There is something quite innocent about a man with a teddy bear on his hand.

Talking away to it. Forget Batman Villain the Ventriloquist. Today we are looking at Harry Corbett's little yellow creation Sooty!!

Sooty in in the Guinness Book of Records for being the longest running children's program in the UK.

The secret of Sooty's success. The comedy is a throwback to that of an earlier era. Simple fun with the water pistols, custard pie's and falling over that have made Sooty a very British institution. I loved this little yellow guy as a child. If I'm right I think we all did. With his latest ITV series cut to 15min episodes it's questionable if this kind of program belongs on television now.. But in this Analyst's opinion – this is what children need to be watching.

Usually here I can tell you a little about the premise, the plot. But here it's quite simple. Mute Sooty, Sweep (a dog that squeaks), a panda called Sue (the only one of the three that speaks) and their human handler (Harry, Mathew or Richard depending on which generation your from).

The bear here is instantly recognisable all over the UK and one thing I have noticed is that whoever you talk to will always think their era Sooty was the best.

My Nan believes that Harry was good but it went downhill with Mathew.

Personally I prefer Mathew's Sooty and Co

One year at Butlins, I saw a room full of todays generation laughing and enjoying the same bad jokes I enjoyed, done by new hand picked replacement puppeteer Richard.

Oddly as a Retro Reaction I watched both Mathew's leaving episode (I had long since stopped watching before his sign off) and a recent episode from ITV.

Sooty it was great to catch up with you.

The Mathew episode went through Sooty and Co's best moments and took me back to my childhood, getting home from school and waiting for CITV to start for Sooty. It was a sad but happy memory at the same time. One of the strongest this Retro Reaction column has evoked.

My happiest memory was seeing this creation live on. The episode I saw followed the trio out camping with Richard and a load of children. At one point Sooty removes Richards belt leaving him walking out of the woods in a massive pair of boxer shorts. Not sure how you would explain that one to the police Richard. Don't think "Sooty did it" will cut it.

I make no attempt to hide that I have a soft spot for that old holiday park entertainment. Sooty in whichever form he takes is that holiday park entertainment taken to the TV screen. Through recent incarnations Sooty is a reminder to me that we are all mortal. There was Harry, Mathew (yes I know he is still alive but you know) now Richard.

But the simplest of ideas.. a gift Harry bought his son Mathew on a seaside holiday to Blackpool has achieved immortality.

Keep it going Sooty and Co

but for now...

Bye Bye everybody.. Bye Bye!

Oh and

Have a great dayyyyy!!!

The Analyst