Crackerjack! (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crackerjack |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Children's television |
| Created by | Johnny Haddon Downes |
| Presented by | Eamonn Andrews (1955–64) Leslie Crowther (1964–68) Michael Aspel (1968–74) Ed Stewart (1975–79) Stu Francis (1980–84) Sam Nixon & Mark Rhodes (2020–) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 29 (original) 1 (revival) |
| No. of episodes | 451 (original) 10 (revival) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 40 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Television Service (1955-64) BBC One (1964-84) CBBC (2020–) |
| Picture format | 4:3 (1955-84) (2020–) |
| Original release | Original series: 14 September 1955 – 21 December 1984 Revived series: 17 January 2020 – present |
Crackerjack is a super fun British children's television show! It first aired a long time ago, from 1955 to 1984, on BBC One. It was a live show with a studio audience, mostly kids, and it was packed with comedy, music, and exciting games.
After being off air for 35 years, Crackerjack made a big comeback in 2020! The new version, called Crackerjack!, is hosted by the awesome duo Sam & Mark and you can watch it on CBBC. A second new series was even filmed in late 2020.
Over the years, many famous faces have been part of Crackerjack. Some well-known presenters included Eamonn Andrews, Leslie Crowther, Michael Aspel, Ed "Stewpot" Stewart, and Stu Francis. Other stars like Basil Brush and The Krankies also appeared, making the show extra special!
Contents
What Was Crackerjack Like?
Crackerjack shows were always fast-paced and exciting. They were broadcast live, which means everything happened in real-time! The audience was mainly children, and the shows were filmed in famous London theatres like the King's Theatre and the BBC Television Theatre.
Each episode had a mix of fun activities:
- Competitive Games: Teams of children played games to win prizes.
- Music Spot: There was always a musical performance.
- Comedy: A comedy duo would perform funny sketches.
- Grand Finale: The show ended with the cast acting out a short, funny play. They often used popular songs of the day in their performances.
Double or Drop Game
One of the most famous games was called Double or Drop. Three contestants would answer questions. If they got a question right, they won a prize to hold. But if they got it wrong, they were given a cabbage! If a contestant dropped any of their prizes or received a third cabbage, they were out of the game.
The winner of Double or Drop got to pick a toy from a big basket of toys. But even the runners-up got a super cool prize: a special marbled propelling pencil! These pencils became so popular that in 1961, Queen Elizabeth even received Crackerjack pencils for her own children, Anne and Charles!
Gunge and Take a Chance
In 1982, to make the show even more exciting, Crackerjack started using gunge! They introduced a new game called Take a Chance. In this game, celebrity guests teamed up with contestants. They would compete against the host, Stu Francis, in a quick question round. If someone answered incorrectly or their opponent answered first, they would get covered in gunge!
Why Did Crackerjack End?
The original Crackerjack series finished in 1984. This happened because the BBC Children's department was making big changes to many of its long-running shows.
After Crackerjack ended, its host Stu Francis went on to host a similar show called Crush a Grape on ITV in 1987. It had a similar style to his time on Crackerjack.
When Did Crackerjack Air?
Original Series
Here's a look at when the original Crackerjack series were broadcast:
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 September 1955 | 28 March 1956 | 15 |
| 2 | 12 September 1956 | 20 March 1957 | 14 |
| 3 | 9 October 1957 | 19 March 1958 | 12 |
| 4 | 10 September 1958 | 4 March 1959 | 13 |
| 5 | 1 October 1959 | 31 March 1960 | 14 |
| 6 | 29 September 1960 | 27 April 1961 | 16 |
| 7 | 19 October 1961 | 3 May 1962 | 15 |
| 8 | 13 September 1962 | 25 April 1963 | 17 |
| 9 | 26 September 1963 | 7 May 1964 | 17 |
| 10 | 9 October 1964 | 26 March 1965 | 23 |
| 11 | 1 October 1965 | 25 March 1966 | 26 |
| 12 | 7 October 1966 | 31 March 1967 | 26 |
| 13 | 6 October 1967 | 16 February 1968 | 20 |
| 14 | 13 September 1968 | 14 March 1969 | 26 |
| 15 | 26 September 1969 | 13 February 1970 | 19 |
| 16 | 7 January 1972 | 31 March 1972 | 13 |
| 17 | 2 February 1973 | 20 April 1973 | 12 |
| 18 | 4 January 1974 | 29 March 1974 | 13 |
| 19 | 3 January 1975 | 31 March 1975 | 13 |
| 20 | 24 December 1975 | 26 March 1976 | 14 |
| 21 | 7 January 1977 | 1 April 1977 | 13 |
| 22 | 6 January 1978 | 7 April 1978 | 14 |
| 23 | 29 September 1978 | 15 December 1978 | 12 |
| 24 | 28 September 1979 | 14 December 1979 | 13 |
| 25 | 26 September 1980 | 19 December 1980 | 13 |
| 26 | 2 October 1981 | 18 December 1981 | 12 |
| 27 | 22 October 1982 | 24 December 1982 | 10 |
| 28 | 30 September 1983 | 23 December 1983 | 13 |
| 29 | 28 September 1984 | 21 December 1984 | 13 |
It's interesting to know that out of 451 episodes from the original series, only 148 still exist in the BBC archives. This means many old episodes are now lost! Luckily, all the episodes from the time when Ed Stewart (Series 19-24) and Stu Francis (Series 25-29) were hosts still exist.
Revival Series
Here are the broadcast dates for the new Crackerjack! series:
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 January 2020 | 20 March 2020 | 10 |
| 2 | 11 December 2020 | 5 March 2021 | 10 |
