30 Years Of Citv

[Westcountry]

The upcoming anniversary of Children's ITV is celebrated with a look back show:
ITV1: Saturday, 29th December 2012, 6:30PM - 7:30PM

Details [ITV Press Centre]

There also appears to be a Classics weekend on Citv channel:
CITV: Saturday, 5th January 2013, 9:25AM - close
CITV: Sunday, 6th January 2013, 9:25AM - close

according to this thread at DigitalSpy

[Clive]

This might be interesting, Children's programming vanished from ITV without much comment, so it is interesting that they are scheduling a programme on a Saturday night to celebrate it.

The BBC always make much use of their archive, ITV less so..

[Doom Patrol]

The upcoming anniversary of Children's ITV is celebrated with a look back show:
ITV1: Saturday, 29th December 2012, 6:30PM - 7:30PM

Details [ITV Press Centre]

There also appears to be a Classics weekend on Citv channel:
CITV: Saturday, 5th January 2013, 9:25AM - close
CITV: Sunday, 6th January 2013, 9:25AM - close

according to this thread at DigitalSpy

I'm not optimistic. You know that early Saturday evening slot is the preserve of rubbishy home made video shows.

[GarethR]

I'm not optimistic. You know that early Saturday evening slot is the preserve of rubbishy home made video shows.

Shows? They've done more in that genre than just You've Been Framed?

The excellent TV Burp was in that slot too for the last 10 years or so.

[Doom Patrol]

I was using the term loosely. Whenever I've happened to catch a glimpse of ITV in that particular time slot it always seems to be home video footage of pets wacky antics or baby's bumping into things and falling over and usually being presented by a mirth free Liza Riley, or some such. As for TV Burp...

[GarethR]

usually being presented by a mirth free Liza Riley, or some such

Lisa Riley stopped doing it nearly 10 years ago. Harry Hill's been doing it since 2004. And TV Burp was that rare thing, an ITV comedy programme that was actually funny.

[Doom Patrol]

Did she? These sort of things always seem to be interchangeable to me. We'll have to agree to differ on TV Burp I'm afraid. From what I've seen of it it's not my cup of tea. It's entirely my own point of view of course, but I don't see any point in an unfunny comic creation like Harry Hill mocking video clips of programmes I can't stand in the first place.

[RobinCarmody]

The thread about this on Digital Spy makes incredibly depressing reading. People younger than me in some cases, and already they're waiting for death.

[RobinCarmody]

Having said that about Digital Spy, they are - according to that thread - showing two episodes of Dramarama, rather good ones too - Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night from 1988 (the de facto pilot for Children's Ward) and Back to Front from 1989.

The Press Gang episodes they're showing are the first and last, but that's been on DVD for years and I imagine anyone seriously interested will have it. The Tomorrow People episodes are both from the 1992 revival, and the Children's Ward episodes both from the last series in 2000, so neither very MC-friendly.

[Xrds1895]

CITV Retro Weekend- 5th/6th January 2013...

Saturday 5th January 2013

9:25am Mike and Angelo (1990)
9:50 Super Gran (second episode, 1985)
10:15 Wizadora (last episode, 1998)
10:30 T-Bag (1987)
10:50 Engie Benjy (s3, ep1, 2004)
11:05 The Raggy Dolls (1994)
11:15 Puddle Lane (1986)
11:35 Count Duckula (1991)
12:00noon The Sooty Show (1986)
12:25pm Art Attack (1992)
12:40 The Big Bang (1997)
1:00 Finders Keepers (1991)
1:30 Fun House (1994)
2:00 Knightmare (1993)
2:30 Fraggle Rock (1983)
3:00 The Worst Witch (1998)
3:30 Woof! [Eric] (first episode, 1989)
4:00 Dramarama: Blackbird Singing In The Dead of Night (1988)
4:30 Press Gang (first episode)
5:00 The Tomorrow People (1992)
5:30 Children's Ward (2000)


Sunday 6th January 2013

9:25am Mike and Angelo
9:50 Spatz (1992)
10:10 Huxley Pig
10:30 Rainbow (1984)
10:50 Button Moon (1985)
11:05 The Riddlers
11:15 Rosie and Jim (first episode, 1990)
11:35 Dangermouse (1986)
12:00noon Sooty & Co (1993)
12:25pm How 2 (1995)
12:40 Fingertips (2002)
1:00 Jungle Run (2001)
1:30 Fun House (1995)
2:00 Knightmare (1993)
2:30 Fraggle Rock (1983)
3:00 My Parents are Aliens (2005)
3:30 Woof [Rex] (1993)
4:00 Dramarama: Back to Front (1989)
4:30 Press Gang (last episode)
5:00 The Tomorrow People (1992)
5:30 Children's Ward (unknown)

Shame we don't go any further back than 1983. I would have loved to a seen a two part TP from the 70's split over two nights. 'The Living Skins' or that mad one about Hitler.
Still, worth tuning in for and supporting with a grateful email I would say!

[Paul Hayes]

Seems a very interesting thing for them to do, and to be applauded.

Although I must confess I was always a Children's BBC child.

[Cheeseford]

Seems a very interesting thing for them to do, and to be applauded.

Definitely, and if it gets good figures, I wonder if it will convince ITV there's a market for more of the same? I wonder if they're going to have in-vision continuity?

[Mickey]

That's certainly a lot more than I'd expected. An interesting list. I can't help but moan about one thing, though. A 2005 episode of "My Parents Are Aliens"? That show really was one of the CITV triumphs, but by then it was a shadow of its former self. Half the cast had left, and it had been hampered for some time by appalling canned laughter. Still, I hope it turns out to be a popular celebration. As a CBBC viewer, I rarely saw anything of CITV. Quite tempted by "Dramarama", I must admit!

[ozsat]

The Sunday episode of Woof! has been removed from the schedule and replaced by 'The Planets Funniest Animals'

dont remember that on CITV

[swills]

Of course Nick Jr used to show some classic Kids shows a year or two ago, round about 9pm in the evening.. RAINBOW, BUTTON MOON to name just 2, and I am sure they had the idents too :-)

[Steve Williams]

The Sunday episode of Woof! has been removed from the schedule and replaced by 'The Planets Funniest Animals

I'm assuming this is a mistake because even if they couldn't licence Woof - which seems odd if they're already showing one of them - they must have something more appropriate on the shelves they could bung in. I dunno if they've even shown The Planet's Funniest Animals on CITV before.

I liked bits of the documentary - like Ant complaining how little he was in Engine Benjy - but I got bored every time it went past about 1990. I know the thirtieth anniversary was the hook but they'd have been better off using it as simply an excuse to discuss all ITV kids' shows ever, if only because to ignore Tiswas and include Ministry of Mayhem (which nobody liked at the time and was a flop, and only included because Holly Willoughby is famous and available) looked completely ridiculous.

The CITV shows I thought could have been included are Your Mother Wouldn't Like It and Round The Bend, both of which I think would have stood up better for a modern audience than some of the stuff they're showing (*cough*Mike and Angelo).

[Scary]

if only because to ignore Tiswas and include Ministry of Mayhem (which nobody liked at the time and was a flop, and only included because Holly Willoughby is famous and available) looked completely ridiculous.

I suppose Tiswas didn't make it into the 30th anniversary programme because it finished in April 1982?

[Jezza]

Lighthouse keeper on Fraggle Rock looks American, not a sign of Fulton McKay or that bloke from Brookside at all!

[Xrds1895]

I'm guessing that Fraggle Rock fell victim to the TVS missing paperwork debacle?

[Jezza]

I'm guessing that Fraggle Rock fell victim to the TVS missing paperwork debacle?

Not sure how they source the episodes, but at least 12 were released on DVD years ago, can't be that hard to use one of those!

[GarethR]

Not sure how they source the episodes, but at least 12 were released on DVD years ago, can't be that hard to use one of those!

They might have been released on a now-deleted DVD in 2004, but that doesn't necessarily mean that ITV would have had no legal issues about broadcasting clips from them nowadays. I suspect they took the safe option.

[Steve Williams]

I suppose Tiswas didn't make it into the 30th anniversary programme because it finished in April 1982?

Indeed, hence the point I was making that it should just have been a tribute to children's programmes on ITV in general, as for anyone over about 35, it would have meant next to nothing - which is no good in the middle of primetime.

[Scary]

Lighthouse keeper on Fraggle Rock looks American, not a sign of Fulton McKay or that bloke from Brookside at all!

Canadian, it had 'CBC' in the credits. According to Wikipedia it was a Canada/UK co-production and the Canadian version was the one used in the US (as well as many other countries including interestingly Ireland)

[Mark]

Nice to see a few programmes between the Ads, Promos and Sponsor tags.!

Even though, I'm from an older 'OldSkool', I was familiar with all the shows, and it was quite nostalgic, thought the DOG could have been a little bigger, as I could still see some of the picture.!

The "Dramarama" eps were good, forgot about the Yorkshire Endboard reversed on the second one, clever touch.

Shame they chose two of the later "Nightmare" editions, with the not so good theme, but one of the highlights all the same.

Also enjoyed "Woof", "Funhouse", "The Riddlers", "Rainbow", "Puddle Lane", "Wizadora" and "Button Moon" ( although they managed to shrink the picture and cut some of Peter Davisons superb theme tune at the end..!).

The Thames edition of "Sooty" was also excellent, Matthew Corbett was really very good and had the right comic silliness, that worked perfectly.

It all proved how worse off TV is now, without the inventivness, imagination and sheer quality of Childrens programmes on ITV.

[45doyle]

Where was 'Gilbert' from 'Gilbert's Fridge'.....used to love that show......

[Mark]

Where was 'Gilbert' from 'Gilbert's Fridge'.....used to love that show......

Yes, that was very funny, I remember the one with Kim Wllde, it was a riot, would have liked to have seen that again.

Also an episode or two, from "Kappatoo" and "Wail Of The Banshee", would have been nice.,

[Jezza]

They showed the 1st episode from Series 6 of Woof! yesterday, so it wasn't replaced.

Loved the Dramarama episode, it's a shame they don't make stories like this now.

[ozsat]

Woof seems to have got re-added on Friday.

I've recorded both days in full to plough through when I get a spare day (or two).

They showed the 1st episode from Series 6 of Woof! yesterday, so it wasn't replaced.

Loved the Dramarama episode, it's a shame they don't make stories like this now.

[AndrewP]

This is rather brilliant:

https://tvcream.podbean.com/e/tv-cream- ... ommy-boyd/

It's Graham Kibble-White (editor of Bauer Media's "TV Years" and similar stuff) chatting to broadcaster Tommy Boyd about the opening episode of "Press Gang". The result is a very nicely edited conversation between two people who clearly have a passion and understanding of television. Tommy was the face of CITV when "Press Gang" originally aired and - as such - he's able to discuss its importance in the junior TV landscape of the time, why it was so effective, and also explain much of the mechanics about how CITV worked. It's quite fascinating on so many levels and makes me want to dig out the DVDs again. And re-watch "Lou Grant" as well.

Thought I'd flag it up in case it was of interest.

All the best

Andrew

[Mark]

Should be good, Tommy Boyd has a lot to say in interviews over the years.