Fun Song Factory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fun Song Factory |
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Logo for the 2004 series
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| Genre | Children's Pre-School |
| Created by | Will Brenton & Iain Lauchlan |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 92 (7 live) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Tell-Tale Productions |
| Running time | 20 mins (GMTV Series) 10 mins (CITV Series) |
| Production company(s) | Tell-Tale Productions Abbey Broadcast Communications (Original DTV Videos and 1998 TV series) Entertainment Rights PLC (2004 series) |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV Network (CITV/GMTV) |
| Original release | 1994 – 2006 |
Fun Song Factory is a British TV show made for young children, especially those in preschool. It was created in 1994 by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan. They were also part of the team that made another show called Playdays. Their company, Tell-Tale Productions, produced the series.
The show first came out as a series of videos. These videos were released by Abbey Home Entertainment and later by PolyGram Video.
Contents
How the Show Works
The show takes place inside a special factory where music is made. In each episode, live presenters and children come together. They sing many different nursery rhymes. The songs they sing change with each episode.
The 1998 GMTV Series
The first seven videos of Fun Song Factory were very popular. They sold over 750,000 copies in the UK. Because of this success, GMTV ordered a full TV series in 1998. This new series had 23 episodes.
Dave Benson Phillips became the main presenter for this TV series. He appeared in every episode. Other presenters took turns joining him. These included Katy Stephens, Alex Lovell, Justin Fletcher, and Karl Woolley. Ozzy Octave, a character from the earlier videos, also returned. He played the role of the Fun Song Factory foreman. This show was even nominated for a BAFTA award in 1998.
The 2004 CITV Series
In 2004, CITV decided to make a new version of the show. This updated series had a brand new cast. The actors in this version used special character names instead of their real names.
The new cast included Aston Merrygold as Cookie and Laura Hamilton as Melody. Chris Till played OJ, Kerry Newell was Cal, and Polly Parsons played Paige. Ozzy Octave from the previous series also returned. This time, Justin Fletcher provided his voice. A new puppet character named Harry also joined the fun. The episodes in this version were shorter, lasting 10 minutes instead of 20.
Live Video Releases (1994-1997)
Before becoming a TV show, Fun Song Factory released several popular live-action videos. These videos featured different presenters and themes.
- Fun Song Factory (December 1, 1994) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Sarah Davison, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- Fun Song Factory 2 (January 5, 1996) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Michelle Durler, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- Party Time at the Fun Song Factory (July 26, 1996) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Sarah Davison, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- The Fun Song Factory at Old MacDonald's Farm (September 28, 1996) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Sarah Davison, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- Christmas at the Fun Song Factory (November 30, 1996) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Sarah Davison, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- Fun Song Factory - Fun and Games (September 24, 1997) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Katy Stephens, and Dave Benson Phillips.
- Fun Song Factory - Nursery Rhyme Land (November 5, 1997) – Hosted by Iain Lauchlan, Sarah Davison, and Dave Benson Phillips.
