Allsorts (TV series) facts for kids

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.

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: