Hughie Green (last interview?) Discusses "Double Your Money" Gameshow with Gordon the Gopher Sidekick...

Television's Greatest Hits - 1966 - Game Shows



This was a 1992 nostalgia series presented by "Going Live's" Phillip Schofield which focused on a selection of different years and their worth of fondly remembered Television shows. The focus of this episode (not in it's entirety here) is Hughie Green's ITV quiz show "Double Your Money" featuring clips of the show, along with a then interview with the star of the show. The show, which began in 1955, is proudly boasted by Green as the first gameshow to feature in the old Soviet Union. A clip of the Soviet Union version follows with an English spelling challenge, and it's all in English. Hughie Green also explain where he got his catchphrase "I mean that most sincerely".

Schofield then gives us what was the five biggest hits of 1966. The programme ends with Hughie Green singing a trio rendition of "Let's Do It" on "A Royal Gala".

"Double Your Money" lasted from 1955 to 1968, axed after the TV company that produced it, Rediffusion London. A consistentley popular quizshow, where the amount of prize money doubled after each correct answer. Hughie Green would star alongside a stream of different female hostesses, from good friend Monica Rose to elderly cleaner Alice Earley, a former contestant recruited off the show herself.

The English First Division Review: 1991/1992

Barclay English League 1991/92 Season Review Part 1/6



The Sport genre returns with a heavyweight pick here, with the return of our national sport on this blog. A 6 part highlights show on the 1991/92 Barclay English League season. This was the last year before the First Division became known as "The Premier League". This was the last time England's top clubs were under the full control of the Football Association. More money was thought to needed into the game, after the downturn in success in Europe for the top clubs since the early-mid 80s, the deteriorating state of stadia and making a brand new start as the threat of hooliganism had become more controlled by improved stadia and police techniques.

The programme highlights the battle at the top and the bottom battle for relegation, featuring the best moments and goals, the story of the campaign and build-up, and some of the funniest/silliest moments too, along with player interviews.

Would George Graham's Arsenal retain their league championship? The focus is on Howard Wilkinson's Leeds United and Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, as the title chasers. This was regarded as the second golden age for the Leeds team, recurring back to memories of Don Revie leading the team in the 60s and 70s to 2 league championships. Some of the bizarre moments include a referee being knocked out cold mid-game by a football to the head. Also to note, are star players like Gary Lineker, in his last year in the english league before playing in the Japanese League or "J.League".

Video Gaming TV Takes Centre Stage in the Early 90's...

GamesMaster S2E3 - Part 1/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlM3k-4m0GI

And this is a one for all you retro Nintendo/SNES/Sega Mega Drive generation gaming fans out there. It's Channel 4's "Gamesmaster", where acid-tongued Scotsman in a blood-red suit Dominik Diamond (with hair) dabbling with contestants, celebrities and so-called videogame magazine expert, for the aim of one visual ideal : The Golden Gamesmaster Joystick!However, the star of the show is "The Sky At Night" head honcho Patrick Moore, as the big giant computer generated head on the giant screen, that was a great casting choice. Although you fear this "all-knowing gaming god" in real life, may've known diddlysquat about Sonic or Mario, he has a great voice of reason, that made it believeable. This is part 1 of 3 parts, of this episode from the second series, now set in an Oil Rig, changed from it's original 1st series Church setting.

The episode first begins with a game challenge for one worthy contender on one of the best SNES games of all-time, "Super Mario World", to collect 200 coins and complete the "Donut Plain" level in 1 minute flat. This follows with the "Review Booth" where critics from gaming magazines discuss a few of the lastest games, with 3-D industrial themed graphics whizzing around  and cut scenes of critics talking nonsense. In the middle of the show, there would be a celebrity challenge against an ordinary pleb, this one being (at the time) Wimbledon footballer hardman Vinnie Jones playing against said pleb on the appropiate game of "Soccer Brawl", a futuristic soccer game. One of the funniest segments of the show was the Consoletation Zone, where (pre-recorded?) gamers are transported to the Gamesmaster's virtual world set on an oil rig, the entire theme for the second series, and they ask for help with games or ask for a level select cheat. The all-knowing head honcho of course knows the answer. The last part of the show is interesting, a self-confessed gaming expert and games tester challenges anyone in the audience to beat him on any Sega Mega Drive game!

"Gamesmaster" ran from 1992-1998, usually scheduled on a weekday evening once a week. There hasn't really been a successor to the programme after it had finished. Video gaming on terrestrial TV has been flushed down the toilet, regarded as "for kids", but the gaming industry has boomed in the late-90s with kids and young adults alike, and now there are games out there for both sexes and adults, so it's a crying shame whatever gaming shows there have been, are hidden away on at a graveyard slot or on an obscure satellite channel.

The show would differ from setting and look of the Gamesmaster (although still Patrick Moore) each series.

"Ah Say What Ah Like, and Ah Like What Ah Bloody Well Say!"

HARRY ENFIELD- THE YORKSHIREMAN



One of my favourite Harry Enfield sketches, from "Harry Enfield's Television Programme" on the BBC. Enfield plays the role of a stereotypical Yorkshireman with much relish, as 2 different world's collide between the sexist, racist, homophobe and straight talker when he is now the boss of an advertising company filled with yuppies. Even for it's time, the humour is still risque, but Enfield is fantastically bold as the character. It suits his in-your-face style of comedy. The woman in the sketch, looks like she's trying not to laugh at 1 mins 35 secs. Charlie Higson, one of the writers of the show, makes a rare appearance on show, as the pony-talied yuppie. Very little-known at the time, while Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse, would receive most of the applause. Higson would go onto greater fame, starring in "The Fast Show" in 1994.

English comedian, actor and writer Harry Enfield, first came to viewer's attention in the 1980s, making appearances on Channel 4's drive to be popular with, "Saturday Live", making appearances as comedy characters kebab shop owner Stavros, and most famously as Loadsamoney, which pretty much summed up the yuppiedom and "Greed is Good", which many people related to at the time. It was a very one-dimensional and crude character, but came at the right time. The characters were co-created by both himself and Paul Whitehouse.

During his tenure as one of the impressionist voices for "Spitting Image", and a successful spoof or mockumentary special called "Norbert Smith - A Life" in 1989, he was awarded with his won sketch show. His catchphrase-laden comedy became a big hit. "Harry Enfield's Television Programme", as it was known in 1990-1992, went on to even greater success with the renamed, but really the same show, "Harry Enfield and Chums". This was because of the growing star power of Paul Whitehouse and Kathy Burke. Whitehouse was most known in the show as "Mike Smash" of the sketch spoof-radio DJ double act "Smashy and Nicey", and Burke was best known as Waynetta Slob, of "The Slobs" sketch.

The show wasn't all about the catachphrases, but some characters people could relate to, become more developed, especially Kevin the Teenager(other wise known as Kevin Patterson"), who we see from a spurty and happy 12 year old boy to a miserable and hateful 13 year old. We meet his parents, and we go on to meet his friend Perry(Kathy Burke). Kevin takes temper fits, as you do, and calls his parents so unfair, he hates them!

Other memorable characters included Tim nice-but-dim, Mr You-Don't-Wanna-Do-It-Like-That The Self-Righteous Brothers (Oi! Edmonds! Noooooo!) the Scousers (Calm Down! Calm Down!) and The Old Gits (mmmmyeaaaahh - well, sounds like their catchphrase, which is just a noise).

I'm sure "The Yorkshireman" came back in some form after Enfield;s BBC heyday, and appeared on his Sky One now-not-so-new sketch show "Harry Enfield's Brand Spanking New Show". It was badly recieved as was some future TV projects like sitcom "Celeb". He came back to sketch comedy with the equal billing of "Harry & Paul". It's a change in tone from his previous show, as not all the characters have one outlining catchphrase, but some are of a repetitive nature. It's received mixed reviews and had been commissioned for a third series.

A Feast of Lycra and not-so Lycra Men/Women in Snow and Ice 1972-2002

Alright, we end our Winter Olympics special with this rough, but brilliant highlighting music video of recent Winter Olympics bar 2006 and 2010, of course. Some really good footage of the earlier Olympics which are hard to find on Youtube. The Sports genre will take a break, but we'll be back to good ol' football and more.

List of Winter Games shown:

1972 -Sapporo, Japan

1976 - Innsbruck, Austria

1980 - Lake Placid, USA

1984 - Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)

1988 - Calgary, Canada

1992 - Albertville, France

1994 - Lillehammer, Norway

1998 - Nagano, Japan

2002 - Salt Lake City, USA

It's a very good highlights video with small clips of each Games opening ceremonies, and the features the most awe-inspiring and most excelled athletes of the games, so we see the likes on Torvill and Dean for '84, Alberto Tomba for '88 and so on. Also, period music of the time from each Olympics, If you want to know what the songs are, well, I'm horribly bad at naming these earlier ones. I've heard the 1972 one loads of times, I just can't put a name to it?

1972 -???

1976 -???

1980 -???

1984 - Irene Cara - What a Feeling

1988 -Erasure -Give a Little Respect

1992 - Snap - Rhythm Is A Dancer

1994 - Whigfield - Saturday Night

1998 - ???

2002 - James Williams - Call of the Champions

We're Not Alright Kinnock, You've Lost - The 1992 BBC Election Coverage, the Full Thing on Youtube

Election 1992 - Part One



An absolutely brilliant upload here. This is certainly the "jewel in the crown" for our politics genre. And we'll see more here hopefully, in the months leading up to the 2010 UK election in May/June. However, not the only election "up" on Youtube. 52 parts in total. That must be about 8 hours of coverage on Youtube. Amazing! This features the Election Night, running into sunrise.

David Dimbleby anchors the show along with the steely mouth Jeremy Paxman to grill the politican mouthpieces who appeared in the studio as the night began. The best reporters would be stationed around the country and at party headquarters and polling stations, as you'd expect. Political satrisist Rory Bremner was on hand to pass comment on proceeding out-of-studio throughout the night, with the odd impression of the campaigning leaders. Also we have the legend that is John Snow to present from the most up-to-date computer graphics of all the statistics on the election on a giant TV screen, profiling the target seats for each party, regional breakdowns and so on. An enthusiam that was hard to contain from John, and leapt to viewers' attentions.

The main comparison between this and our upcoming election, is this will be the first closely contested election since 1992, with the prospect of a "hung parliament" still in the air. This mean the party with the most seats has not reached a certain number to claim a majority, and will have to share the power with another party or parties, who, added together, can break the number barrier for majority territory.

In the build up to the 1992 election, polls were pointing towards a change in government, and a possible Labour majority govenrment under Labour leader and Welshman Neil Kinnock. Come the time of the infamous Sheffield Rally, the celebration for Labour's "looming" election were already under way, and Kinnock, perhaps taken in too much by the enthusiasm of the crowd, exclaimed "We're Alright, We're Alright". Well in the aftermath, the party were left with pie in their face, along with the official BBC exit polls, saying the best Conservative party could do, was a minority government. Also add to the fact, that the UK were in a worsening economic recession. Well, well, it was a turn-up for the books...

In this hugely important election, after voters had suffered or sailed under Margaret Thatcher's drastic reforms on free trade, manufacturing, property and privatisation in the 1980s, Thatcher had become increasing unpopular and became increasingly dictorial, the party rebelled against her. The thought was the next, this time unelected PM John Major, did not have the charisma and speaking prowess of Kinnock, but the catch was, many voters did not trust the man to run a country. A somewhat hysterical and blairy-mouthed individual, it was understandable. Major came across very differently from Thatcher, appearing gentlemanly and honourable.

In the end, the Tories tallied up with 336 seats, and were left with a surprising 21 seat majority. Kinnock's Labour gained 42 seats to a lacklustre 279 seats. The newly merged Liberal Democrats, after the late- 80s failure of the SDP-Lib Alliance, struggled to make a mark with leader Paddy Ashdown, losing 2 seats, down to 20 seats. The movement under the Nationalist parties like Plaid Cymru and SNP (Scottish National Party) stood solid with only Plaid gaining 1 seat. The Conservatives bubble was to burst 5 years later, with all worthwhile parties happily scrambling for seats in the next election.

What we Woked up to in the 1980s!

Storm in an Eggcup - documentary about TV-am part 1 of 5



This was a 1992 documentary made on the "TV-AM" breakfast TV franchise that became a massive success in the 1980s, after it's first few faltering steps, whoring us, at first of course, with an orgy of ageing but distinguished heavyweight line-up of David Frost, Michael Parkinson and Angela Rippon. Despite the show being resucitated by a rapping, snearing puppet, Roland Rat, and Anne Diamond (who must've been the most weepingly adored woman after Princess Diana, at the the time), the show seemed never far away from backroom squabbles and walk-outs. This is profiled in this brilliant documentary, presented by Lloyd "Now, wheeoooo wuuuld live in a house like thiiiis" Grossman. The title of the documentary refers to the classic icon of the show's blue/white striped eggcups, that adorned the actual studio building in Camden, London, (see this at the beginning of the clip) as well as at the end of programming, weirdly addressing the year it is at present. Just a style/fad thing?#

Nearly 10 years later, the programmes talk to the likes of Parkinson, Frost and Robert Kee about the failure of the first year. It's all good having high-calibre presnters, but if there is no chemistry, that's the issue. Many sackins ensued until Greg Dyke was enlisted as the director of programmes for ITV, and ratings gradually improved. He is mainly joked about as introducing us to Roland Rat, in an effort to appeal to younger viewers. It worked, plus another reason was the holy alliance and chemistry of new presenter Anne Diamond and Nick Owen. Even after that it still wasn't smooth sailing for the franchise. Much criticism was directed at it's news coverage. More trouble came in the light of Australian business tycoon Kerry Packer, which led to a 24 hour strike in 1987, over reduction in staff, after much winded bloatings from his new TV executive Bruce Gyngell about the superiority of camera lighting and modern video recording defended this. It ended with bad blood, Gyngell firing the strikers, and bringing in overseas workers who didn't have these rights, not affiliated with any unions.

Just when TV-AM was pounding a re-formatted BBC in the early 90s, thanks to a reform law made by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, another budding morning franchise could snatch TV-AM's slot out of the blue, despite TV-AM having a strong reputation as a popular show. So GM-TV, then known as Sunrise Television, outbidded TV-AM to become the next franchise to run morning TV after 1992.

Marking the End of ITV's "The South Bank Show"...

The Making of Sgt Pepper (Part 1)



To commemorate the ending of a great cultural and artistic documentative TV icon "The South Bank Show", here we see a classic full episode on Youtube, from 1992, showing us how "The Beatles" historic album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was produced, in itself commemorating it's 25th Anniversary. We are welcomed at first by that engraved-in-legend theme song of the show, a myriad of classical violins, punchy guitar, jazzy piano chords, the flute and 70's synth. Presented by Melvyn Bragg.

This episodes shows archive clips from the scene of "Swinging Britain" in the late-60's, along with fresh interviews with the likes of The Beatles record producer George Martin, the 3 surviving Beatles members Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. John Lennon was assassinated back in 1980. The episode highlight how the influence of drugs like LSD were an influence on the album itself. This led to a psychedelic rock feel to the album.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released in 1967, The Beatles eighth album, which become one of their best and one of the most iconic albums in music history. The LP cover envisaged "The Fab Four" in the legendary pompous and regal brightly coloured buttoned uniforms, in front of a large gallery of famous faces from down the decades including the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Laurel and Hardy. The unique preposition for this album, were The Beatles became this fictional or alter-ego band, with the same name as the album title, changing their image and growing moustaches and longer hair. It contains classic hit songs like "With a Little Help from My Friends", "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". You can't knock it, can you?

The last episode of "The South Bank Show" was screened on the 28th December 2009. The last South Bank Awards Show was shown only 2 days ago, with many of the star-studded audience pouring scorn over ITV's decision to axe the Arts and culture programme. The programme ends for "good, good" after a series of "Revisited" episodes in Spring 2010.

VHS of Hamlet's Greatest Ads

Hamlet Cigar Compilation of Adverts 1992 Part One



A rather elaborate fluff-around-the-ears compilation of the best of the iconic Hamlet TV adverts to grace Britain's screens since the 1960's, which made light of historical and obscure/eccentric characters getting themselves into a sticky and embarrassing situation. This was a VHS release, hence alot of padding out from some comedy sketches, "funny moments" from the late Willie Rushden. Set in the "Hamlet Hall of Fame", Rushden presents in multiple guises as visitor and narrator, present this show showcasing a chronological history of Hamlet ads. The script is embarrassingly unfunny, Rushden, when appearing as the coated-up visitor to this Hamlet museum, we see him mixing with disappearing/imaginary character like a man in a fancy dress rooster costume and a young pretty woman. Don't ask me why!

Despite the fact, that smoking is now a much scorned leisurely luxury, people still look back at the Hamlet ads with much appreciation. The famous ad campaign would emphasise the man, down on his luck, having "just one of those days", but forget about all you're troubles, as you have a nice relaxing and calming cigar. The choice of using an modernised piece of Bach's "Air on a G String", composed by Frenchman Jacques Loussier, adds a powerful boost and changing factor tothe advert, for that feeling of relaxation and it's rather like taking a seat back for a moment in time from your everyday strife of life. There were some rather controversial versions of the ad on ground of touchy subjects for some, such as a British soldier armed with a rifle meeting a German soldier in the trenches, also armed. The 2 sit down together smoking Hamlet in the end. Ah, and also before the ads get under way, we see a spoof of what goes on behind the scenes at Hamlet in producing an advert, starring Adrian Edmondson, of "Bottom and "The Young Ones" fame.

Their were some great ads from the series, but one of the best regarded ones is the advert featuring Scottish actor Gregor Fisher, as one of his comedy sketch characters "The Baldy Man", who has a very iffy strand of hair, that he obsessively grooms, to somehow, someway, hide his awkwardness of being bald. In the famous ad, is a re-taken sketch from "Naked Video", a popular sketch show, where he just cannot get a good photo taken in a passport photo booth, thanks to bad timing and a dodgy stool. The expression on his face when he smokes the cigar is pretty funny too.

Willie Rushden came to fame as a co-founder of the political satire magazine "Private Eye", that is still running today. He appeared and hosted his own satire shows and an light entertainment show in the 1960's on radio and TV in the UK and Australia, but most notably appeared in political sketch show That was the Week That Was in 1962-1963, doing an impression of then-Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, which wasn't dared to be performed before. You may know Rushden for his voice, as he is the voice behind the whole cast of claymation children's series "The Trap Door" on CITV. Rushden died in December 1996 at the age of 59, from a heart attack.

Pretty Sophisticated for a Saturday Morning Show!

Parallel 9: end of series 1



The alien prisoner presenters of the show, say farewell to capsule computer Tope, as they attempt to escape the prison and go back to their alien planet. An unfunny Shakespeare gag later, Mercator commands time to reverse and viewers are on tenderhooks. Can they get back to their planet Zab, or whatever it's called, safely, or being blasted to atoms?

What am I on about?

Parallel 9 was an ever-changing not-so-missed BBC Saturday morning show that struggled to make an impression on kids back in 1992. Running for 3 series, firstly running alternatively to "Going Live" and "Live and Kicking" in the summer months. This was Sci-fi tinged shows where the presenters also evaded into a fictional storyline, with one female presenter playing it straight, while the other actors/presenters played it as aliens from another planet. This is in conjunction with the very last part of this season. The first season was something different alright, for Saturday mornings, but it's very warped nature made it feel distant to the viewer, when compared to the likes of "Going Live!" beforehand. Not only that, it was set in a largely dark and dreep, but impressively massive studio set, based on a prison theme, complete with a floating capsule. The show featured cartoons like "Toxic Crusaders" and had a computer gaming challenge as well as live (mime) acts. However it was disappointing, but memorable for Mercator, the main character, who always played in character, still learning the culture of Earth. This could be quite an annoying factor though, hence the more wised-up Calendular, the Earth girl. Mercator was a robed alien prince with the best set of eyebrows ever. To show appreciation, he wouldn't clap his hands together as Earthlings do, but slap his hand across his forehead continuously. Unfortunately, this doesn't appear in the clip above. 52 year old, Roddy Maude-Roxby played the role of Mercator, but was never asked to come back in the later series, opting for someone much younger. None of the original cast came back for a second series, as it was not well received.

The other alien prisoners exiled from their alien home, did seem to be more wised-up, but didn't really come across well as presenters. We'd never heard of them in the world of Children's TV, they didn't do anything in the CBBC Broom Cupboard. Their fictional names were Steyl, Skyn and Thynkso. The only one that was any good, was the sole female member, Steyl. The other 2 seemed to play it a little bit dim.

Looking back, the set does seem more impressive than you remember, as you get to see the full scale of it, at the end of this clip. The theme song's great too, "time for yooou to paaaaaaaaay!". That was the best of the show really, but there are a few more interesting clips from "Parallel 9" on Youtube. The show, with a new cast in the second series, was more appealing to children and colourful, but it was so dramatically changed. By the 3rd series, it was by then very linear, and the Sci-fi element, was no longer an interesting quirk, which felt wasted.

Dreamy, Early 90's House Music of Which Such Beauty Hoisted by Non-Conforming Female Head Gear

Opus III - Its A Fine Day [totp2]



This is one of the more memorable 90's acts on TOTP. The unique looking act was headed by vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw, along with Kevin 'The Fly' Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel 'Spider' Walton providing the tune. A highlight of the house/techno movement in the late-80's and early 90's, was their huge hit "It's A Fine Day", a No.1 in the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart (in other words, some secondary-tier US chart), and a peak of No.5 in the UK Singles Chart. The song has a liberal and loving feel to it. That's because the members of the group themselves felt strongly about the environment. This was a time when the environment, really did become a big issue. The song came from the debut album of "Mind Fruit". The song is a cover of the 1983 song of the same name, by Jane & Barton.

One complaint of the British music industry in the early 90's was, it was dominated by faceless dance/house acts, with only good/great music but no individual star potential. Oh, not Opus III. Here we see an almost naked Kirsty Hawkshaw....at the top bearing a mohawk, with some truly weird beads/seashells/robot worms resting on her fringe and forehead respectively, and is squeezed into a tight black catsuit, with some jazzy hands.

This wasn't the only Opus III performance of the same song, but it's not on youtube. In this clip, there are a couple of spinning metallic balls in the group of small monitor screen at the the back of the set. Well, in the other performance, she is singing the song as well as spinning metallic balls (2 or 3) in her hand at the same time. Some talent that. Seriously, I thought it was one of the most weirdest but compelling music acts I have ever seen. The success of the Opus III was short-lived, and they broke up after their second album. Kirsty Hawkshaw, now has hair, looooong hair, plus she looks better like that anyway. Hawkshaw did a new remake of the song in 2002, and is still singing to this day.

When is a Hotspot not a Hotspot Not? (Huh?)

Strike it Lucky with Fred from Leicester 1992



Michael Barrymore, whatever you thinkof him, was at his comedic and career peak here, in the gameshow "Strike It Lucky", and this highlights a memorable episode with as always, the banter between Barrymore and the contestant being the starring role. Barrymore, what did he do to be so popular back in the 90's? Just a mere flaffing about with his abotomy, always seemed to do the trick. You couldn't call him a comedian, but rather just an entertainer, not also just a presenter. However, if you like that kind of thing, "Strike It Lucky" has just about the right elements to make what was a really fun gameshow. The right presenter, the magic of the banter between the contestants, the fact, and not only did it have the idea of a guessing game and entering into the unknown, like future shows of the same vein of "Deal or No Deal", it also had the element of skill, answering multiple choice questions.

Christmas Saturday offering from BBC + Ol' Brucie

BBC Weather & Start of Generation Game



"Life is the name of the game,
And I wanna play the game with you,
Life can be terribly tame,
If you don’t play the game with two,
And I wanna play the game with you"

The classic theme from the classic show of "The Generation Game", and I believe the 90's version of the theme to be the best. I can't find it anywhere, but on this clip, which has been re-uploaded several (sigh - at youtube).

This was simply for me, the perfect Saturday prime-time early evening show. It was a behemoth of Saturday night viewing in the 70's and in it's resurrection in the 1990's. The games, the cameos, the making cakes/craftwork, the theatrical display usually at the end. Watching ordinary people being fast-tracked to follow dance acts, and crafts that needed the most nimblest of fingers, were laughed at, but in a good sense, as it wasn't too cruel.

I really like the set in this version of the show, doesn't look tacky at all, with the closing and opening doors. All these shapes moulded onto the doors and at the side, we don't know what the hell they're supposed to represent, but at least it's nice to look at. Bruce's cathphrase "Nice to see you, to see you, NICE!" was changed in this clip for a Christmas version. Brucie starts off the show with his usual puns/jokes a you do, and then introduces the glamourous assitant at the time, Rosemary Ford, which led to Brucie's "What's on the Board, Miss Ford!". Introduced next are 2 couple, sometimes man and wife, but we like to see the old ones getting into to sticky situations, so alot of parent and son/daughter couples.

Sadly, this is not a full episode.

A Look Back on "Gladiators" on That Show with those neon-y, multi-coloured, swirly thingy studio Cardboard Background Sets

I Love 1992 - Gladiators



This is what i would say a "light" but nostalgic documentary. Just random D-list celebs accounting for the popular fads, culture and TV programmes of each long-gone year in the "I Love" series, that featured on the BBC in the early 2000's, with a "docu" on every year from 1970-1999. Some of those celebs have either vanished off the face of the Earth, have raised their profile considerably like Michael McIntyre, or, still participating in these type of shows, talking about Grace Jones slapping Russell Harty about for the umpteenth time. I liked it though, because at the time, if you didn't have the internet, which a strong majority didn't, then your sources for TV nostalgia were pretty slim, and even online, there were barely any video to watch. Video media was a struggle to upload and download in those days of pay-per-minute internet connections. So it was a welcome ratings triumph, repeated endlessly at Christmas and New Year's, and triggered off, all those orgies of nostalgic chart shows.

Here we look at the Saturday primetime ratings giant in 1992, "Gladiators". Featuring the chance to see the likes of pantomine villain "Wolf", presenters Ulrika Jonsson and John "AWOOGA" Fashanu, referee John "Gladiators/Contenders Ready" Anderson and the boys' poster girl "Jet". Producer Nigel Lythgoe, known as "Nasty Nigel from Popstars" appears, and also executive producer John Kaye Cooper. The drugs controversy that hit the show after the 3rd series in 1994 is also discussed about. An educated looking "Shadow" speaks in an archive clip.

Youtube Children's Sweepstake

The Fourth post in a series of "sweepstakes" to give a mini-taste of each genre of UK nostalgia TV!

Grange Hill (1989) Series 12 - Episode 1 part 1 of 3



As of now, all episodes of Grange Hill series 5-12 (1982-1989) are uploaded onto Youtube, along with a part of the 1993 series. This is great news, because only Grange Hill series 1-4 were released on DVD. There seems to be no intention of any following Grange Hill DVD releases. Now you can get to see the Gripper/Zammo/Roland era, including all the series that wig-wearing Mr. "the teacher we loved to hate" Bronson appeared in, including his farewell. Get to see other classic character like Gonch, Ziggy, Tucker (his last year), Trevor, Calley, Holloway & many more! There's the classic racism storyline involving hardman bully Gripper in 1983, and Zammo's demise into hard drugs in 1986. This season i have highlighted, is one of my favourites, a great cast and variety of characters despite no Zammo or Roland by this point, and a great ending which was really an end of an era. Most of main cast didn't appear again.

Bitsa 1992 Part 1



"Bitsa" was the BBC's secondary arts & craft programme at this time. Second only to the late-Tony Hart's "Hartbeat". Watching this again, it's actually better than what I remember! This was a great alternative to the more stuffy "Hartbeat", this was chaotic, fast-moving and the 2 presenters fit in really well with the programme. It lasted from 1991-1996, presented by Simon Pascoe and Caitlin Easterby. Heaven knows where they are now. I can imagine them bustling amongst the rubble looking for "pipe cleaners" or whatever you call those copper-cloted wiry things in some charitable community centre event. They also look like they've came from some Rock/indie band. Don't get many children presenters like this!

It was crazy, making stuff from bits and bobs of rubbish! In one part of the show, in this Willy Wonka factory setting studio, they would be given orders by schoolchildren on rubbish items to choose, and the 2 would have to think quick on their feet, to think up of something to make.

There was a freakish aspect to the show, a artificial being who lives in a box called "Hands", which was a puppeteered, artifical top half of a man, dressed ina suit. His hands were painted/spray-painted blue. You'd get close-ups of what he's creating, making some pretty surreal laughing noises in the process. Anyway, a great name for the show, as explained in the theme song. There's some freaky items being shown at the start of this specific episode.

NOTE: Simon Pascoe and Caitlin Easterby are actually a married couple now.

T Bag - Wonders in Letterland



This is the first ever episode of T-Bag in 1985, however, the first part is missing.

On the other side, CITV, was a fantasy/comedy serial called T-Bag, which was one of their flagship shows from the mid-80's to early 90's. T-Bag was something like a tea-obsessed witch, usually up to no good with her sidekick T-Shirt(John Hasler), a boy/teenage usually wearing a whipped round baseball cap. Each series was a different story, but each one was like a mission for various small girls to save the day or for T-Bag to find these hidden items to achieve great power to conquer the world. The girl would also search for the items, to be able to defeat T-Bag

The first T-Bag (Tallulah Bag) was played by Elizabeth Estensen, who left the show in 1990. This is the one that is most remembered. You can now see Elizabeth in "Emmerdale" as Diane Sugden. She was replaced by blondie Georgina Hale (Tabatha Bag), who also appeared in "Emmerdale", but no longer. For most of the time, the T-bag role was played for laugh, but she was a baddie, but a likeable one.