“A house with a door, one, two, three, four. Ready to play? What’s the day? It’s Thursday.”
Play School theme tune lyrics.
Introduction
Writing this piece fills me with many fond childhood memories. An innocent time when there were so many great children’s programmes. Bod, Bagpuss, Fingebobs, Captain Pugwash and Mr Benn to name but a few. However, a programme that stood out from the rest was Play School. Running on the BBC from 1968 until 1988, this was pure escapism for any child of this era. A brilliance that brought the slightly worn toys of Humpty, Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima and Hamble to life and made Bit and Bob the goldfish, Fred the hamster, Mopsy the rabbit and Sparky the cockatiel our household pets. Play School was ingenious because it homed in on the simplicity of life, what sounds a drawer makes when it opens and closes, flying a paper helicopter in the studio or acting out the whistling wind in dance form accompanied by singing and music. A house that four windows, a welcoming front door, a catchy theme tune and where we were transported through one of three differently shaped window every day of the working week, to see a piece of film on someone flying a kite or a mother making a cake with her daughter.
Diversity
Play School was a groundbreaking children’s television programme precisely because it showcased black presenters. Floella Benjamin and Derek Griffiths pathed the way for future black presenters. Working alongside the ‘Godfather of Play School’, Brian Cant, Floella and Derek defied the prejudice of the times and were part of this progressive show, the first programme shown on BBC2 due to a powercut the night before, the first in colour and the brainchild of Joy Whitby. Griffiths who was originally reticent about joining the show, helped transform the tired and dated music and stories, making them relevant to the children of the time. Both he and Floella drew on their acting experience to take on the thoughts and playtime of a young child, broadening their thoughts whilst educating them through real-life situations. They were given a free rein by the BBC to show their individualism with Floella having beaded hair and Derek wearing the fashion of the 1970s.
Both their voices were distinct yet perfect for a young audience. Non-threatening, soothing and calm, Floella and Derek were trailblazers but they weren’t the only black presenters of the cult show. Paul Danquah from Guyana had also graced the programme, making him the first black host of a children’s programme. Play School was ahead of its time especially in terms of its content, production techniques and presenting style and inspired children’s television way beyond the 24 years it was shown on the BBC.
The Concept and Unknown Facts
Originally commissioned by Michael Peacock, the Chief of Programmes for BBC2. Michael bought into the concept precisely because he had two young children and wanted to redress the lack of nursery programming on air. The blueprint of the show was contained in its title, play is the child’s first school and it turned out to be a winning formula with 5,692 episodes transmitted. Yet only 1,900 editions of the programme survive in the BBC archives. A show that had a viewing figure of 5 million and had a number of long running presenters, Carol Chell (763 episodes), Brian Cant (620), Julie Stevens (600), Johnny Ball and Chloe Ashcroft (545 each). Only four presenters (Brian Cant, Carol Chell, Johnny Ball and Chloe Ashcroft) had the distinction of appearing in all three decades – 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Play School also had a number of overseas presenters, Rick Jones (Canadian), Marla Landi (Italian), Paul Danquah and Carmen Munroe (Guyanese), Dibbs Mather, Diane Dorgan, Don Spencer (Australian), Jon Skolmen and Vibeke Sæther (Norwegian), Miguel Vila (Spanish) and Evelyn Skinner and Janine Barry (New Zealanders).
The original teddy bear, Teddy was stolen in 1970 and replaced by Big Ted and Little Ted. Hamble was replaced by Poppy in 1986, apparentlyn’t popular with the presenters or the audience and when the show was axed in 1988, all the toys were put on display at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford apart from Hamble who hasn’t been seen since her axing. Big Ted and the Toys were a favourite of Eric Morecambe who used to visit the studio when he was filming the Morecambe and Wise show in a nearby studio.
The Play School pets were originally sourced by the Harrods’ pet buying team but working with them could be dangerous. The mice were said to be dangerous and cockatoo Katoo once bit presenter Johnny Ball, causing him to utter a non-child-friendly expletive on camera!
