Beware The Spaceman

Tag: British puppets

  • It’s a Puppet: The Winner

    Retro Reaction in ZX Spectrum colours


    Countdown: Favourite British Puppets — Part Four (The Winner)

    It’s time to reveal my favourite of all British puppets.

    I was surprised to see how many years some of the others on our countdown had on air. But our number one? He’s been around in some form or another for over 75 years. As recently as 2021, he also came Number One in a Sky TV survey — the childhood TV character of all time. He’s met the King and is part of the Magic Circle.

    I am, of course, talking about

    1:Sooty

    When I was younger, it was Sooty & Co. Sooty the mute bear helps run a shop alongside Sweep, Sue and little cousin Scampy. So all that stuff Geoffrey dealt with? If you’ve watched many of these kids’ TV episodes, you know the score. Authority figure. In this case, Matthew is getting something thrown at him — gunge, custard pie, or a water pistol. Always ending with: “Bye Bye Everyone, Bye Bye.”

    This gets points for the “watched with Grandad” factor too. Though I do remember, while I laughed a lot at it, he enjoyed it but once commented: “He’s not a patch on his Dad.”

    The Harry Corbett years remained a mystery to me. I remember one of those Sooty prize‑giving machines at Cleethorpes had artwork saying Harry Corbett’s Sooty Show. I liked its vintage look, but it always felt wrong. The Sooty show for me was Matthew.

    Then I grew up and mostly forgot about Sooty.

    It’s the early 2010s. I’m at Butlins Skegness and there’s a change in line‑up. At the time I’m at least a quarter‑century old and fifteen years out of the target age range (visiting with family and friends — no kids at the time). I finally see Sooty live. I felt like a kid in front of CITV.

    The talking head had changed. A bloke named Richard — he was actually pretty good.

    But he wasn’t a patch on Matthew.

    Yeah, I heard it. I’ll get my coat. I know where the door is.

    I’ll catch you in the next one. But for now…

    Bye Bye Everybody. Bye Bye.

    It’s a puppet(3-2)

  • It’s a Puppet part three

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    Countdown: Favourite British Puppets — Part Three (3–2)


    3: Rainbow (1972–1992)

    This series is very well remembered — largely thanks to its large, anamorphic, moody man‑bear Bungle, who has provided plenty of social‑media memes over the years.

    This was a favourite growing up. How do you forget characters like Zippy, George, Bungle and Geoffrey? Writing this blog, which involves doing a bit of research, I now know that Geoffrey wasn’t the original talking‑head authority figure with the boys. But for the sake of this countdown, we’re rating the most famous version of the show. We’re also ignoring the 1994 revival because… I never knew that existed.

    I remember the puppet characters getting cross with each other a lot. Usually they were making something (or Geoffrey was doing some DIY). There was always a story and a song from Rod, Jane and Freddy. This template — the human authority figure paired with the puppets — is perfected, in my opinion, by the show in first place on the countdown.

    But next, we’re heading to Wimbledon Common.


    2: The Wombles (1968–1976)

    The series is well before my time, but I remember it being repeated. I watched it with Grandad, so it gets those unfair bonus points for nostalgia. Bernard Cribbins (newer readers may know him from Doctor Who) narrated, and in retrospect there’s a fair bit of that posh BBC voice in there.

    Do the Wombles get this far in my countdown on the episodes alone? No.

    We have to take into account how big The Wombles was — particularly the music. Kids’ songs like The Wombling Song and Remember You’re a Womble. I found them on YouTube when my nephews were young and they absolutely loved them. As did I. There’s an odd feeling to singing along to Remember You’re a Womble, holding back a tear and thinking: here’s something that really worked in our family not once, but twice.

    So who is our Number One British Puppet…

    Until next time.

    It’s a Puppet Part 2(4-3)

  • It’s a Puppet Part 2

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    Countdown: Favourite British Puppets — Part Two (5–4)


    5: Rosie and Jim (1990–2000)

    In a recurring theme here, I find myself surprised by how long this one ran.

    Once again, I watched it with Grandad, so that automatically gives it bonus points. There was also a song that went around the school about Rosie and Jim — and a biscuit tin I’m not going to go into — but it definitely helped this one spring to mind when you think of British puppets.

    Researching it now, I find that the storyteller — the person driving the boat — changes as time goes on. But when I watched it, it was a guy named John who talked directly to the camera. Some episodes were as simple as John taking the trash out from his boat.

    The puppets Rosie, Jim, and the duck would come to life, have their adventure, and John would be none the wiser.

    I was reminded of this show recently on a walk around Lincoln. There’s a themed boat there. I’ve checked — it’s not the original — it’s used for holiday lets. The show is very clearly still embedded in people’s minds.


    4: Flower Pot Men (1952–1953)

    This was one we had on a VHS tape — one of the earliest experiences I remember of our parents sharing something they were nostalgic for. I now read it ran for only 26 quarter‑hour episodes. That formula — magic things coming to life when people aren’t around — it’s all here.

    Once the gardener has gone for his tea, the weed calls for the Flower Pot Men to come and play. By “call” I mean it says “weed,” because that’s all the weed says.

    Looking at it now, this programme shows its age. There’s a lot of that posh BBC talk‑down language. Doesn’t matter — the Flower Pot Men had that magical formula nailed over 70 years ago.

    Its a puppet Number 7-6

  • It’s a Puppet

    Retro Reaction in ZX Spectrum colours


    Countdown: Favourite British Puppets — Part One (7–6)

    There was once a long‑standing tradition in UK kids’ TV: at some point, there’d be a bloke with his hand up a puppet’s rear end. What we were actually watching was a tradition. Puppets have been on TV almost as long as TV has existed. It’s undoubtedly an art form.

    The rules for this countdown: The puppets have to be British — apologies to a certain infamous green frog. I promise you’ll get your day here at Retro Reaction in the future.

    Let’s get started with number 7.


    7: Bodger and Badger (1989–1999)

    Looking back, I’m surprised this was on the air for so long.

    Andy Cunningham plays Simon Bodger. The plot usually involved keeping his pet Badger a secret from most of the adults. When they did see him, they’d shake their heads and put it down to stress or something similar.

    During its run, the series changed location a few times — a hotel, a school, even a theme park — while also introducing other characters. In this case, a mouse. That’s something we’ll see again later in the countdown. And yes, there were a lot of mashed potatoes ending up on faces from what I remember.

    Then I completely forgot about it until years later.

    I can’t remember which comic con I attended in Sheffield, but sat at one of the guest tables was Andy Cunningham (although I admit I only knew him as Bodger) and his puppet Badger. This caused a wave of excited… now fully grown adults.

    Why doesn’t this duo appear higher? Because I missed a lot of the episode on the walk home from school — and it’s my totally subjective countdown.

    It’s certainly better known than the next on our list.


    6: The Riddlers (1989–1998)

    Once again, I’m surprised at the length this one ran.

    Our first entry had the traditional bloke with his hand up a puppet. This one was puppetry. I’m sure it wasn’t quite as popular as Bodger and Badger, but it’s one I watched with my late grandad, which automatically gives it points.

    This was over on CITV — the children’s block on ITV that ran 3:30 to 5:15. Missed it? Well, that’s kids’ programmes done until tomorrow. Unless it was a Saturday.

    This one centred on two magical creatures — Riddlers — who lived at the bottom of Marjorie’s garden well: Mossop and Tiddlup.

    Most episodes involved Mossop misunderstanding something and getting things muddled, and Tiddlup or Marjorie putting it right at the end.

    Mossop I can relate.

    The next two on our list next time

    Its a Puppet Numbers 5-4