It's a Mystery (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids It's a Mystery |
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|---|---|
| Written by | Nic Ayling (Series 1–5) Mark Sidaway (Series 1) Matt Porter (Series 1) Amy Bingham (Series 2) Alistair Merrifield (Series 3–4) Leo Morgan (Series 3–4) Helena Stylianou (Series 3) Zoe Symonds (Series 3–5) Tim Edmunds (Series 5) Jo Clark (Series 5) |
| Directed by | Paul Walker (Series 1&2) Ian Bolt (Series 3) Simon Pearce (Series 4&5) |
| Starring | Neil Buchanan (1996–2000) Gail Porter (1997–1999) Sophie Aldred (1996) Tristan Bancks (1997–1999) Ben Jones (2000) Shelley Blond (2000) Steve Wilson (2002) Shiarra Juthan (2002) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 44 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Neil Buchanan Tim Edmunds Helen Dawson Driana Jones Nic Ayling |
| Running time | 20 minutes |
| Production company(s) | The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd Meridian Broadcasting Ltd |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV Network (CITV) |
| Original release | 12 September 1996 – 9 May 2002 |
It's a Mystery was a cool TV show for kids on CITV. It ran for five series, from September 12, 1996, to May 9, 2002. The show was made by The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd and Meridian Broadcasting Ltd.
In its fifth and final series, the show changed its name to Mystery. It also featured new presenters. This show was like a magazine, but for strange stories. It explored things like UFOs, ghosts, and other events that were hard to explain. Some of these mysteries were solved, while others remained a puzzle.
The first four series had three main presenters. One of the most well-known was Neil Buchanan, who also hosted the popular art show Art Attack. Sophie Aldred was a presenter for the first series. Gail Porter joined for series two and three, along with Tristan Bancks. In 2000, Ben Jones and Shelley Blond took over. For the very last series in 2002, Steve Wilson and Shiarra Juthan were the hosts.
What Was the Show About?
It's a Mystery was designed to teach kids by challenging them to solve puzzles. Each episode featured real-life mysterious events. People would share their strange experiences. For example, one story told of a man who saw his exact double driving the same car at a roundabout.
Sometimes, the presenters would explore famous unexplained things. These included ghosts in the Tower of London or the famous Loch Ness Monster. After each story, the show would offer possible explanations. They would try to figure out what might have happened. Then, they would tell you if the mystery was "solved" or "unsolved."
At the end of every episode, a riddle was asked. Viewers could try to solve it before the next show. The answer would then be revealed in the following episode.
Forty-four episodes of It's a Mystery were made. The show was very popular and often appeared in the Children's Top Ten TV shows.
Meet the Presenters
Over the years, many presenters helped explore these mysteries.
- Series One: Neil Buchanan and Sophie Aldred
- Series Two and Three: Neil Buchanan, Gail Porter, and Tristan Bancks
- Series Four: Neil Buchanan, Ben Jones, and Shelley Blond
- Series Five: Steve Wilson and Shiarra Juthan
The show also featured many guest actors in its mystery stories.
When Did It Air?
The show ran for five series. Here's when each series was shown:
- Series 1: 10 episodes, from September 12, 1996, to November 13, 1996.
- Series 2: 7 episodes, from September 3, 1997, to October 15, 1997.
- Series 3: 10 episodes, from January 4, 1999, to March 8, 1999.
- Series 4: 7 episodes, from April 3, 2000, to June 5, 2000.
- Series 5: 10 episodes, from April 9, 2002, to May 9, 2002.
