Jackanory facts for kids

Have you ever heard a really good story? Jackanory was a super popular TV show from the BBC. It helped children love reading by bringing stories to life! The show started on 13 December 1965. The very first story was the fairy tale Cap-o'-Rushes. It was read by actor Lee Montague.

Jackanory ran for a long time, until 1996. They made over 3,500 episodes in 30 years! The last story was The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne. It was read by Alan Bennett on 24 March 1996. The show even came back for two special stories in November 2006.

The show's main idea was simple. An actor would sit in a comfy armchair and read exciting stories. These stories came from children's books or old folk tales. Sometimes, special drawings helped show what was happening in the story. These drawings were often made by famous artists like Quentin Blake. Usually, one book would be split into five short episodes. Each episode was about 15 minutes long and shown from Monday to Friday.

Sometimes, Jackanory did something a bit different. They made special episodes called Jackanory Playhouse. These were like mini-plays, not just stories being read. Actors would dress up in costume dramas and act out the stories. These episodes were longer, about 30 minutes each. One example was a funny story by A. A. Milne called "The Princess Who Couldn't Laugh."

What Does "Jackanory" Mean?

The name Jackanory comes from an old English nursery rhyme. It's a fun way to say "I'll tell you a story." The rhyme goes like this:

I'll tell you a story

About Jack a Nory;

And now my story's begun;

I'll tell you another

Of Jack and his brother,

And now my story is done.

Who Read the Stories?

Many famous people read stories on Jackanory. Over the years, lots of actors, comedians, and even a prince shared their favourite tales. Here are some of the well-known readers:

Images for kids

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  This is the title screen from a 2006 episode called The Magician of Samarkand. It shows the Jackanory logo from that year.