new blog posts (and maybe some Youtube videos) reviewing some retro kids telly at some point.

The good news is, I am currently planning series 2 of the Throwback Attack podcast's. Unfortunately the podcasts are not something I can do regularly due to time and work constraints and chasing people up to take part for interviews. But I can definitely say that later this year a brand new series will be put out.

I have already been in the studio and got a few chats recorded and I have a few more lined up to record over the summer. Hopefully all being well, those will start being uploaded on a monthly basis around Autumn time. But I'll have a better idea of exactly when a bit later down the line!

In the meantime, why not refresh you memory of the chats I've already done? Series 1 can still be listened to here.

https://soundcloud.com/throwbackattack

I met James Mackenzie (AKA CBBC's Raven)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 18 May 2019 12:45:00 +0000

Just a quick blog post. But it was really cool to meet James Mackenzie a few weeks ago. Who is best known for playing Raven in the original version of the CBBC show between 2002-2010. We met in a shopping centre in Wolverhampton. No it wasn't a chance meeting, there was a comic con going on there!

I actually wonder if I would have recognised him if I just happened to walk past. Although James hasn't changed much at all. He does wear glasses now and I have to say was a lot more smiley and cheery than Raven's moody persona.

But Raven was definitely a show I watched a fair bit back in the day. It was basically Game of Thrones meets Knightmare meets Crystal Maze. At least for the first few series. It did run for 8 years and there were a number of spin off's that came about towards the end but I never really saw those. But I do remember the awesome Way of the Warrior challenge at the end of each show which no one ever seemed to win. I have to admit that a few times in recent years, Raven quotes done in the best Scottish accent myself and my friends can muster have been uttered during drunken nights out. I live life very much in the fast lane.

I am aware that Raven has recently returned with a new actress in the role and with James making sporadic appearances as "Raven of old". But I'm going to be honest, I haven't really seen it. I have to admit that I'm past the point of watching kids TV by quite some years now and I'm getting in to that rose tinted spectacled view of "kids TV was so much better in my day!".

I did ask James if he'd be happy to record a chat with me sometime soon if I emailed him and he said yes. He has already done a few which can be on Youtube. So I'll have to think up of some different questions. We'll have to see what happens...

Throwback Attack: The Podcast (Episode 7) - Richard Vobes (Snug & Cozi)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 05 May 2019 17:17:00 +0000

Following on from my last blog post about 90's CITV comedy sci-fi show Snug & Cozi. As mentioned, I am pleased to announce my next podcast interview with Richard Vobes who wrote the show and starred as Snug.

You can also listen to the interview on Youtube.

Richard tells us the story of how the show came to be and how ITV picked up the show. As well as the troubles in production along side some of his fondest memories of the programme, including a car wash and a double bed!

Richard also updates us on his current activities with his podcasting and his The Bald Explorer series on Youtube.

Enjoy!

Snug & Cozi

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 02 May 2019 17:24:00 +0000

On this blog I sometimes like to fly the flag for those nostalgic relics of kids TV past which have fallen by the wayside in the memories of the nation. One of those shows, is crazy sci-fi comedy. Snug & Cozi.

Snug & Cozi was a children's slapstick comedy which aired on CITV for two series between 1996 and 1997. The two title characters were spacemen who crash landed on earth and tried to adapt to human life. With the help of their earth friend Emily, who discovered them and hid them in her fathers shed. Obviously her father must have hated gardening then, to not notice two full grown men living in the shed the whole time.

You could describe the pair as bumbling, inept and down right clumsy. Causing chaos wherever they go and speaking a strange gibberish language. Slapstick shows seemed to be all the rage on Kids TV in the 90's. With Zzzap! and Chucklevision never being off the air.

A total of sixteen episodes were made. All of which were ten minutes in length and featured the two crazy spacemen getting in to a variety of farcical situations. From flooding their home with soap suds during bath night. To making a birthday cake containing sticks of dynamite instead of candles.

The show actually aired when I was three years old, so it's amazing I remember it. I say remember but it's more vague recollections. Years ago I did ask on forums if anyone remembered a show with two clumsy bald men, one with a moustache and no one had a clue what I was going on about. It was only when some time later someone messaged me asking me if I remembered a CITV show called Snug & Cozi and I said I didn't. Until they shown me an episode on Youtube and it all came back to me. This was the show I remembered!

In fact the Youtube uploads are all by the very man who not only played Snug in the show. But also created the entire thing. Richard Vobes. Who I have been in contact with ever since, over the last ten years. We've never met in person but exchanged many emails about his time on the show. As well as the various other CITV shows the two characters appeared on to promote it. Such as Scratchy & Co and Timmy Towers. The fact Richard has worked alongside the late great Mark Speight makes me very jealous!

Not only that but Snug and Cozi even released their own album of pop tunes! You can listen to one of the tunes here.

Richard has told me in previous conversations that the show was very much Laurel & Hardy in spacesuits. Seeing as I am a fan of those too. I can definitely see the influence. It's nice that particular style of humour was re-introduced to a new generation of children.

I can still remember one of the very first things I asked Richard back in 2009. I had this vague picture in my mind of Snug & Cozi entering a carwash on a bed. Naturally I thought I'd dreamt the whole thing up and gone mad. It sounded bizarre. Thankfully I wasn't, as Richard confirmed that yes, that really did happen. The scene in question, has since made an appearance online.

Richard, who has a love for writing, performing and comedy. Wrote and created the show while working as a street performer, mime, juggler and TV extra. Not only did he write a pilot show. He actually made one on film, out of his own pocket. Roping in his friend Nigel Cooper to play Cozi. Before sending the tapes off to various TV companies in the hope that someone would buy the idea. Amazingly, Scottish Television, who are part of the ITV network did. Part of me wonders if such a thing would happen now, whether a TV company would accept a pitch like that. One day, I wouldn't mind seeing the original pilot programme.

What's interesting to learn, from my many discussions with Richard. Is that his time having his idea made for TV wasn't always a happy one. With his vision of the show not being what the final product ended up being. Before being axed suddenly after just two series. A great shame. Due to the short run, the show has sadly been largely forgotten and doesn't pop up on nostalgia websites very often.

What's more positive though. Is since then, Richard has a new found love of producing videos and podcasts for the internet. Until the title The Bald Explorer where he explores Britain's history and heritage. You can find out more here https://baldexplorer.com/ and you can also follow Richard on Twitter.

Why not go on Youtube right now and enjoy some silly fun with Snug & Cozi? To get you started. This episode is a favourite of mine.

Also Richard has very kindly taken the time out to record a chat with me about his time working on the show. The podcast interview will be available very soon!

Come Outside and The Childhood Nightmare Fuel

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 17:30:00 +0000

You can roughly tell someones generation by what they best know Lynda Baron for being in. I find those over the age of 35 best know her as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in Open All Hours and anyone 20-35 knows her for being Auntie Mable in the children's educational programme Come Outside.

Now although this article is a bit of an amusing poke at the time one particular episode made a 5 year old me cry at school. I should really point out that Come Outside was a show I enjoyed hugely and have nothing but fond memories for. It was a wonderful educational programme for young children which was so incredibly popular and very deservedly so. What's testament to that is the fact that despite the show finished in 1997. Repeats carried on for a further 15 years afterwards!

Also, let's not forget how the nation mourned the loss of Pippin the dog in 2008. The country wept, flags were at half mast and the Pedigree dog food company held a moments silence.

OK so I'll be serious for a moment. So if you don't know the show (Seriously one friend of mine whose the same age once admitted this to the shock of the entire group of people with us at the time) it featured the adventures of Auntie Mable and her dog Pippin. Who lived in a cottage in the middle of nowhere. Who would go on lots of random adventures exploring how things work. Did they catch the bus? Oh no... this is the 90's remember. It had to be taken up a notch. She had her own aeroplane in her front garden! A spotty polkadot one at that. No questions asked as to how or why.

Your typical episode would feature Auntie Mable and her curious mind. Pondering how crisps, bread, toothpaste etc etc were made. Hopping in to her plane with her dog and flying away (cue shot of obvious stunt double consisting of a bloke wearing a ginger wig flying the plane).

Landing it somehow in the middle of a town. Turning up to a factory unannounced and being given a tour without any form of security checks. Oh what an innocent world we once lived in. Take me back.

For the most part this was actually an educational and gentle programme that little ones could enjoy... until one particular episode in the second series. The episode in question titled 'Useful Holes' (no sniggering).

Most of the episode featured Mable talking about *ahem* useful holes. Such as the holes small animals like mice and badgers dig to live in. All well and good and innocent and lovely.

Towards the end of the episode the episode takes a bit of a random turn from lovely woodland animals to Auntie Mable ending up in a life or death situation. Talking about how one day, a useful hole saved her life (This is getting silly now).

Auntie Mable talks about the time she had a dog flap installed. So Pippin could run in and out of the back garden with ease. Instead of clawing at the door constantly and disturbing her.

So the story leads to how one day Auntie Mable was cooking some chips. You can tell it's before the country became more health conscious as she's not cooking them with fry light or an air fryer. But with a chip pan. Silly old Mable goes in to her walk-in cupboard to get the lid for the pan. When the door shuts, trapping her inside (Why would you have it built so you couldn't open it from the inside too anyway?).

Realising she can't get out and there's a chip pan getting way too hot on the cooker.

Pippin jumps through the dog flap. Running all the way to the fire station and in true Lassie style. Alerts the fire brigade something is wrong who completely understand what Pippin is trying to say and speed off to Auntie Mable's aid.

They arrive just as the pan catches fire and put it out and let Auntie Mable out of the cupboard.

Who quite amusingly, despite almost being cremated just moments ago comes out with the very British line "Let's all go and have a cup of tea!". A sweet end to a potentially disastrous situation.

But seriously. Who thought up that would be a great thing to stick in to a programme designed for pre-school kids? A lady being trapped and almost being burnt to a crisp had it not been for the fact she had a dog flap installed days prior and that the local fire brigade can understand dog speak.

Because this particular episode. Made little old me at the age of about 4 or 5. Cry.

You see I had an irrational fear of fire back then. Even if I saw it on the TV. I would leap behind the sofa and have a tantrum. So y'know, back then. I just loooooved London's Burning and Fire Kills adverts on the TV. I remember watching Come Outside one morning before school and it being that episode. Getting to the point where Auntie Mable gets locked in and realising the pans going to catch fire. My mother immediately turned it off knowing I'll get upset.

Cut to a few days later and I'm at nursery school and it's playtime. But it's raining. So the teachers decides we'll sit and watch some TV for a bit and brings out some VHS tapes. What VHS tapes do they bring out? Well none other than Come Outside! I immediately burst in to a hysterical fit of tears and wailed that I didn't want to watch it. Much to the bemusement of everyone.

So, I sat in the classroom being consoled by a member of staff while everyone else went off to watch the show. Chances are it wasn't even that episode but I was put off from watching it completely! The funny thing was and I literally only remembered this recently. When my mother came to pick me up, a teacher had to genuinely sit down with her and mention that I had gotten really upset at the moment they announced we were watching Come Outside and my mother is like "Ah, yeah...."

But I did eventually go back to watching it and enjoying it. Like the big 90's kid I was.

So there's a bit of an amusing story about me from the late 90's. But I'll say it again, despite that one moment. It was a great show. Lynda Baron played the kind Auntie Mable role so wonderfully. I'm afraid I still can't go without seeing her on TV in any form and going "Look! It's Auntie Mable!"

If you want to relive the nostalgia. There's always plenty of episode on Youtube. But first off, why not revisit the theme tune...

Look up,
Look down,
Look all around,
Up in the air,
Or on the ground,
Come for a walk,
Come for a ride,
There's so much to see,
So Come Outside!

Jungle Run - A Contestants Story

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 18:52:00 +0000

Jungle Run is a children's game show I remember watching with great fondness and occasional frustration. Often shouting at the TV in despair "HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SLOT TOGETHER A FOUR PIECE JIGSAW PUZZLE!". But aside from that, wasn't it just an awesome show for children? The sets, the games, the music, just about everything!

Just to make you feel old as well. As mentioned in a previous blog post. Jungle Run started on CITV in 1999. Meaning that this year is the 20th anniversary of the show. Yes, really.

But curious old me has wondered for a long time, what the experience of actually being on the show was like. Thankfully for me, an episode of Jungle Run popped up on Youtube recently. Uploaded by one of the contestants featured. Who I contacted and he kindly agreed to answer my questions.

Dan Burridge was a contestant on the very first series of Jungle Run. Alongside his friends Emily, Addison and Hannah. When the show was presented by one half of Dick & Dom, Dominic Wood. Another notable difference is in the early shows, contestants didn't play games to collect miniature monkey statues. They collected bananas instead. But the rest of the format was basically the same.

How did you apply for the show?

We were part of a drama society called ‘Fairford Amateur Dramatics Society’ (FADS!). We had no idea about it, but I think our organisers had got in touch with the producers / must have responded to an advert or something, and we had some scouts come down to a rehearsal. We were more interested in fighting and sliding round on the floor really at that age, until they shortlisted a few of us and we went for a follow up meeting, which they then picked the final 4!

What was your reaction when you were picked to be on Jungle Run?

Ever wanted to get that Hogwarts letter through the door? That's what it was like. I remember so vividly ripping it open before I could get upstairs to my room and reading it sat there. The letter had little yellow bananas around the edges. It was honestly one of the best days of my life haha. I'd never had anything like that happen to me before. I just couldn't believe it.

Where was the show filmed?

I can't remember the exact location but it was somewhere up north just off the M1 I think, as we stayed at my parents friends the night before in Cawthorne near Barnsley, it was a huge disused aircraft hangar from what I remember! (According to this tweet by Dom Wood. His series was filmed at Finningly Airfield in Doncaster.)

What was your reaction upon seeing the set for the first time?

Wasn't sure what to expect, but was definitely amazed as it was my first time seeing a TV/film set of any type before. All of the cliffs/rocks were made out of chicken wire and spray foam and hanging about 1cm off the floor! You could go up and shake a whole cliff face ha ha. The belly of The Temple of the Jungle King was all foam as well. If you actually got trapped in it, it would have crumbled around you.

What was Dominic Wood like?

An absolute diamond. Lovely lovely guy, made us feel really comfortable and relaxed as we were pretty nervous. Taught me how to do a lot of the magic tricks which I was trying to do for years after...

Did you see the people who played Sid and Elvis out of costume at all? No one knows who played them!

Absolutely! I can't remember their names but it was two very attractive girls haha... They had to stay in costume all day (they could take the heads off) so each had their own freezer to lie in in-between shots as they were so hot! I don't think it was anyone famous though, sorry to disappoint haha. They were a great laugh :)

How long did it take to film the episode?

So there was another team in the morning up until lunch, and that's when we had our sort of training 'dress rehearsal'. The other team had their training the afternoon of the previous day. Then we filmed our episode after lunch. Think it only took around 5-6 hours. The production team were extremely professional and rapid!

Out of all the games you played. Which one was your favourite?
Has to be the water one man... that pool/cavern thing was so cool. I was obsessed with swimming as a kid and I'd have LOVED that in my back garden ha ha. It was like an artificial tropical rainforest and was so deep you could do dives and backflips in to it etc. I think there were two divers out of shot for health and safety which was quite cool as well.

You managed to get the golden banana in the pool challenge. How proud are you of that achievement?

Mostly - relieved! We all clocked it at the start, I was terrified I'd wasted all my jumps getting a total of 0 bananas because I was only going for the golden one.

Luckily I managed it on my last try. I swear to god if it was 1mm further away I wouldn't have done it and it's not like I grabbed it either, only just managed to knock it off. I didn't know I had done it either, until I realised they were all shouting at me haha. My mates still take the piss to this day, but all in all I'm absolutely made up about it!

Your team did very well in the challenges. But struggled in The Temple Of The Jungle King. Was this disappointing?

Right... here's the thing. I've watched that level we got stuck on 1000 times. (Which involved completing a puzzle of a Butterfly) I still wouldn't get it today. I honestly think the borders around the edges of those blocks were too thick and the gaps between each block were too wide as well. It was difficult to line up/work it out man! People have said to us it seemed pretty harsh. I think Dominic and the producers seemed to be a bit guilty / sheepish about it as well (Maybe we're just rubbish). We're quite gutted as that was only the second puzzle so we don't really know how difficult the rest of it was... Would have loved to at least have seen what the other puzzles were. We'll never know... Or am I imagining that? Do they show it on the episode maybe...

That second puzzle haunted me for months ha ha. I think we could have won a trip to Disneyland or something. We were only on the first series, but I think up until that point, we'd got the most amount of bananas anyone had ever got on the programme and the most amount of time anyone had in the temple... And we did the worst anyone has done in the temple yet! I remember looking at the camera I had won on the way home and basically using the whole film taking pictures out of the window thinking "You've failed Dan". Absolute anti climax!

Do you still own the camera you won and the Jungle Run sweatshirt and bag?

Camera is long gone but I still have the T shirt and bag! Never ever losing those. Won a few bets as well with people who didn't believe me until I shown them these. In hindsight I'm so glad with this merch, any other prizes would be a memory by now but I'll always have these :)

Any funny behind the scenes stories to tell? Anything which didn't make it into the final programme.

I do remember the swamp one, we had to redo the second half as I got carried away and told Sid or Elvis (can't remember which one) to f**k off when I was trying to get the bananas off the trees. Producers weren't too happy!

When the show aired. Were you the coolest kids in school? Did everyone watch it?

Not really! Perhaps a few slightly jealous mates I think and quite a few people thought that it was lame. The head teacher made us stand up in assembly and tell everyone about it. when it was airing etc. Pretty embarrassing! People were saying the catchphrases to us for years afterwards...

To this day. Do you still tell people you were on Jungle Run? Do people still think it's amazing?

When it comes up in conversation 100%! In response to your last question though - it's the opposite now - it's not really been talked about until about 3 years ago, when Addison managed to find the VHS and converted it to digital. We kept it secret due to embarrassment until about 6 months or so ago (I guess whenever you spotted the Youtube video!) when the demand from our mates (new people we'd all met at uni etc) got too high and we couldn't say no. This second wave of people definitely think it's amazing and never shut up about it now! It was just at the time people weren't bothered really.

So after the dizzy heights of Television fame. What are you up to now?

We kept doing our pantomimes. I did actually audition to be Harry Potter and got called back to London twice, got in the final 16-20 or something, then the lady who was organising quit her job as she wasn't happy with any of us and the rest is history really haha. Now I am a venue booker for Wire and Hifi Club in Leeds (PS. Check my band Deadset Dream out). Emily is heavily involved in theatre and showbiz I think. Addison is a teacher and head of year. I don't actually know what Hannah does :/

Cheers Dan!

Dan's appearance on Jungle Run can be viewed here!

Zzzap! comes to Birmingham's MCM Comic Con.

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 20:17:00 +0000

Photo Credit: The Girl With The Glasses Cosplay

Once again it was time for MCM Comic Con to return to Birmingham's NEC during March. I had attended the previous one dressed as Neil Buchanan, complete with red Art Attack jumper and giant pencil. Made with toilet roll tubes, paper mache and paint. An effort I'm sure Neil would be proud of.

The cosplay actually went down a storm with numerous people approaching me for photos. A few people asked me if I remembered Zzzap! Not only do I remember the show. It's had a special place in my heart and nostalgic affections for quite some time. I watched it religiously back in the day. I'm still have to occasionally watch an episode now.

I was surprised I was asked as I didn't think many would remember the show. It finished in 2001 and hasn't had many repeats since. So the idea started brewing in my head.

The show had a few characters I'm sure you're aware. The natural choice after cosplaying as Neil would be his alter ego Smart Arty.

Now, I'm not a skilled costume maker, I haven't touched a sewing needle since primary school. So making a costume was a no and finding the right parts which look close to the real thing was difficult. Plus, someone else has already done a really good job.

So I chose Cuthbert Lilly. Complete with pink suit, yellow shirt and polka dot bow tie and pocket square. All of which were purchased easily online! The pink suit if you're wondering how to get one was available from Opposuits!

I also roped in a friend of mine to go as Daisy. She had to put up with me stressing for weeks that her costume looked right. But after much shopping around. We got there with a few days to spare.

I also created a comic for us to carry. I'd like to say I drew it free hand...that would be a bit of a lie. I actually traced it from the t-shirt available from Truffleshuffle which I own. But even that was a hard task. Tracing a t-shirt on to tracing paper. Imprinting it on to normal paper and then drawing the lines in with a pen before colouring.

I'm pleased to say the costume went down brilliantly with lots of good reactions and lots of pictures taken! Nice to hear from other people who enjoyed the show back when it was a staple of CITV's schedules.

On to the pictures!

As a Father Ted fan. These guys win it for me.

Photo Credit: Andrew English.

Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens Turn 20 This Year

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:53:00 +0000

Yes, you read the title correctly. Both Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens turn TWENTY YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.

Yes, I know it's not a photo with the original Sophie. I don't have one, sorry!

2019 is one of those years which despite only being three months in to at the time of writing. Has started to make me feel a bit old and not part of the young, hip and trendy crew (although some would argue I have never been hip or trendy).

2019 marked me turning a quarter of a century old. Which is still young frankly. But when so many elements of your childhood have started to turn two decades old. It becomes a bit depressing. For example one of my favourite childhood songs, Keep on Moving by Five. That hit the charts in November 1999.

Other little things as well from around that time...like children all around the country being addicted to Sunny Delight. Ah, simpler times!

Also I seemed to have a collection of those rubbish mini roll safes which didn't actually do anything to stop people robbing them.

Not only that but so many elements of my regular CITV watching that I remember, all happened twenty years ago. Such as the relaunch of Art Attack as Art Attack Twice Weekly (Which lasted all of five minutes before going back to the old format).

As well as Zzzap! having a lick of paint and an addition of a new character Minnie the Mini Magician.

But what's even more scary, is two staple childhood shows of the Noughties. Both launched in 1999. One in September and the other November. Jungle Run and My Parents Are Aliens you could argue were some of the biggest kids TV shows in the UK during their time and are still fondly remembered. Both shows ended in 2006 but repeats continued for way longer.

Original Jungle Run host, Dominic Wood. Who presented
the first two series.

I'll have to try and some special posts about both shows over the course of the year. So far I have nothing planned. I'll at the very least, write in more detail, my memories of both.

Throwback Attack: The Podcast (Episode 6) - Nikky Smedley (Teletubbies)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 14:58:00 +0000

Or alternatively you can find the interview on Youtube.

Once again, it's interview time again. This one was actually recorded some time ago and I've only finally got round to uploading it. It's a chat with Nikky Smedley. Who worked with the fantastic Ragdoll Productions for 10 years. Most famously, playing Laa Laa in the original series of Teletubbies between 1997-2001. After that, she worked behind the scenes on the choreography and direction of Boobah and In The Night Garden.

Teletubbies I think is one of those shows that anyone of a certain age will remember watching. Even people who were parents at the time, will probably never forget the impact the show had. It became Ragdoll Productions most internationally successful show worldwide. I, for one. Remember really wanting a Tubby Custard Machine!

In the chat, we discuss her background in dancing and choreography and how she got the role in Teletubbies. Alongside how physically demanding playing Laa Laa was. With an update on her current activities.

Nikky Smedley (Laa Laa), Pui Fan Lee (Po),
Simon Shelton (Tinky Winky) and John Simmit (Dipsy)

Nikky's website can be found here and you can also follow her on Twitter.

Enjoy!

10 Lesser Remembered Retro Kids TV Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 22:06:00 +0000

One of the things I enjoy writing about are those old kids TV shows which are perhaps not as widely remembered as the likes of Art Attack, Fun House or Tots TV. The shows where you feel like you're the only person who saw them or remembers them.

Here is a list of 10 such shows for me. I plan to write a few of these lists eventually and write about most of the shows featured in more details. There are bound to be some online nostalgia enthusiasts out there, like me. Who do remember these shows. But I like to think these have been forgotten by the wider general public at least.

10. Crazy Cottage (CITV 1996-1998)

Barmy kids gameshow which ran for three series on CITV. Two teams of kids played games with a backwards or back to front gimmick in the various rooms of the Crazy Cottage. Presented at first by The Big Breakfast host Rick Adams and later by Jez Edwards. Who went on to present Saturday morning show Mashed.

9. It's a Mystery (CITV 1996-2002)

Nothing to do with Toyah Wilcox. Investigative show presented by Neil Buchanan and a range of different co-hosts. Which explored the world of paranormal and strange goings on. Trying to solve some of the UK's biggest mysteries. The show was renamed as Mystery for it's final series. With Steve Wilson and Shiarra Juthan taking over hosting duties.

8. Jamboree (CITV 1998-2000)

Pre-school educational programme presented by children's television legend Floella Benjamin and a series of Tweenies style characters called The Bopkins.

7. Insides Out (CBBC 1999-2000)

Gameshow centred around body parts and bodily functions. With tons of gunge thrown in for good measure. Presented by Mark Speight and Marsali Stewart alongside Otis The Aardvark.

6. Snug & Cozi (CITV 1996-1997)

Comedy slapstick series about two clumsy spacemen who accidentally crash land on earth and have to adapt to human life. Causing chaos wherever they go. Much to the annoyance of the people around them.

5. Beachcomber Bay (Milkshake 2001-2003)

Puppet series set on a boat (which always seemed to be in dry dock and never actually in the sea). Featuring Salty Dog, Sam the Seagull and Bertha (A cat). Alongside co-host Jenny played by Casey-Lee Jolleys.

4. Cats Eyes (CBBC 1994-1995. Repeated until 2003)

Part of BBC's educational schools programmes but often shown on CBBC in the mornings. You wouldn't think a back alley pizza shop would be the setting for a show about Science. Featuring cats Jimmy and Juke and pizza shop owner Alf. Played by Rowland Rivron.

3. Pump It Up (CITV 1999-2000)

Awesome gameshow centred around inflatables. Featuring a large assault course at the end. Oh and like every kids gameshow of the time. Lots of gunge had to be featured. Presented throughout by Andy Collins. Joined in the first series by Julia Bradbury and in the second by Fearne Cotton. The show only got two series. A shame.

2. Twister (CITV 2001)

Another gameshow! (I seemed to watch a lot of them). A show which was basically like Fun House but on a smaller budget (well it was the exact same production crew). Featuring gunge fueled games, a race around the studio on mini quad bikes and a race around a large play area. With lots of cheap looking weather CGI effects dubbed on during the games. Fronted by Nigel Mitchell.

1. Bug Alert! (GMTV Kids 1996-1997. Channel 4 2000)

Wonderfully surreal series about a group of "ugly bugs" that live inside someones kitchen and only come out then they are gone (Someone call Rentokil). Featured songs, makes, sketches, jokes. That kind of thing.

So there's ten lesser remembered kids TV shows from the 90's and 00's. I'll definitely compile a few more lists over time as there's tons more shows that I remember that could qualify. Watch this space!

Hard to find nostalgic oddities

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 18:18:00 +0000

One of the things I liked to do on this blog is take a retrospective look at children's television shows from my childhood which have fallen in to the realms of obscurity. The only problem is, there are occasionally shows out there which I first saw something like 20+ years ago and there's little to no footage or information out there on the internet.

There are two 90's CITV shows which fall in to this.

The first one is It's Not Fair. A CITV gameshow which ran for a single series in 1997. Shown in the middle of Saturday morning show Scratchy & Co. The fairground themed show was hosted by Mike McClean and co-hosts Candy & Floss. One of whom was portrayed by Andrea Green who would later go on to host continuity links on CITV in 2000.

My only real memory of this show featured the contestants doing some kind of assault course which I seem to remember involved going down a slide in to a ball pool.

The only footage available online at the time of writing is via the CITV 20th Anniversary Birthday Bash where a few short clips were shown.

The second being an even more obscure show is Energize. A sports themed children's gameshow which aired on CITV for one series in 1999. It's surprising that I watched this show as I have never really taken a keen interest in sport. It was presented by athlete Jamie Baulch and according to the UKGameshows.com article. Three teams compete in a range of challenges, such as an archery competition, as well as battling it out on the Energize Challenge Course.

The one vivid mental image I have of this show is at the the very end of each episode. Where the winning team would crack open a bottle of fizzy pop (in the same way a Formula 1 driver would with champagne) and proceed to spray it all over Jamie.

All that exists online is two low res images.

If you can help out with footage or memories of these shows. Let me know!

Throwback Attack:The Podcast (Episode 5) - Richard O'Brien

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 17:59:00 +0000

Or alternatively. Listen to the chat on Youtube.

The third and final interview I have related to The Crystal Maze. Seeing as it's Christmas, it has to be quite a special one I'm incredibly proud to present an interview with original maze master Richard O'Brien.

Richard is one of my heroes. Being a long time fan of both The Crystal Maze and The Rocky Horror Show. I never thought in a million years our paths will cross. But they have. I am incredibly lucky and never did I think when I started this blog earlier this year. Such a thing would happen.

But how did it happen? Well the whole idea of doing a series of Crystal Maze interviews never dawned on me after I interviewed David G. Croft. I thought that would be the only interview I'd ever get. With Richard being a native of New Zealand now and Ed Tudor-Pole known for being reluctant to talk about his time on the show.

But Richard was on my list of names of people I'd like to interview. I thought the idea of recording an overseas phone or skype call would be possible. So with the help of a friend, I acquired his agents details and sent off an email. I got a reply back within 48 hours. Richard was due to visit the UK later in the year I was told by his (incredibly helpful and polite. I have to say) agent and could I message back sooner to the time.

So about 3 months later. I emailed again. I explained who I was and what I was doing and that I am able to record a telephone conversation quite easily. The email response I got back, knocked me back and I had to re-read it a number of times to take it in. Richard had asked his agent to ask me if I'd like to do it IN PERSON at his hotel in London when he was back in the country for a few weeks.

I pretty much agreed to do it before even asking if I could have the time off work (I run this blog as a hobby). So three weeks later. I set off to London incredibly early in the morning. I arrived about two hours before the interview was due to take place. So I sat in a Wetherspoons and had breakfast while writing what I was going to ask him. I figured it would be nice to chat about his life and Rocky Horror as well as The Crystal Maze. I decided to write more questions about the latter as there are already several interviews with Richard purely about The Rocky Horror Show and very few about The Crystal Maze.

Half an hour before we're due to meet and the nerves start kicking in. I slowly walk to the hotel Richard was staying at. I turn up about ten minutes early. So stand outside a few minutes, pacing back and forth. I then enter the hotel. Just as I am asking the hotel receptionist for Richard. There he comes walking down the stairs. Smiling at everyone in the lobby. He walks straight past me (well he didn't know what I looked like) and begins looking around for me. I chase after him going "Richard! Richard!".

He turns around "Oh hello! Are you Jack?". "Yes I am" I respond. He shakes my hand and tells me to come upstairs and he takes me to a communal sitting room in the hotel. A very cosy one. Complete with big chairs and sofas. Old books on shelves and a big fire place. Richard tells me to make myself comfy. Asks if I want a drink and if I want the fire on. Being a bit lost for words that RICHARD O'BRIEN is bending over backwards for me. I respond "Erm.....tea please!".

This. Is. Surreal.

Richard runs off and a few minutes later returns with a hotel staff member to put the fire on for us both. Before we start the interview we make the usual small talk. Richard had landed in the UK the previous day and was still tired and jet lagged (he is also, as of 2018, 76 years of age!).

Actually by complete coincidence. Just before I arrived at the hotel. I walked past a chocolate shop which has a Rocky Horror inspired advert in the window (Halloween was coming up).

I decided to take a photo to show Richard. Which I did. He smiled and said his daughter had seen a similar thing in Brighton. A chocolate shop with chocolate statues of all the Rocky Horror characters!

Richard explained he was in the UK for a theatre play. Whether it was to be in it, or be a part in the production. He didn't say. I don't think he even said which play come to think of it and that there'd been a bit of a mix up and a theatre hadn't even been booked!

So I'm setting up my recording device (a Tascam which I had bought especially for this) and decide to set my mobile phone to record too. Just as a back up. I start my phone recording and Richard responds "Oh, I don't like that". I ask him what he meant. He didn't like seeing the recording timer on my phone counting up. "When you get to my age, you don't want to see time passing like that". A fair point. So I turn the phones screen off.

So I start recording and we start chatting. About 10 minutes in to the chat. A staff member appears with the tea I had asked for and sets it on the table. Richard asks if I'd like to pause so I could drink it and remarks "Oh, how lovely, they've event brought you a little cake!".

So after a few quick sips of tea. I start recording again. In fact, I recorded this chat in three blocks. Just in case any part were to screw up in the recording process. I'd rather part of it be screwed than the whole thing. We must have chatted for well over an hour.

Once we'd finished. I asked Richard if he wouldn't mind signing some things for me. Which he happily agreed too. I had brought with me. An original Crystal Maze book called Crystal Maze Challenge. He signed that for me. As he was signing the book he looked at the photos of himself on the Crystal Maze set and said to me "You know, I was 50 when I did that! I could still run faster than the contestants!" We also had a photo together. Admittedly I'm not a great selfie taker.

After that. He left a tip for the staff member who brought the tea. Going through a handful of coins, he remarks to me "What coins that? Is it tuppence? They've changed the design!".

After that, he kisses the back of my hand and we say goodbye to each other and with that he was gone. Very quickly, some hotel guests appeared wanting to use the seating area we had been sat at. So I very hurriedly packed my things and left. Checking my bag constantly that my Tascam was definitely in there.

I actually almost went straight home. Apart from popping in to a Forbidden Planet store. Where I spent a good 10 minutes walking around. Not even taking in what I'm looking at as it hits me that I've just interviewed a living legend. Responsible for writing one of the most successful musicals in the world and presenting a cult game show which has remained a favourite for almost 30 years. After that, I headed home.

So what was Richard like in person? They often say "Never meet your heroes, you'll be disappointed". In this case, that is so far from the truth. Richard comes across as nothing but charming. He didn't have to make that much time for me. Especially with the severe jet lag he was probably going through at the time. But he did. Despite being someone who had enjoyed some big successes in his life and is regarded as something of a national treasure. None of that has gone to his head and he comes across as very humble and told me a few times he's incredibly lucky to be where he is. I didn't see the Richard O'Brien known for his flamboyance and extrovert nature that day. I saw a different side to him. A quiet, shy and gentle man. Who reflected with great nostalgia and a warm smile. His life and extraordinary career which he felt he'd just stumbled in to.

It's a day I'll never forget.

Thank you Richard and thank you to his agent Helen too!

Throwback Attack: The Podcast (Episode 4) - David G. Croft

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 18:00:00 +0000

Alternatively. You can listen to the chat on Youtube.

Following on from my chat with former Crystal Maze contestant Bob Lishman. Which can be found here. The second interview I have is a chat with David G. Croft.

Image Credit - David G. Croft

David worked on the original series of The Crystal Maze for the whole six series run. Being responsible for co-creating it and creating some of the games for the show. As well as directing the first two series. Producing Series 3 and 4. Before being both the director and producer for Series 5 and 6.

In this chat. We discuss how The Crystal Maze format was devised. Why Richard O'Brien and Ed Tudor-Pole were chosen to present. The process of how the show was filmed as well as discussing those infamous Christmas tapes which have been leaked on to Youtube.

David G. Croft has an impressive list of credits to his name. From working on the original Live Aid concert as well as Top of the Pops and Shooting Stars. He is now the Head of Television at the Nation Film and Television School. His website can be found here.

The Crystal Maze (Original Series) - A Contestants Story

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 20:08:00 +0000

Well as part of my month of Crystal Maze related content. I'm proud to announce a Q&A with someone who was very lucky to be a contestant on the original Crystal Maze back in 1995!

Back in the early 00's. Being the avid Crystal Maze fan I was from a young age. I remember looking online for any content. These days, there's numerous websites, fan sites, social media groups and Youtube uploads. But back then there was very little. There was Wikipedia, the UKgameshows article and this website. Created by a former contestant called Bob Lishman.

The site was created in the late 90's and contained Bob's story of being on the show as well as clips from his episode. Bob was a contestant during the sixth and final series presented by second maze master Ed Tudor-Pole. His other team members were Simon Halstead, Kate Prior, Heather Walling, Neil Watson and Tracey Hinks.

While looking for a former contestant to interview. I came across Bob's website again. Still in it's 90's design glory. So I dropped Bob an email and he kindly agreed to a chat!

What inspired you to apply for The Crystal Maze?

I'd watched the show from the very beginning as I'm a big fan of puzzles. I used to own a pub and we would have the show on the TV in the bar every Thursday evening. I was always shouting at the telly during the shows and making comments to my customers about how bad some of the contestants were. One night a customer said to me "If you think you could do better, why don't you go on the show?". I thought about it overnight and the next morning when I opened the pub I decided to ring Channel 4 and ask them how I could apply to be on the show.

What was the application process like?

Much more difficult then I imagined. First off they sent an application form which was 6 x A4 pages full of questions. That was filled in and sent off and then I got a letter inviting me to an audition at a hotel in Manchester. They auditioned us in groups of 6 and it started by each of us having to stand up and talk about ourselves for 3 minutes. After that, we were then asked to play games as though we were on the show. One person had to complete the puzzle/game (they were all table top games/puzzles, no running around!) whilst the other five people shouted help and encouragement. After the last game were then told the auditions were over and that they would write to us to let us know if we had been successful.

What was your reaction when you were selected? Did you tell anyone?

Actually, they rang me. At the time I was staying with friends in Spain on holiday so the phone call was a complete shock. I was on my own at the time and I remember physically jumping around the flat with excitement! When my friends returned I immediately told them but, being Spanish, they didn't really understand what the show was about or why I was so excited. When I got back to the UK and my pub I told everyone there and they were almost as excited as I was.

You mention on your website that the night before filming. You had dinner with your group and Ed Tudor-Pole. What was that like?

Well, it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I was told to be at the hotel by 7pm and that I would be having dinner with the other people selected for our episode but it wasn't until we arrived that we found out Ed would be joining us. We were joined by Elaine, the researcher who had held the auditions in Manchester. As far as the meal went, well, Ed is quite a character. He's a bit "off the wall" to say the least but in reality, we, the contestants, all spent most of the night getting to know each other rather than Ed. Elaine was delightful and at the end of the meal announced that she had chosen who was going to be captain and vice-captain. Being the oldest person there (I was 39) I assumed that I would be captain and so, being honest, I was a bit miffed when Elaine said Tracey was going to be captain and that Neil was going to be vice-captain.

I actually went to bed that night in a bit of a mood. However, once we started filming I was really pleased not to be chosen as it meant I could just enjoy the games and not have to worry about remembering who had to play which games.

What was one difference between what you saw filming and the final edited show which surprised you?

The amount of time spent NOT filming. The show was filmed in very short bursts. It wasn't played in real time. They only had two cameras and so the director was forever shouting "cut" and were whisked off to the green room whilst they repositioned the cameras and then brought back and put back "in place" (using polaroid photos taken at the time the director shouted "cut") and then we'd film again for another few minutes. It was also a surprise to play the games a second time on the following day so they could get the "cut-away" shots to be edited in to the final show. I hadn't realised the show was filmed over two days.

Was the set impressive to see for real?

And then some. The set is the real star of the show. It was exactly as shown in the on screen graphics during the show, even with the dome being in the the centre of the set.

One big surprise was also how it smelt. The Ocean Zone was decorated with REAL seaweed which had been there for over a year when we filmed. And it smelt quite bad.

Which zone did you like the most?

The Aztec Zone was the best with all that sand and, of course, the river. Although the stone was actually made of polystyrene it looked very real, even close up. The wall was fun to climb and the game rooms were just wonderful.

Now from watching your episode. I know you did very well at the games you played. But could you tell us which games you played and how well you did?

Well, I played a total of three games. My first game was a skill game in the Aztec Zone and was basically a maze with a crystal inside it and it had a single exit point. I had to manoeuvre the crystal with a wooden pole and use two moveable wooden blocks as well to get the crystal to the exit point. I actually realised very early on in the game how to do it and so although it was a two minute game I managed to get the crystal and get out with half a minute to spare.

My second crystal was in the Medieval Zone where I had to release a giant ring from a rope woven in to a wall, it was a variation of a Chinese ring and rope puzzle so I had an idea how to do it. Having said that, the ring (and rope) was very large, about 1 meter in diameter, so it was more of a physical challenge then the mental challenge it was supposed to be. It was a two and a half minute game which I managed to do with 40 seconds to spare.

The last game I played was in the Future Zone. I had a grabbing style fishing rod and had to manipulate the crystal through another case of bars. It was almost impossible to see the crystal and after trying for almost three minutes I managed to escape the game but without the crystal. In fact, that game was never won by anyone during the whole of season 6.

What was The Crystal Dome like? Could you see or hear things very well?

It was a lot smaller than I imagined it would be from seeing it on TV but it's not really that big once you're inside.

The fans are so noisy that once they start you can't hear anything. We were told before filming started that we wouldn't be able to hear the conch (Which was blown by Ed at the very start of the episode) or final whistle and to watch the floor manager who would give us a visible signal. In fact, the starting conch noise was added on during the editing.

What was Ed Tudor-Pole Like?

Well, I think the best word to describe him is "eccentric". He's just as strange off-screen as he is on-screen, which we discovered during the meal. He's an "odd bod" to say the least!

Did anything amusing happen on set that didn't make it in to the final programme?

Yes. Neil actually actually broke the boat that he had to row during his game in the Ocean Zone.

Neil was very "enthusiastic" when rowing the boat and had ignored the directors instructions on how and when to row the boat and the boat's mechanism actually broke because of this. Filming was stopped and it was decided that he wasn't going to be able to win the crystal even if the boat hadn't broke and so, with the agreement of the team, the director decided to restart filming with Neil abandoning the game and to re-shoot the last part of the game the following day, showing him failing the task but without actually breaking the boat. This meant we could continue filming the rest of the show without having to wait for the boat to be repaired.

Did you get on well with your team?

Yes, we all got on extremely well. I guess we were very lucky we "gelled" almost immediately during the evening meal. The fact that we were all Crystal Maze fanatics really showed through and we had a great time. We all realised right from the beginning that we needed to help each other if we were to stand any chance of winning the prize but it actually become more than that. Because there were so many pauses in filming meant that we spent a lot of time in the green room where we talked tactics on how to win our crystals and beat the dome.

Have you remained in contact with any of your team?

Yes, very much so. 24 years after filming, five of us are in touch via Facebook on a regular basis. Unfortunately, before Facebook came along we lost touch with Simon and even though we've tried to find him he seems to have decided to be "off grid" and we haven't been able to contact him.

It's been great to watch the younger team members grow up, get married and have children. They all feel like an extended family and we've shared some highs - as well as lows - during the last 20 odd years.

Your team was one of the lucky few to win (I have to say get the over 100 gold tokens total in 35 seconds is impressive). Ed mentions your prize as being a trip to Cyprus. Did the six of you really go there?

Yes we did. We went the following April, before the show aired and it was great to have the team together again after almost six months after filming. We did all the things they said we would on the show and although it was only a few days it was great fun. We even had it videoed and I still have my copy of the holiday video, albeit on VHS!

When the show aired. Did you get recognised a lot after?

Yes, which was a big surprise to me. I remember walking around my local shopping centre and people (mostly kids) coming and asking if I was the guy "off The Crystal Maze". It has always remained a mystery to me that this happened. I knew the show was popular but I didn't expect strangers to approach me.

Did you keep any souvenirs from the show?

Well, don't tell anyone but yes, we did "borrow" a few tokens from the dome.

Do you still own your "I Cracked The Crystal Maze" commemorative Crystal?

It was stolen in a burglary at my house in the UK years ago. The box it came in was not the same as the one you saw on the show which was transparent. The box we received was solid blue and looked very much like a watch case which I guess the burglar(s) thought it was. I was gutted at losing it and asked my insurance company if they would replace it and they agreed to. However, as many years passed since the show finished, when I contacted Channel 4 and Chatsworth TV and finally the jewelers who made them. I was told that the moulds used to make the crystals had been destroyed and there was no way they could make a new one. Very sad but hey, what can you do?

Do you still tell people you appeared on the show? Does it make a good conversation starter?

With the shows revival it has become a talking point so yes, if it comes in to conversation then I tell them. I never start a conversation with it because I realise not everyone is a Crystal Maze fanatic like me, but if someone else starts talking about it then yes. I tell them and they are always fascinated to hear the story of how I got on to the show and how the show is made.

With the show being rerun constantly on Challenge TV. Do people still like to tell you your episode is on?

That used to happen when Challenge first started showing them. It doesn't really happen anymore because they have been rerun so many times since. Our episode has been shown several times a year for almost 20 years so the novelty has worn off for most of our friends. However with the new Crystal Maze Youtube channel being launched - and our episode being uploaded to it - I have received a few messages recently. My old website has also been re-uploaded (although I've not updated it since 2001) but it's there for people to see and gets a few visits a week thanks to a link on Wikipedia. If anyone wants to see it they can find it at www.boblishman.com. It's there more as an archive than anything else. People can also see our episode on Youtube.

Thanks Bob!

The Crystal Maze (Original Series)

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 18:40:00 +0000

Ah The Crystal Maze. A show I have been a huge fanatic of for as long as I can remember. Everyone that has entered my life has been subjected to a conversation about it at some point. My long suffering parents have had to sit through the show numerous times. I've probably seen every episode more than once.

Why do I love the show so much? Well...it's bloody brilliant!

I'm not entirely sure when I first saw it. I was born when the show was airing on Channel 4. So I'm one of those that first saw it via the Challenge reruns from the late 90's on wards. It was definitely from around the age of 4 or 5.

To be honest, if you are reading this. You'll know what happens in the show. But I'll give a short run down...

The Crystal Maze is an adventure game show which was aired on Channel 4 and produced by Chatsworth Television, who also produced the likes of Treasure Hunt and Interceptor. The original series ran for six series between 1990 and 1995.

The first four series were presented by Richard O'Brien (of The Rocky Horror Show fame) and the final two by Ed Tudor-Pole (the former front man of 80's band Tenpole Tudor).

The show has recently been revived with a one off special presented by Stephen Merchant in 2016. Followed by a full series hosted by Richard Ayoade from 2017 onwards.

A team of six strangers (or five friends in the revival) were guided around four themed worlds (or zones) around the maze.

There was Aztec, complete with sand, totem poles, jungle and Aztec carvings.

Industrial (Series 1-3 and revival only) an abandoned factory with lots of corrugated metal, oil drums and machinery everywhere.

Medieval , pretty much what it says on the tin. The inside of a medieval castle. With flaming torches lining the walls and a portcullis.

Futuristic, the inside of a space station. Complete with talking computer.

and my favourite, Ocean (Series 4-6 of the original only). An abandoned early 20th century ocean liner called the SS Atlantis which had sank but was trapped inside an air bubble.

Individual members of the team played a timed game inside cells lining each zone. While the others stood outside giving "advice" although most of the time it was usually unhelpful. A successful completion of a task rewarded them with a crystal. Failure to leave the cell before the time ran out resulted in the contestant being locked in and forfeiting an already won crystal was the only way to release prisoners.

Each crystal was worth 5 seconds in the final crystal dome task. Where inside the dome, fans blew gold and silver tokens about which the team would have to grab and post inside a letter box.

Gold ones added to the total. Silver subtracted. They needed a score of 100 or more gold tokens to win the prize which was normally an action adventure weekend of some sort.

So that is the basic premise. If you want a better idea. There's plenty of episodes on Youtube.

So what made the show so amazing and stand out from the rest? Well, let's take a look at the key elements of this cult classic.

First off, let's start with the set. The sheer scale and attention the detail is incredible. Both the original and revival sets were designed by James Dillon. The massive set was housed for it's first series at Shepperton Film studios and for the other five series inside an aircraft hangar in North Weald, Essex.

The Maze Map (Series 4-6)

The extra added details made it that much better too. Such as the Aztec river and the hydraulic lift used in Futuristic. As well as the soundscapes used in each set. Such as the whirring of Futuristic, the jungle noises of Aztec and the gushing water in Ocean.

Just to give you an idea of how vast and costly the set was. According to the book Crystal Maze Challenge released in 1992...

The Aztec Zone contained 22 tons of sand and a mixture of real and artificial plants.

The whole set contained 40,000 litres of water (and this book was released before Ocean Zone was built so I imagine that amount increased!)

Around 50 people were involved in construction of the set.

It cost over half a million pounds to build.

It was the size of a football pitch.

The amount of video tape used in each series was almost 100,000 meters.

The whole set used the same amount of electricity per series as the average house hold would use in 50 years.

and what you have to remember is, this was a set for a TV gameshow and not a hollywood film!

Also, for anyone wondering. The original set really was all connected and the dome really did sit in the centre. Exactly as shown on the maze map.

The next thing we have to mention on why the show is so awesome is the games. 50 new games were featured in each series. Which ranged to the simple but clever to the downright harshly difficult. Including the dreaded automatic lock in games. Now there were so many games over the six series. I'm not going to mention every single one. But I will mention my favourites.

1. The Crystal Appears At Midnight - Series 4, Futuristic

The contestant had to attach rubber belts to a series of wheels and then cycle backwards to turn the hands on a giant clock until it reached midnight. Many people pedalled the bike the wrong way, moving the hands further from midnight. Much to the frustration of everyone.

2. Dynamite - Series 5, Ocean

One of my favourite games from Ocean as it was such a simple idea. Yet it was only won twice out of the five times it was played. The contestant had to transport a lighted candle underwater. Using a bell jar placed over it to trap enough oxygen to carry the flame underwater to the other side of the cell. Where it would be used to light a stick of dynamite attached to a treasure chest.

3. Crystal Bank - Series 5, Futuristic

The contestant would have to enter a pin number in to the computer to correctly. To find out what the code was. They had to swipe giant credit cards where a recorded message would read out a clue to one of the digits. But the cards had to be swiped at the correct pace otherwise the message would come out garbled. Which often lead to quite amusing moments where the message came out sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks were reading them out.

4. Wind The Capstan - Series 3, Medieval

The contestant would enter the cell which lead to another room containing the crystal sitting unprotected on an easily reachable shelf. Taking the crystal resulted in a portcullis coming down and trapping the contestant inside. To get out. They had to put together a series of cogs and a capstan and wind the rope around it to pull the portcullis back up again.

5. Ring The Doorbell - Series 2, Industrial

The contestant had to wire up a giant battery correctly which was attached to a large doorbell and then ring it.

6. Crystal Credits - Series 6, Futuristic

This game was so difficult it was only won once the entire series it was featured. The contestant had to crawl around a 3D maze which had 3 levels to it. Dotted around were power packs with various numerical values on them. Once a pack was removed the numerical amount would start decreasing with each second until it was plugged back in at the collection point at the bottom of the maze. The contestant needed the collected power packs to equal 100 or more to obtain the crystal.

7. Lighthouse - Series 6, Ocean

The cell room featured a large pool of water. A lighthouse at one end, a generator at the other and a row boat between the two. The contestant would pull a lever, releasing the boat down a track in to the pool and crank the generator until the lighthouse turned on. A small hatch would also open at the bottom revealing the crystal. They then had to row back before the generator powered down, switching the lighthouse off and causing the crystal hatch to close.

Next we have to talk about the EPIC theme tune. I mean if you haven't heard it...why are you reading this? It's a theme tune that screams action, adventure, suspense, jeopardy and mystery. Which is basically The Crystal Maze in a nutshell. The theme tune actually has a name too. It's called Forcefield by Zack Laurence. You can listen to it here.

One thing that I liked about original Crystal Maze is it was a show which never had celebrities on it. Well, the revival does (sadly). But Crystal Maze in the 90's. Never ever did. Instead, at Christmas, it gave children the chance to take on the maze. Who often did better than the adult contestants. One notable child contestant is a then 15 year old Michael Underwood.

Who went on the present Jungle Run which appeared to borrow a lot from The Crystal Maze.

There's also the fact that the show is pretty well known for it's abundance of inept contestants. Which had us all screaming at the Television with frustration. There were several moments of blunders which have since become viral videos on Youtube. In fact here's a compilation of them.

So finally, the final key to why The Crystal Maze is so legendary is the presenters. Now the first person people think of when mentioning the show is of course Richard O'Brien who presented the first four series of the show. One of the genius decisions of Chatsworth Television, Malcolm Heyworth and David G. Croft was not to have a known face or a TV presenter to host it. To add an air of mystery and fantasy to the show. Richard was by trade, an actor. Best known for writing The Rocky Horror Show and performing in the original stage version and film as Riff Raff.

Richard is known for his eccentric demeanor and he took to The Crystal Maze naturally and audiences loved his dry humour and sarcastic remarks as contestants failed at winning crystals.As well as his outlandish wardrobe and his harmonica playing during games or "excitement music" as he called it! It was also Richard who was responsible for inventing up the stories and asides to camera during the games. Which were totally ad libbed at first. Before being written in the the show, with more elaborate story lines being invented up. During games, Richard did all sorts to distract proceedings and inject humour. From playing guitar and piano and singing. To playing pinball and Scalextric (in the Medieval zone, no less!).

One of my favourites being Richard telling the contestants he's suffering a hangover after a wild party with his Mumsey held in The Ocean Zone! Cue the contestants entering said zone to find it trashed, covered with streamers and balloons.

Talking of Mumsey, that was another genius idea of Richard's. One game in the first series featured contestants answering riddles set by a fortune teller character played by Sandra Caron. Richard decided to call her Mumsey for a joke and it stuck. She ended up staying for the four series with Richard too. Richard has since stated that he received thousands of letters each year from children who believed him and Mumsey lived at the maze and brewed the crystals up themselves!

For some reason. Mumsey didn't appear in Series 3 as she was apparently touring America. So Richard's Auntie Sabrina took over the riddles game (also played by Sandra Caron). Mumsey would return for Series 4.

Richard decided to concentrate on his acting career and left after the fourth series. A great storyline was invented where Richard and Mumsey rode out of the maze on a Harley Davidson. So Mumsey can be closer to Dwayne. A hippy she fell in love with during her America trip.

Along came the second maze master, Edward Tudor Pole (but you can call him Ed!).

Ed was another inspired choice for the maze role. Also an actor and a musician and stark raving mad.

Now a number of Crystal Maze fans are not keen on Ed's tenure on the show. I totally understand no one could fill the shoes of Richard O'Brien. But I don't think Ed did a bad job. He kept the fast pace of the show going. Added his own flair to proceedings and I have to say I love his costume! It's fab!

One of my favourite gags during the Ed years. Is one in the final series. During a game, Ed spots a early 20th century wind up mini film viewer (I'm sure there's a proper term for them) and proceeds to watch the grainy black and white film. Starring someone who looks familiar...

Also, for anyone not keen to watch those final two series. I have to say the Ed years had some of the best games. In fact, part of me wishes The Crystal Maze ran for another series or two. The sixth and final series has some wonderfully elaborate games.

The show ended on Channel 4 in August 1995. But the show has remained a favourite in the UK ever since. Thanks in part to it never being off the telly as Challenge TV have ran them repeatedly since the late 1990's.

But the idea of the show ever coming back seemed like a dream that would never happen as the sheer cost of building the set all over again would be incredibly costly. Especially in a multi channel TV world with smaller budgets.

But some crazy guys at Little Lion Entertainment decided one day to start a crowdfunder to build a live Crystal Maze experience for people to play. They wanted £500,000. They ended up with almost £1,000,000 in a matter of weeks. Two have since opened. One in London and one in the UK.

Off the back of this, Channel 4 did a one off special of The Crystal Maze in 2016 for Stand Up To Cancer with Stephen Merchant (in Richard O'Brien mode) presenting and actually did a great job.

This one off special was so successful. Channel 4 announced in 2017. They were bringing the maze back properly for a full series. With a new set being built at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol. I for one, was overjoyed.

I am glad The Crystal Maze is back for a new generation to enjoy. It also means I can see some new games instead of the old ones over and over and some great merchandise has come out off the back of it. But I do have a few niggles. The set is much smaller and has no real zone transitions. Teams are now friends and not strangers, so no there's no jeopardy of people being locked in. Less games are played and there's more padding. Plus The Industrial Zone has been brought back, my least favourite zone. Plus I'm not sure on the choosing of Richard Ayoade to present. I totally get why he was picked. There's an air of mystery to him, he's a bit off the wall. But he's a known personality. He is pretty much Moss from The IT Crowd in everything. He also has a habit of repeating the same jokes. "You'll look different in a moment, this is due to editing" is mildly amusing once. But not three times each show and finally...WHY DOES THERE NEED TO BE SO MANY CELEBRITY SPECIALS!?

But like I said. I am happy to see it back despite the long list of niggles. New people can get in to it. But at the same time, I hope they also see some of the original series. I'm also hoping to get the new Crystal Maze board game for Christmas!

Long may the legacy of The Crystal Maze continue!

Well, up next on the blog. Expect a few exciting interviews all relating to The Crystal Maze. Coming up over the next few weeks.

My Day At Birmingham Comic Con

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 22:09:00 +0000

I had an enjoyable day at Birmingham Comic Con on Saturday 24th November. It was my second time of attending the event held at the NEC.

If you've never been to a comic con. No matter where in the country or the world. I'd fully recommend it. It's an enjoyable day out for all ages. Not just for nerds and comic lovers. You get people dressed up as characters from literally anything TV, Film and Comic related.

This year, I decided to go as something a bit different and nostalgia related. I had the bright idea of going as Neil Buchanan in full Art Attack mode!

This was actually a fairly easy cosplay as I already owned an Art Attack jumper for the last three years. It's had a few outings at 90's themed events. I bought it off Ebay for about £20.

I decided to build a giant Art prop like the ones seen in the amazing Art Attack set. I settled on a pencil. Which I made in the traditional Art Attack way by using a cardboard tube, cereal box card for the cone, paper mache, PVA glue and poster paint. It took me about three days to complete due to it needing a few coats of paint.

The day before comic con. I posted a photo of my outfit to a Birmingham Comic Con group which currently has over 8,000 members. I was amazed and incredibly humbled at it receiving over 180 likes and numerous people commenting on it.

Some of which referring to me "amazing" and a "legend". Admittedly, I'm not a guy with much confidence who is used to compliments. So from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who liked and commented. Thank you!

So all that made me very excited for the day. I traveled to the NEC by train with my friend who was going as Doctor Strange (and it was a fine costume I have to say!).

Even while asking for train information I was greeted by the information man with "Hello Neil".

Arriving at the NEC. Your eyes are met with thousands of people from all walks of life. Dressed as their favourite characters and heroes. It's such great fun. All you feel the entire time there is a positive atmosphere. It doesn't matter if your costume is thrown together last minute under a budget. Or prepared over months and costing a lot of money. Everyone looks fantastic and a lot of love and appreciation is shared.

My day at comic con was an enjoyable one. I will admit to secretly enjoying the whispers of "Art Attack" and "Neil" as I walked through the stalls and the people tapping their friends and partners shoulders as they looked at me. Spoke to some lovely people who shared their memories of Art Attack and I posed for photographs which is always fun. A few people said to me I was the first Neil Buchanan cosplay they'd seen at a comic con. So that was nice.

Here's a few photos from the day.

And this one has to be my all time favourite from the day. With Deadpool as Bob Ross. Featuring @Deadpool_Guys

I'll definitely attend comic con in the future. The Art Attack outfit will have to be featured again sometime but it has inspired me to do some other 90's/00's nostalgia related cosplays in future as well.

With the reaction I've had. It got me thinking. The real Neil Buchanan should really do comic con meet and greets. I imagine it would get a very positive reaction.

Isobel Middleton's Memories of Monster Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 16:53:00 +0000

Calling all monsteeeerrrrrsssss!

Well the interviews are coming thick and fast. Not too long ago I wrote about my memories of Monster Cafe. While researching the article I noticed Isobel Middleton who played Frankie was on Twitter. So when I published the blog piece I decided to forward it to her.

Isobel as Frankie (centre) on Monster Cafe

I'm delighted that Isobel loved it and we ended up exchanging a few messages and I had the brainwave of asking if she'd be up for answering a few questions about the show. Which she kindly agreed to.

Prior to Monster Cafe. What acting roles had you taken part in? Had you always wanted to get in to acting?

I had been working as an actor for about 5 years before Monster cafe came along - a mixture of TV and theatre. I had wanted to be an actor since I was young - ever since I discovered it was an actual job you could do! - although I was quite keen on archaeology for a while but (fortunately?!) didn’t get the A Level grades I needed to do it at uni so I did Drama and Theatre Arts instead!

How did the Monster Cafe role come about?

I auditioned for the role in a group session with both David and Toby and it must have worked as we all got cast together! I remember us having to improvise some comedic scene which involved a lot of prat falls and physical theatre! Toby had trained at the Lecoq school so was a master at it. David and I just channelled our inner idiots!

The show was very crazy. Was it good fun to make?

It was brilliant fun to make. We had two weeks rehearsal for each episode, before we shot it in studio, and we were able to improvise and embellish the scripts a great deal. It really was an ensemble production with everyone contributing, from props to make up to music, and it was so silly that we all had a blast.

Can you remember any funny on set moments?

There were lots of funny moments on set - too numerous to mention - although the day they brought a real cow in for me to milk so that Frankie and Igor could make pancakes was a highlight! She was called Pearl. I had never milked a cow before. Say no more…

Where was the show filmed?

We rehearsed at the old BBC rehearsal studios at North Acton and filmed at the old BBC Television Centre - next door to Blue Peter!

What did you think of Frankie's costume?

I loved Frankie’s costume! It evolved over the two series, becoming a bit more Tank Girl in Series 2. The art department made me a fabulous little chest computer which spewed out paper so that I could tot up the takings! The make-up took a while, the costume was hot and the wig was itchy but I thought Frankie looked the business

Did you get on well with the other cast members? Do you still keep in touch?

I adored all the cast, crew and directors etc. They were a genuinely lovely bunch and we all kept in touch for quite a while. Over time we have all moved, changed directions, lost touch but I am always interested to hear what everyone’s up to and have no doubt that if we were to bump into each other again, we’d pick up where we left off.

Do you have a favourite episode?

Favourite episode would have to be the one where we hide the baby from the Baroness. Just really, really silly and very sweet.

The show was repeated a few times after it ended. Despite being more of a comedy show. Were you aware they once attempted to repeat the show on Cbeebies but had to stop. Due to it scaring younger viewers?

I knew it had been repeated but not that it was considered too scary to show! That sounds a bit daft! It was just a load of actors running around in glittery capes with tights on their heads doing stupid things! I knew it was very popular with students who liked to watch it after a night on the lash! Occasionally I meet someone who tells me they had a bit of *a thing* for Frankie which amuses me greatly. She was half machine, you know…I wonder which half they had the *thing* for…..??

You've acted in many TV shows since. Apart from Monster Cafe. Do you have a favourite? (I remember you in Cracker!)

In the years since Monster Cafe I have continued to work in TV, theatre and radio. You name it, I’ve probably been in it somewhere along the line. You may be surprised to hear that I was also Helen’s defence barrister, Anna Tregorran, in The Archers, during the infamous trial after the stabbing of her creepy husband, Rob Titchenor. Does she look a little bit like Frankie? I’ll leave you to decide….Rummy Rummy Rummy…. ;)

Thanks Isobel! You can follow her on Twitter.

Throwback Attack: The Podcast (Episode 3) - Fred Dinenage

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 18:08:00 +0000

Alternatively. You can find the chat on Youtube.

So following on from my interview with former How 2 presenter Gareth Jones which can be found here. I am pleased to present a chat with Fred Dinenage!

Not only did Fred present How 2 alongside Gareth for the 16 year run. He was also part of the original How programme. Presenting the show alongside Jack Hargreaves, Bunty James and Jon Miller between 1966-1981. So in total, Fred presented both shows for a combined 31 years!

Aside from that. Fred presents the local news in the South East of the UK for the Meridian region (Formerly Southern Television and TVS) and also crime series Murder Casebook.

This was an interview I never thought would happen so I was delighted when Fred responded to my email and agreed to a chat. He comes across as just as warm as friendly as he does on television.

In this chat we discuss both How programmes and his memories. As well as his news career, including his time meeting the notorious Kray Twins. Enjoy!

Throwback Attack: The Podcast (Episode 2) - Gareth Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 17:27:00 +0000

Alternatively you can find the interview on Youtube.

It's interview time once again and I'm very proud to announce that it's a chat with none other than Gareth Jones.

Gareth of course, was a familiar face on children's television for some 20 years or so. Starting off presenting Saturday morning show Get Fresh under the name Gaz Top before reverting to his real name and co-presenting How 2 for 16 years. In between that he also presented CITV science show The Big Bang alongside his partner Violet Berlin and educational show Megamaths for the BBC.

I have to say this chat was nothing short of wonderful. I had grown up watching Gareth and to be speaking with him was a surreal experience. The interview runs for a whopping 90 minutes but we actually ended up chatting for two hours. It was like two old mates chatting. I can't thank Gareth enough for going above and beyond for me and devoting that much of his free time.

Special thanks to Andy at WCR FM for allowing me use of the studios to record this.

You can also follow Gareth via his Twitter.

It's also thanks to Gareth's help that I was able to do the next interview which is to be featured on my blog and that will be featured in the next post.

How 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Mon, 05 Nov 2018 21:22:00 +0000

So, you've finished school. You've had a full day of education. All you want to do is sit in front of the telly and zone out. The last thing you want is to be shown more educational stuff, right?

Well How 2 was so popular on CITV. It ran for 16 years! The only other CITV show I can think of that ran longer is Art Attack. So that's no mean feat!

How 2 was an educational show presented throughout by the awesome duo of Fred Dinenage and Gareth Jones.

Over the years different female presenters also co-presented with the pair. First off, Carol Vorderman of Countdown fame who stayed on the show for the first six years between 1990-1996.

Siân Lloyd and Gail Porter joined the team for one series each in 1997 and 1999 respectively (There was no series in 1998, just a best of compilation called How Goes 2).

Before Brilliant Creatures presenter Gail McKenna became a mainstay on the show for the last six years until the show ended in 2006.

I should point out at this stage that the reason it was called How 2 is because it was a revival of the popular ITV show How. It was exactly the same format to How 2 and ran from 1966-1981. It was presented by Jack Hargreaves, Bunty James, Jon Miller and Fred Dinenage himself. So that means Fred presented How and How 2 for a combined total of 31 years!

The show taught you interesting facts about everything from science, engineering, technology, art and history. All posing questions beginning with the word "How..." such as.

"How can crisps keep you warm?"

"How can you tell where someone comes from. From the shape of their ears?"

"How can you hang a picture with a fork?"

Oh and we can't forget the fact that in both versions of the show. Each episode began with the team doing the How hand signal!

Those three questions and many others were all answered on the show. Featuring fun demonstrations. Often with large oversized props.

Also there were little table top games and tricks you could do at home with your friends. I'm still no good at balancing a spoon on my nose though.

This was before the days of being able to research anything via the internet or on Youtube. How 2 was an encyclopaedia for children on television and certainly presented in way where you remember the information because it's taught with very fun and visually exciting methods.

If you would like to learn more about the show. May I recommend the excellent 30 Years of CITV documentary which aired in 2013. It's pretty easy to find on Youtube and part of the show features a look back at How 2 with Fred and Gareth sharing their memories. It's actually my favourite part of the whole documentary. You can tell how massively proud they are of what they achieved and so they should be. Countless children, including myself. Absolutely loved watching that show and remember it fondly.

Childhood heroes. Both of them.

There's actually an interesting point that Gareth makes in the documentary. "Fred Dinenage is the single reason that How 2 was so successful and ran for 16 years". Although I feel there's a few other reasons. I get what Gareth means. Fred Dinenage is one of those underrated national treasures. He just comes across as warm and friendly. He's just got a way about him that when he's explaining a How to you. You listen carefully and intently. His long career in television is very well deserved. At the time of writing this, Fred is still presenting local news in the ITV Meridian region. Something he has been doing for over 50 years.

Plenty of episodes are on Youtube to watch back. Here's one from the Carol Vorderman era and one from the Gail McKenna era

Personally, I believe the show should be brought back. It's been successful twice, surely it can be a third time? For a whole new generation of kids. It would make sense now we live in a world with more technology than ever before. That's how for now... but hopefully not forever.

Coming up next on the blog. Some exciting interviews!

Monster Café

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:12:00 +0000

It's Halloween so time to remember something aptly spooky.

"Monsters!
we're heavy and we're hungry,
monsters!
we're coming your way,
monsters,
we're stamping and a stomping,
and a moving and a grooving,
and a moaning and a groaning,
and you'll find us at the Monster Cafè!"

I bloody love that theme tune.

Monster Café children's comedy series that aired on CBBC in the mid 1990's. About the adventures of a group of spooky misfits who run a cafe especially for monsters, ghosts and ghouls. Serving the likes of slug sandwiches and spider milkshakes.

The three employees of said café were as follows...

Frankie (played by Isobel Middleton) a female robot/frankensteins monster. Complete with 80's hair and wardrobe.

Igor (played by David Shimwell) a hunchbacked Transylvanian bloke with a bad hygiene problem who was often making bizarre concoctions in the kitchen.

and finally Mummy (played by Toby Sedgwick) a 6,000 year old mummy with a bad case of rhotacism. "rummy, rummy rummy!"

The café was situated in the basement of a castle. Owned by the evil Baroness (played by Peta Lily) who was horrible to her employees. But often she got her comeuppance.

There were a few minor characters as well. There was Skull who sat in his little alcove in the wall and cracked bad jokes.

Vinny the Bin. Who was Igor's pet bin. Who loved eating rubbish and Igor's old socks.

And Chas, the cafe's regular customer. A sea monster with a brummy accent. Marvelous!

The opening titles pretty much tell you what you're in for. 15 minutes of sillyness. Episodes were humourous and slapstick in style. You could always expect some kind of explosion or custard pie to be chucked in an episode. I loved slapstick, so anything like that was appealing and anything involving monsters, spooks and ghouls was a definite winner for me. After all, Halloween has always been a favourite of mine!. Oh and after watching a few episodes, you too will start saying phrases like "monster me!" and "back in a monster mo!".

You have to love the monsters who visit the cafe and the costumes. There's a definitely a classic Doctor Who feel to them. I imagine bubble wrap, plastic sheeting and paper mache had a part in them.

Did I enjoy Monster Cafe? Oh yeah, definitely. The show only had two series of thirty episodes but the beeb got their mileage with them. They were repeated on BBC Choice a lot in the early 2000's and during early mornings on BBC 2 in 2005 before Cbeebies attempted to air them in 2007. Sadly they only got four episodes in to the run before having to pull it due to a torrent of complaints from angry mothers whose children were apparently terrified of the show. Which baffled me as from as early as I can remember I grew up watching the likes of The Trap Door, Count Duckula and of course Monster Cafe and I've turned out OK....I think.

Go on...watch an episode!

The Experimenter

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 17:07:00 +0000

OK, so the last few posts have been CITV heavy. So I thought I'd write about something BBC related. But I thought I'd discuss a show that was part of the beeb's schools programming in the 1990's. Seeing as I appeared to have watched an absolute shedload of these as well.

For some reason, there were occasions in my life, especially in the mid 2000's. Where I didn't sleep at a decent time and would sit up late watching the TV. But the only thing on would be BBC Learning Zone. Which would repeat all sorts of educational shows from their back catalogue. I distinctly remember Revisewise and of course Bitesize being aired a lot. But at one point they decided to air The Experimenter.

I'd originally seen this show during infant school. Where during rainy school play times. The teachers would sit us down in from of the television and stick in a video tape for us to watch. I distantly remember our school must have had no budget because instead of buying the official VHS releases advertised. They'd taped them off the telly. Bloody cheapskates *shakes fist*

I have to say, the first thing that makes me nostalgic with this show (and also another BBC Schools show from the same time called Cats Eyes) is the Primary Science ident. With the CGI spinning cogs and flowers.

The Experimenter was an educational series for kids all about science. Featuring the adventures of Sarah (Nadia Williams) and XP (Richard Braine). A slightly dense alien from another planet (although I don't think which planet was ever specified). Together they'd solve scientific questions with the aided help of XP's "smart specs" and Sarah's very 90's computer.

Can we take a moment to admire XP's supposedly futuristic costume? It's wonderfully rubbish. But they had a go. I do wonder if the shows budget was about £16.50 for the whole series and the bins behind the back of the Blue Peter studios had to be raided to make it.

I guess The Experimenter wasn't a bad watch. I quite liked the funky electronic theme tune used on the show. The series was made between 1994-1996 but repeats continued for about another decade.

You can find numerous episodes posted on Youtube.

Jason Maverick's Memories of Havakazoo

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 15:37:00 +0000

In my last blog post. I talked about the Channel 5's Milkshake programme Havakazoo. Which can be read here.

One of the presenters of the original series was Jason Maverick. Who has spent many years entertaining people all over the world. Performing juggling, mime and robotics. As well as appearing at events as a living statue!

Jason in his Havakazoo days

I recently sent an email to Jason and he very kindly agreed to do a Q&A for me about his days in kids telly...

First off. Can you tell me about your entertaining background?

I studied mime at The Desmond Jones school in London and that set me on a path of performing visual comedy around the world. 35 countries so far.

From reading your website. You've entertained a lot of celebrities and even The Queen! What was that like?

Entertaining The Queen was unique. I've entertained a lot of celebrities. George Harrison at his mansion etc etc. But entertaining The Queen did make me a little nervous.

Can you explain a bit about what Havakazoo was?

Havakazoo was set in a windmill and was based around the lives of three different types of artists and their interactions...plus of course the ever popular Messy The Robot!

Where did the name Havakazoo come from?

The show outline was devised by Look Lively TV and Channel 5.

How did you get the Havakazoo role? Am I right in thinking you wrote some of the material for it too?

My showreel was shown to them. Which highlighted all my physical comedy. They called me in for an audition to test me verbally and as luck would have it i'd written 50 kids poems about animals. They become the poems I used for the elephant puppet character. I devised all my solo routines on the programme and the slugs world scripts. Plus I helped with story outlines along with Gabrielle. The scripts themselves were written by the very talented Brian Jordan.

Was the show good fun to present?

It was great fun, bonkers and very hard work with long filming days.

I recall you presented a lot of segments about animals. They always say never work with animals...did anything go wrong?

Yes, we had a bat which wriggled out of my hands (I was afraid of crushing it) and it flew high in to the studio ceiling. The real bat man had to rescue it.

You presented the show along with Gabrielle Bradshaw and Vo Fletcher. Do you still keep in touch and remain friends?

Gabrielle is still a very good friend and Vo and I are very loosely in touch.

Where was the show filmed?

Southampton Studios (The now demolished Meridian TV studios)

How many episodes of Havakazoo did you present?

156 episodes!

After a few series. Havakazoo relaunched with different presenters. How come you left?

I think they wanted to keep it fresh and change direction which was fair enough.

Since Havakazoo have you appeared in any other TV shows? If so, which ones?

I played Robot Dad opposite Harry Hill in the TV film. The Adventures of Professor Brainstawm.

Jason still continues to entertain the world.

A huge thank you to Jason for taking part and for providing the photos shown too. If you want to check out Jason's website. You can by clicking here

Havakazoo

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 20:07:00 +0000

For this next nostalgic memory. I'm delving deep in to the realms of long forgotten 90's kids TV shows. This time a programme which aired on Channel 5's Milkshake strand.

Channel 5 when it launched in 1997 was completely different to the Channel 5 now. They tried to make a lot more of their own shows. Not just late night entertainment shows but even their own game shows, soaps and even children's programmes. Something you don't see at all now. Shows like Whittle, Family Affairs, 100%, Beachcomber Bay and Night Fever are a long distant memory.

One of the children's programmes I distinctly remember watching quite regularly in these early days of Channel 5 was Havakazoo.

I guess the first thing I have to address with this programme is the theme tune. I don't think many theme tunes feature kazoo's as the main instrument. I think that should be more common practise. Shows like Newsnight and Casualty would benefit massively from it.

Oh and the theme tune is quite catchy. So catchy in fact. I've found myself singing it to myself on numerous occasions.

"Havakazoo,
We are the crew,
We're not sure what we're doing here
We haven't got a clue,
But we'll have some fun,
And so will you,
Havakazoo, Havakazoo, Havakazoo"

Now this look back at Havakzoo would have been fairly difficult to do until recently as my memories of the show were a bit hazy after 20 years. But luckily for me and anyone else who remembers the shows. A kind Youtuber has recently uploaded a few editions of the show.

Havakazoo aired quite early in the morning if memory serves me right. The show was set inside a windmill and featured three presenters all of whom had a certain creative skill.

First off there was entertainer and street performer Jason Maverick.

Artist, Gabrielle Bradshaw.

And Musician, Vo Fletcher.

There was also a character called Messy. A robot who was half washing machine and half telephone. Who ran around the studio speaking in an incredibly high pitched voice. Messy was voiced and puppeteered by Jo Greco. Who had previously appeared in shows such as Emu's Pink Windmill Show, Spatz and Wizadora among many others.

Each 25 minute episode of Havakazoo would feature Messy reading out viewers letters. Musical numbers from Vo, Art and craft segments with Gabrielle and Jason would often demonstrate magic tricks, juggling and mime along with presenting segments about animals along with Messy.

At the end of the animal segments. A puppet elephant would pop up and tell an animal related poem.

Each segment in the show was transitioned with very surreal short sketches. Most of which featured a set of talking slugs.

There was also a story segment towards the end of the show. Where Messy would sneak off to his secret corner in the studio and tell a story to the viewers. Along with his friend Elephant (But this time a completely different elephant to the one seen earlier, confusingly).

There was also a segment called Nosey which is perhaps the one part of the show I remember really well. Nosey was an animated anthropomorphic walking camera that would go out and film and investigate various day to day outdoor activities. I vividly remember one episode taking place at a car wash but this has never surfaced online unfortunately.

Can I also mentioned that Nosey also had it's own awesome theme tune?

Some time later, another character was introduced to the show called Watchdog and then a few series later Jason, Gabrielle and Vo all left the show and were replaced by new presenters. Naomi Wilkinson and Andy Ford. Who played bakers Patrick and Patricia. The windmill set was changed to look like a bakery. I didn't watch the show as much by this point.

If memory serves me right. The show ran from 1997 until around 2000/2001. Despite that length of time it was on telly. It's extremely difficult to find anyone who remembers the show. Which is a great shame. Clips of the show have been rare online but as mentioned earlier Youtube user mrpokegan2 has uploaded a few episodes of the show. So a big thank you to them.

I enjoyed watching Havakazoo as a child and it's been nice to revisit the show once again. What I like about the show is it had a very cobbled together and improvised feel to it. Which is not a bad thing. Kids TV doesn't have to always be slick and have all the bells and whistles to be good. Sometimes keeping it simple is better. Havakazoo to me felt like a successor to shows such as Rainbow and Playdays. Each episode crammed in music, stories, educational pieces, comedy and art demonstrations. What more could you want?

If you would like to find out a little more about the show. May I recommend the excellent website of Joe Greco who has written in great detail the many shows he worked on in the 1990's. Both in front and behind the camera and has written about Havakazoo himself. The website can be viewed here.

"Havakazoo, Havakazoo, Havakazoo, HAVAKAZOO!"

Up next on the blog. A Q&A with one of the presenters of Havakazoo. Watch this space!

Remembering John Cunliffe

noreply@blogger.com (Jack) — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 12:18:00 +0000

"Hello, I'm John. You saw me steering the boat earlier on. But that's not my real work. My real work is writing books. Books for children just like you..."

That was the opening line to every edition of Rosie and Jim presented by it's first host, John Cunliffe. In my opinion, John was the perfect face for children's television. A kind looking grandfather or uncle figure, with a softly spoken voice with a Yorkshire twang that you could listen to for hours and who never talked down to children.

Although his name is sadly not a household one. John was responsible with bringing two of the best known children's television shows to life. Alongside Rosie and Jim. John was responsible for Postman Pat. John had created Pat based on his childhood growing up in rural Cumbria (although he later moved to Ilkely in Yorkshire) and his previous work as a mobile librarian. John came up with the characters and wrote the original Postman Pat series which first aired in 1981. As well as writing numerous story books too. All these years later. Postman Pat is still widely recognised and enjoyed by many. Yet not so many people know the name behind the creation. Which I feel is a massive shame. In fact this article here sadly explains why.

My introduction to John Cunliffe came from Rosie and Jim. A show I enjoyed all through childhood. The series began in 1990. Before I was born. So I saw the early editions through repeats and borrowing the many VHS releases from my local library. I always enjoyed the gentle approach of those shows. It wasn't in your face.You were learning about the world and at the same time having a giggle at the antics of Rosie and Jim. I always enjoyed that fact that John was the only host of the show to talk directly to the camera and explain exactly what was going on. But like I said, it was never condescending. It felt engaging. How many children's shows are there where you could learn how glass was made? Or how canal locks work? Or how narrowboats are produced and that years ago horses were used to tow them? Hence the name towpath. You learnt all sorts from how things are made to bits of local history.

The very first episode of the show about canal locks was repeated in 2013 as part of CITV's 30th anniversary celebrations. I recall seeing tweets describing it as "boring". Which I found greatly annoying. It was just different. It was gentle. It wasn't trying to push merchandising in your face. It was an alternative to the American CGI cartoons and the manic gunge fueled gameshows of the time.

I guess my great affection for the show also comes from the very West Midlands feel of the show. Which is where I reside. There's a lot of canals around Birmingham and The Black Country and narrowboats are still very commonplace. So for those two things to be featured in a TV programme is incredibly cool to me. Also many of the editions (certainly the early ones) were filmed in locations I know very well. Even to this day if I am walking along Gas Street Basin, The Merry Hill Shopping Centre or Stourport Funfair, I think "Rosie and Jim and John were here".

So yeah, you could say I have a great affection for the show. Also of course Rosie and Jim was produced by the fantastic Ragdoll Productions based in Stratford-Upon-Avon who I credit as creating some of the best children's content out there during the 90's and 00's and should be up there with the other greats such as Cosgrove Hall and Small Films.

For whatever reason. John only presented the first two series of Rosie and Jim something I feel is a great shame. While both Pat Hutchins and Neil Brewer did a decent job. I don't think you could match those early editions personally. The show of course went on to run all the way until 2000. Clocking up 8 series.

I always wanted to meet John and interview him. In fact a few months back I emailed the company which represents his literary works. But had no response. Sadly it's not to be now. From what I gather online John was a very kind and humble man. Something I am not surprised to learn as that always shone through for me. It also appears that John didn't make a fortune from either of his famous works or any of the other books he wrote. Which is a shame. But that didn't bother him. He did it for love and not the money. He enjoyed making children happy and teaching them and that is a really awesome thing to do.

Episodes are easy to watch. Plenty of them online. Most of which ripped from the VHS tapes released in the 1990's. A few DVD's of the later series exist but are now deleted. In 2016, a DVD with a few of the John Cunliffe editions was released. Hopefully more come out in time.

John's death was incredibly sad news to me. But it gives me a great excuse to watch a few editions of Rosie and Jim again and remember the good times. With the death of Pat Hutchins in 2017. That leaves only Neil Brewer as the sole surviving presenter of the show.

John Cunliffe 1933-2018