Pondles, The

1 9 8 7 (UK)
13 x 10 minute episodes

“Deep in your heart, they’re holding a matinee,
Of dreams you forgot yesterday,
Don’t be afraid, Don’t let it fade away,
Please can you come out to play?”

The Pondles – tiny tubby green creatures with headwear made of acorns, leaves, berries and suchlike – lived in a small village called Puddletown located in a backyard behind “the big hedge”.

The main protagonists were Pip and his sister Daisy, a doe-eyed blonde with daisies in her hair.

Other Pondles included Mustard, Conker (the hungriest Pondle in Puddletown), Grandad Pondle, Grandma Pondle, Mr Periwinkle, and Heather Pondle, the Puddletown postmistress. Their animal friends included Squirrel, Toad and Tortoise.

The Pondles and their animal friends chuffed around Puddletown on a miniature train called ‘The Puffer, ‘ which was made of a kettle and other recycled bits and pieces.

Intended for pre-schoolers, The Pondles – created by Terry Ward and produced by Central Television – featured part narration (by Robin Bailey), part voice characterisation (by Christopher Sandford and Jill Shilling) to tell gentle stories and songs with ne’er a villain or antagonist in sight (except for the two thieving blackbirds in “The Pondleberry Robbers”).

Episodes were aired at 4.00 pm on Tuesdays and repeated at 12.00 noon on Wednesdays.

Narrator
Robin Bailey
Voices
Jill Shilling
Christopher Sandford

Episodes

The Puddletown Parade | The Rain Dance | The Three Little Jackdaws | The Purple Thingamabob | The Puddletown Puffer | Mustard’s Mystery Machine | The Tortoise and the Puffer | Pip’s Birthday | The Pondleberry Robbers | Grandad’s Shed | The Boat Race | The Concertina | Daisy Saves the Day

Video