Look Back – Volume 1

For many years ITV screened a midday half hour children’s slot which saw many youngsters rushing home from school for their lunch and television treats. This DVD contains some of the best of the shows that aired in this slot.

It’s midday and no self-respecting three year-old would be anywhere other than glued to the telly because, at 12pm a revolution took place – for half an hour each day grown-up TV was replaced by programmes made especially for the kiddies. And they were great.

Colourful, loud, informative without being boring and full of fun they amused and educated generations of pre-school children. For thirty minutes of every weekday they ruled the TV and gave tired parents a well-earned rest!

Relive those moments and be a tot again with this special two-disc set featuring the best of pre-school childrens’ programming from the 1970s. ATV Network productions are mixed among the best from Thames Television, Yorkshire TV and Granada.

New to DVD on this release is popular ATV series Tingha and Tucker, which at its peak was one of the most popular children’s programmes on ITV. It’s fan club became so massive it had to close down as the staff couldn’t cope with the volume of mail being sent to the studios. Over 800,000 names were registered with the club at its peak. Hosted by ATV announcer Jean Morton the show was launched by Australian producer Reg Watson in 1962. The theme tune was Tony Hatch’s first venture into this genre, many others followed including Crossroads for ATV and Emmerdale Farm for Yorkshire Television.

Tingha and Tucker are two Koala’s who live with Aunty Jean and are visited by many of their friends including Willie Wombat and Ermitrude the Emu. The series ended in 1970 and only a few weeks later the Tingha and Tucker puppets were stolen from a hallway cuboard (which was unlocked) at ATV Centre in Birmingham – the puppets have never been recovered.
The disc listings are as follows – with ATV programmes in bold;

Disc One: Rainbow (Thames), Pipkins (ATV), Cloppa Castle (ATV),Gammon and Spinach (Yorkshire), A Handful of Songs (Granada), Paperplay (Thames), Tingha and Tucker Club (ATV), Issi Noho (Thames), Michael Bentine’s Potty Time (Thames), Jamie and the Magic Torch (Thames) and The Laughing Policeman (Yorkshire).

Disc Two:Hickory House (Granada), Mr Trimble (Yorkshire), Gideon (Yorkshire), The Magic Fountain (Yorkshire), The Magic Ball (Granada), Topper’s Tales (Yorkshire), Daisy Daisy (Granada), Once Upon a Time (Granada), Animal Kwackers (Yorkshire), Little Blue (Yorkshire) and Music Man (Yorkshire).

Pictured: Jean Morton from ATV’s Tingha and Tucker Club