Allsorts (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allsorts |
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Starring | Andrew Wightman Wayne Jackman Virginia Radcliffe Vivienne Mckone Jane Cox Julie Westwood Charles Roberts |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 9 |
No. of episodes | 211 |
Production company(s) | Granada Television |
Distributor | ITV Studios |
Release | |
Original network | ITV Network (CITV) |
Original release | 7 January 1987 | – 12 December 1995
Allsorts (later called Gigglish Allsorts) was a fun British TV show for young children. It was made by Granada Television and shown on the ITV Network (specifically CITV) in the UK. The show ran for many years, from January 7, 1987, to December 12, 1995. It helped kids learn about different things in a playful way.
Contents
Meet the Characters
The show featured a group of friendly characters who made learning fun. Here are some of the main cast members:
- Jiffy – Played by Wayne Jackman throughout all nine series.
- Bonzo – Played by Andrew Wightman for all nine series.
- Natty – Played by Vivienne Mckone in the first three series.
- Spike The Dog – Also played by Virginia Radcliffe in the first three series.
- Virginia – Virginia Radcliffe played this character in Series 4.
- JJ – Played by Jane Cox from Series 5 to 9.
- Box – Played by Julie Westwood from Series 5 to 9.
- Mouldy – Played by Robert Skidmore in Series 7 to 9.
How the Show Changed
The way Allsorts looked and felt changed quite a bit over the years. Each new series brought something different.
- The opening titles and the set (where they filmed) often changed.
- The characters even got new clothes!
- The stories became a little more detailed and exciting.
Gigglish Allsorts Era
When the show became Gigglish Allsorts in 1994, the characters started going on adventures outside the house. For example, in an episode called "The Big Day Out," they visited Gulliver's World, a theme park.
Opening Titles Over the Years
The show's opening credits changed several times, each with its own unique style and music.
Early Series (1-5)
The first five series had fully animated cartoon opening credits. A toy would change from a spinning top to a ball, then a jug, a train, and finally a house. This house would then fly into a kite that said "Allsorts." Different pieces of music played as the toy changed.
Series Six
For series six, the opening credits showed cartoon pictures from the first series. These were placed in three square boxes on the right side of the screen. The main titles were on the left. The show's stars sang the background music, with each person singing a different part. The song lyrics were: "Hey, it's an Allsorts day, anything can happen / It's an Allsorts day / Today!"
Later Series (7-9)
The opening credits for series seven to nine started with a close-up of a box made of many light-up squares. An unknown voice began to sing. As the lyrics "one – two – three" were sung, the camera moved back. The box opened to show toys like airplanes, cars, and teddy bears. After that, JJ, Jiffy, Box, and Bonzo appeared, making funny faces. The song for these series was: "Hey! Are you ready – steady – one – two – three / Gigglish Allsorts – what's happening today? / Gigglish Allsorts – they're coming out to play."
Show's Run (Transmission Guide)
Here's a quick look at when each series of Allsorts aired and how many episodes it had:
Series | Premiere | Last in series | Episodes |
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1 | 7 January 1987 | 1 July 1987 | 26 |
2 | 20 January 1988 | 7 December 1988 | 40 |
3 | 9 August 1989 | 15 March 1990 | 30 |
4 | 19 September 1990 | 27 March 1991 | 26 |
5 | 2 October 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 24 |
6 | 6 January 1993 | 5 May 1993 | 18 |
7 | 6 January 1994 | 10 March 1994 | 19 |
8 | 6 September 1994 | 20 December 1994 | 15 |
9 | 12 September 1995 | 12 December 1995 | 14 |