1 9 8 5 – 1 9 8 8 (UK)
21 x 25 minute episodes
An innovative children’s sketch production – winner of a BAFTA Award for Best Children’s Entertainment programme – that spoofed and satirised life as experienced by youngsters and teenagers, and created such characters as the Superman-like Tweeman, superhero Street Budgie, Loaf and his tea-lady mother (both played by Ian Kirkby), the Tapeworm Puppet and, in the first series, journalist/reporter the Wimp.
This latter part was taken by Simon Schatzberger, who was playing Adrian Mole in the first stage version of Sue Townsend’s creation. Completing the connection, Townsend scripted the weekly Wimp sketches.
The players were drawn from some of the 140 members of the Central Junior Television Workshop, based in Nottingham and sponsored by Central TV.
Some of the best-received sketches were set in Palace Hill, a Grange Hill-like comprehensive school supposedly attended by Princes William and Harry. These led to a spin-off series, Palace Hill networked by Central from November 1988.
Other characters were played by Richard Allenson, Julian Aubrey, Karl Collins, Ashley Cowdrey, Richard de Sousa, Alison Dury, Stacey Green, Tessa Harrison, Oliver Hawker, Pui Fan Lee, Julie Schatzberger, Dena Snelgrove, Tracie Stanley, Philip Wombwell, Phoebe Wood, Keeley Coxon, Mark Dexter, James Hooton, Sally Johnson, Gina Kawecka, Amanda Loy Ellis, Katie McReynolds, Steven Ryde, Shamaun Rafiq, Jason Smith, Shanila Wahid, Simon Townley, Debbie Wiseman and Tony Wharmby.
Loaf
Ian Kirkby
Lonnie
Paul Stark
Cans
Tom Anderson
Mary Rose
Karen Murden
Pam, the announcer
Christina Norris
The Wimp
Simon Schatzberger
