CITV - No School like the Old Skool

This year has seen a number of anniversaries, achievements and landmarks celebrated - but for us British, this is one celebration to round off 2012!

Children's ITV - once an after-school programme block and now it's own dedicated Digital Channel - is to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a special documentary in January and an entire weekend of classic shows to air. Featuring old friends like Danger Mouse, Count Duckula, The Raggy Dolls, Children's Ward, Fun House, Huxley Pig and plenty more.

View the schedule for CITV's Old Skool schedule and see if your favourites are listed!

TBH, I'd love to see an Old Skool block become a permanent staple in CITV's schedule. As a child of the late 80's myself, so many of its programmes still hold up against all the merchandise-driven, celebrity-hyped madness of today - which while rakes in the quantity are fleeting in quality. Nostalgia is wonderful stuff that should be cherished than cashed-in or thrown out as this intriguing little article might explain.

And earlier this month, we have seen an example of history being remembered when animation veteran Brian Cosgrove was (finally!) awarded his BAFTA Special at the British Academy Children's Awards - which you can view in full coverage here:

So until January rolls in, relive further memories by viewing a wide selection of UK shows from this special - if lengthy! - little playlist =)

LINKS OF INTEREST:

ATV Today's release of CITV's Old Skool celebrations

Visit Toonhound for a full list of British Animation!

A New Dream Everyday, Huxley Pig...

FilmFair produced many wonderful stop-motions programmes back in the day, a seemingly vast portfolio back in the mid-60's consisting of The Herbs, Paddington Bear, The Wombles, The Gingerbread Man, Hattytown Tales, Astro Farm and many others. And like all of these, Huxley Pig was uniquely funny in premise and characters =)

Huxley Pig began life as a series of picture books by Rodney Peppe (who also created Angelmouse for the BBC), which was about a young pig and his seagull mate Sam letting their imaginations run wild thanks to costume box. And once the stories were brought to television, their daydreams really ran amok, featuring vampire pigs, lisping snakes, giant monster pigs and "rotten rodents".

I utterly adored this series from the many times I recall watching them on my aging VHS videos me Mum used to record for me regularly. Let's say this was part of the fuel that set alight my love for terrible jokes! XD

What makes this series so memorable was the British-ness of it all - the manic slapstick, the groan-worthy jokes and the brilliant voices all provided by versatile actor Martin Jarvis (Fourways Farm, Doctor Who-1965). When shows for kids wasn't all about teaching lessons or morals about everything - it was a chance to just have fun telling a story and enjoying it.

There are a couple of DVD releases already out, but this series demands SO much more. If you check out a sample episode below, you may find yourself agreeing with me...



Be sure to also check out:

Toonhound's Huxley Pig page

An article featuring The Extraordinary Talents of Rodney Peppe