The wonderment years: children's tv & radio at The Lowry

“Eh-oh”... Tinky Winky and fellow Tellytubbies greet you at the Lowry.

Here’s one we made earlier is an exhibition of BBC children’s programmes past present and future. In a gallery at the Lowry just across from BBC Children’s TV HQ at Media City, it has been busy throughout the summer holidays and runs until October. Children of all ages have attended, including yours truly.

A timeline charted the development of BBC children’s programmes started 90 years, on the wireless, leading through to its post World War II boom and way beyond to now. The advent of televisions for the masses across the land ushered in a surge of quality and quantity tv programmes. Displays of actual puppets, sets and characters, video and infotainment ensure all are taken on a nostalgic trip when they attend.

I have to mention some of my favourites: the black and white of Pogles’ Wood and Ivor the Engine from the 1960s which preceeded the 1970s' colourful explosion of Mary, Mungo & Midge, Sir Prancelot, The Herbs, Sooty, Blue Peter (and its space age cartoon Bleep and Booster) and Bagpuss (and yes, I did win a Blue Peter Badge, being a runner-up in a Keep Britain Tidy art competition, in my pre-teen days). 

The turn of the century explosion of classics such as In the Night Garden and Tweenies continues to this day, with 2013’s Strange Hill High (its Green Classroom is below) and autumn 2014’s Sesame Street spin-off, Furchester Hotel.