Animated Friends Reunited For CITV 30th Anniversary
With 2013 just around the corner my new years resolution is to watch more classic British children’s animation and crikey chief I’m in luck.
CITV will be celebrating its 30th Birthday on the 5th & 6th January with a weekend of kids tv favourites from years gone by.
The ‘Old Skool Weekend’ will take place on the CITV digital channel and feature back to back shows from their vaults, running an impressive 9 hours of old favourites per day.
Classic animations will include Dangermouse, Count Duckula, The Raggy Dolls and Huxley Pig to name but a few.
CITV’s head of programming, Jamila Metran commented “We are very proud of CITV’s heritage and look forward to bringing back all the old favourites for this one-off, not-to-be-missed event and show the kids what their parents watched when they were young.”
Children’s ITV launched on 3rd January 1983 with a host of guest presenters such at Roland Rat, Basil Brush and Timmy Mallet. In March 2006 they launched a digital version of the channel which is still running today, sadly however due to funding cuts CITV’s daily slot disappeared from ITV1’s schedule a year later in 2007.
The weekend of celebrations will include a plethora of live actions kids shows too with some memorable title sequences to look out for. Who could forget the chilling animation from the opening of Knightmare or the bouncy comic book cartoon titles of Super Gran?
ITV1 will also air a new documentary to celebrate the 30th anniversary and additional iconic shows from the 30th anniversary weekend will be available to view and rent online via ITV Player.
So don your Penfold pyjamas, load up your Raggy Dolls lunch boxes and settle in front of the tv for what promises to be a nostalgic weekend. Here are the full listings to wet your appetite…
Saturday 5th January
9:25 Mike and Angelo (1990)
9:50 Super Gran (second episode, 1985)
10:15 Wizadora (last episode, 1998)
10:30 T-Bag (1987)
10:50 Engie Benjy (s3, ep1, 2004)
11:05 The Raggy Dolls (1994)
11:15 Puddle Lane (1986)
11:35 Count Duckula (1991)
12:00 The Sooty Show (1986)
12:25 Art Attack (1992)
12:40 The Big Bang (1997)
1:00 Finders Keepers (1991)
1:30 Fun House (1994)
2:00 Knightmare (1993)
2:30 Fraggle Rock (1983)
3:00 The Worst Witch (1998)
3:30 Woof! (first episode, 1989)
4:00 Dramarama: Blackbird Singing In The Dead of Night (1988)
4:30 Press Gang (first episode)
5:00 The Tomorrow People (1992)
5:30 Children’s Ward (2000)
Sunday 6th January
9:25 Mike and Angelo
9:50 Spatz (1992)
10:10 Huxley Pig
10:30 Rainbow (1984)
10:50 Button Moon (1985)
11:05 The Riddlers
11:15 Rosie and Jim (first episode, 1990)
11:35 Dangermouse (1986)
12:00 Sooty & Co (1993)
12:25 How 2 (1995)
12:40 Fingertips (2002)
1:00 Jungle Run (2001)
1:30 Fun House (1995)
2:00 Knightmare (1993)
2:30 Fraggle Rock (1983)
3:00 My Parents are Aliens (2005)
3:30 Woof! (1993)
4:00 Dramarama: Back to Front (1989)
4:30 Press Gang (last episode)
5:00 The Tomorrow People (1992)
5:30 Children’s Ward (unknown)