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Megamaths
Megamaths.jpg
Opening titles of the second and third series
Genre Educational children's series
Written by Neil Ben (Series 1–3)
Chris Lillicrap (Series 1)
Michael Malaghan (Series 1–4)
Kjartan Poskitt (Series 1)
Simon Davies (Series 2–7)
Directed by Neil Ben (Series 1–3)
Ken Robertson (Series 4)
Starring
List
Jenny Hutchinson (Joker, Series 1)
Gareth Jones (Joker, Series 2–4)
Tony Armatrading (King of Clubs, Series 1–4)
Simon Davies (King of Diamonds, Series 1–4/Colin Cool & Harry Fraction, Series 5–7)
Andrew Grainger (King of Hearts & Jack of Clubs, Series 1–4)
Paul Raffield (King of Spades & Jack of Hearts, Series 1–3)
Paul Leonard (King of Spades, Series 4)
Liz Crowther (Queen of Diamonds, Series 1)
Carolyn Pickles (Queen of Diamonds, Series 2–3)
Anne Keaveney (Queen of Diamonds, Series 4)
Janine Duvitski (Queen of Hearts, Series 1)
Annee Blott (Queen of Hearts, Series 2–3)
Julia Deakin (Queen of Hearts, Series 4)
Polly Highton (Queen of Spades, Series 1)
Souad Faress (Queen of Spades, Series 2–3)
Su Douglas (Queen of Spades, Series 4)
Josette Bushell-Mingo (Jackie of Diamonds, Series 1)<brIsobel Middleton (Jackie of Spades, Series 1–3)
Jan Goodman (Jackie of Spades, Series 4)
Ginny Holder (Five of Hearts, Series 2)
Albey Brooks (Urchin, Series 2)
Craig Heaney (Maths Man, Series 5)
Kim Vithana (Her Wholeness, Series 5)
Liz Anson (Sue Harker, Series 5)
Paul Vates (Maths Man, Series 6–7)
Clive Perrott (His Wholeness, Series 6–7)
Paven Virk (Princess Nebulous, Series 7)
Voices of
List
Kim Chandler (Digit, Series 1–4)
Paul Mark Elliot (Brimstone, Series 1–4)
Sam Elsayeb (Series 1)
Laura Harling (Series 1)
Marie Phillips (Goyle, Series 1–4)
Phil Woodfine (Gar, Series 1–4)
Su Douglas (VERA, Series 6–7)
Composer(s) Sandy Nuttgens (Series 1–4)
Mike Scott (Series 1–4)
Archie Brown (Series 5–7)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 7
No. of episodes 40
Production
Executive producer(s) Anne Brogan (Series 2–3)
Clare Elstow (Series 4–7)
Producer(s) David Scott-Cowan (Series 1–3)
Andrea Christodoulou (Series 2–3)
Elaine Mullings (Series 4)
Allan Johnston (Series 5–7)
Running time 20 minutes (Series 1–6)
15 minutes (Series 7)
Release
Original network BBC Two
Picture format 4:3
Original release 16 September 1996 (1996-09-16) – 4 February 2002 (2002-02-04)

Megamaths was a fun BBC TV show made for primary schools. It helped kids learn about maths! The show aired on BBC Two from 1996 to 2002.

For its first four series, Megamaths was set in a cool castle. This castle was on top of Table Mountain. It was home to characters based on playing cards: Kings, Queens, Jacks, and a Joker. The Joker helped visiting kids solve maths puzzles. There were also two rhyming gargoyles, Gar and Goyle. Plus, an animated dragon named Brimstone lived in the cellar with his pet kitten, Digit. Every episode had a catchy song to explain the maths topic.

The last three series changed things up! They were set in a "Superhero School" space station. Here, we met a superhero-in-training called Maths Man. He was guided by a tutor, first Her Wholeness and later His Wholeness. In the fifth series, there were also funny quiz and sports show sketches. Maths Man often went to Earth to fix maths problems caused by a supervillain called The Diddler. Later, the space station got a computer named VERA. Maths Man also started talking directly to the audience, calling them his "Maths Team."

Exploring the Megamaths Series

Megamaths had seven different series, each focusing on a key maths topic. Let's explore them!

Series 1: Learning Your Times Tables (1996)

The first series of Megamaths taught kids all about multiplication. It had ten episodes, each focusing on a different times table.

  • The Joker (played by Jenny Hutchinson) introduced each table with a rhyme. She also helped school children who visited the castle with their maths challenges.
  • Gar and Goyle, the gargoyles, watched what happened in the castle. They summarized what everyone learned at the end of each episode.
  • Brimstone the dragon and Digit the kitten had their own adventures in the castle cellar.

This series aired on Mondays as part of BBC's school programmes.

No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
1 1 "Two Times" 16 September 1996 (1996-09-16)

This episode introduces the concept of the times sign for multiplying, and the two times table. To celebrate the invention of the times sign by the Kings, the Queen of Spades makes a two times table banner in their new counting house for the Two cards.

Suit Animation - 6 Spades - 3 x 2, 2 x 3, 6 x 1
2 2 "Five Times" 23 September 1996 (1996-09-23)

The Jack of Clubs and the Five cards must sow twenty sunflower seeds in equal rows, and the Queen of Spades works out the wages.

Suit Animation - 10 Clubs - 2 x 5, 5 x 2, 1 x 10
3 3 "Ten Times" 30 September 1996 (1996-09-30)

The King of Clubs orders a waistcoat with ten silver buttons. But all the other Kings, on hearing the news, want to outdo each other, and Ace Tailors end up with a hundred silver buttons to sew altogether.

Suit Animation - 20 Diamonds - 2 x 10, 4 x 5, 5 x 4
4 4 "Three Times" 7 October 1996 (1996-10-07)

The Queen of Hearts gets more than she bargains for when she tries to buy a new pair of gloves and socks, but finds that the Three cards' stall at the courtyard sale only sells things in sets of three.

Suit Animation - 15 Hearts - 5 x 3, 3 x 5, 15 x 1
5 5 "Six Times" 14 October 1996 (1996-10-14)

The Jack of Clubs and the Six cards have to make a celery and salami soup for six people, and the King of Spades invents a Times Machine but it keeps coming up with the wrong answers.

Suit Animation - 12 Spades - 2 x 6, 6 x 2, 3 x 4
6 6 "Nine Times" 28 October 1996 (1996-10-28)

It is the Queen of Diamonds' birthday, and all her presents are in nines. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Suit Animation - 18 Clubs - 2 x 9, 9 x 2, 3 x 6
7 7 "Four Times" 4 November 1996 (1996-11-04)

The King of Clubs orders a table, but once again the other Kings seek to outdo him, and Ace Carpenters end up having a very busy day.

Suit Animation - 16 Diamonds - 4 x 4, 2 x 8, 16 x 1
8 8 "Eight Times" 11 November 1996 (1996-11-11)

The Jackie of Diamonds and the Eight cards are trying to make a multiple pie – all the ingredients must be in multiples of eight. But the Eight of Diamonds is ill and the Ace of Diamonds from Ace Catering is sent to take her place, with disastrous results.

Suit Animation - 24 Hearts - 3 x 8, 6 x 4, 2 x 12
9 9 "Seven Times" 18 November 1996 (1996-11-18)

The Seven cards must provide thirty-five apples for the Queen of Hearts' tarts – but there must be the same number of apples on each tree.

Suit Animation - 21 Spades - 3 x 7, 7 x 3, 21 x 1
10 10 "Big Numbers" 25 November 1996 (1996-11-25)

The castle residents are off on holiday, but it is going to take some big multiplication to work out how much of everything they need to take with them.

Suit Animation - 120 Diamonds - 3 x 4 x 10, 6 x 10 x 2

Series 2: Understanding Money (1998)

The second series, with five episodes, focused on learning about money. Each episode started with an auction where the royal characters bid on items.

  • A new Joker was introduced, played by Gareth Jones.
  • Brimstone and Digit got a new, more cartoon-like look.

This series aired on Tuesdays.

No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
11 1 "Money to 20p" 13 January 1998 (1998-01-13)
The King of Hearts spends all his different coins of 20p at the Ace Launderette while cleaning the Queen of Hearts' silk handkerchief.
12 2 "Money to 50p" 20 January 1998 (1998-01-20)
The King of Spades is the highest bidder at an auction and wins a magnificent rickshaw, but it turns out to be more trouble than it is worth when Ace Clamper gets involved.
13 3 "Money to £1" 27 January 1998 (1998-01-27)
The Jack of Clubs accidentally does the King of Clubs out of one pound when he buys what turns out to be a set of five glass bottles. They hatch a plan to make back the money by filling the bottles with moat water and tricking the other royals into thinking it is a miraculous cure-all-ills medicine called "Ol' Peculiar Wonder Juice". But things do not end well.
14 4 "Money to £5" 3 February 1998 (1998-02-03)
The Queen of Diamonds never accepts change, and pays the price for it when she overspends on a shopping spree.
15 5 "Money to £10" 10 February 1998 (1998-02-10)
When the King of Diamonds sells one of his magnificent diamonds for ten pounds, he decides to spend it on a complete makeover. But it proves to be more trouble than it is worth.

Series 3: All About Division (1998)

This third series, also with five episodes, focused on division. It aired right after the money series.

  • A group of acrobats helped show how division and multiplication are connected.
No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
16 1 "Divide by Two" 24 February 1998 (1998-02-24)
The Kings play football, and must work on their division as well as their footballing skills. Then the King of Spades builds a Division Machine from America.
17 2 "Divide by Four" 3 March 1998 (1998-03-03)
The Jack of Clubs and the Four cards must make a new bench for the castle gardens.
18 3 "Divide by Ten" 10 March 1998 (1998-03-10)
The Queen of Diamonds wants her number cards kitted out with splendid new shirts, which means a lot of work for Ace Tailors.
19 4 "Divide by Five" 17 March 1998 (1998-03-17)
It is the annual Kings' Cooks Day, and the Kings of Clubs and Diamonds must serve a top-notch meal to five number cards – or they will have to try again next year.
20 5 "Divide by Three" 24 March 1998 (1998-03-24)
The Spades find the long lost treasure of an ancient pirate Ace, but dividing it between them proves difficult.

Series 4: Measuring Things (1999)

The fourth series, also five episodes long, focused on different units of measurement. This was the last series set in the castle.

  • Brimstone and Digit had a small change to their look for this series.
No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
21 1 "Sports Day" 12 January 1999 (1999-01-12)
It is Sports Day, and everyone is fed up of the King of Diamonds always winning. Will this year be different? This episode explains centimetres.
22 2 "The King's New Clothes" 19 January 1999 (1999-01-19)
The King of Spades wants a groovy new tunic for speech day, as this year his theme is how to look cool. But he does not know the first thing about units of measurement. This episode explains millimetres.
23 3 "Decorating" 26 January 1999 (1999-01-26)
Ace Painters and Decorators demonstrate different types of rulers as they help the King and Queen of Diamonds redecorate. This episode explains metres.
24 4 "Treasure Hunt" 2 February 1999 (1999-02-02)
The Aces organise a surprise treasure hunt for the royals, which will test their measuring skills. This episode explains kilometres.
25 5 "Holidays" 9 February 1999 (1999-02-09)
The Kings and Queens prepare for their holidays. The Kings must measure their suitcases, and the Queen of Spades must work out the distance they all have to walk on their hiking trip. This episode recaps all the units of measurement.

Series 5: Fractions and Decimals (2000)

The fifth series introduced the new "Superhero School" setting in space. It had five episodes about fractions and decimals.

  • Maths Man (played by Craig Heaney) was the main hero.
  • His tutor was Her Wholeness (played by Kim Vithana).
  • The show included quiz and sports show segments with Colin Cool, Sue Harker, and Harry Fraction.
  • Maths Man solved problems caused by The Diddler, a supervillain.

This series aired on Mondays.

No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
26 1 "Halves and Quarters" 17 January 2000 (2000-01-17)
27 2 "Quarters and Eighths" 24 January 2000 (2000-01-24)
28 3 "Fifths and Tenths" 31 January 2000 (2000-01-31)
29 4 "Thirds and Sixths" 7 February 2000 (2000-02-07)
30 5 "Decimals/Fractions" 14 February 2000 (2000-02-14)

Series 6: Shapes, Space, and Position (2001)

The sixth series, with five episodes, explored shapes, space, and position.

  • Maths Man was now played by Paul Vates.
  • His new tutor was His Wholeness (played by Clive Perrott).
  • A new computer, VERA (Voice-Enhanced Resource Activator), helped out.
  • A character named 2D3D appeared using virtual reality glasses.
  • Maths Man started talking to the audience as his "Maths Team."
  • His Wholeness gave viewers a puzzle at the end of each episode.

This series aired on Fridays.

No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
31 1 "Two-Dimensional Shapes" 19 January 2001 (2001-01-19)
Maths Man learns about triangles, quadrilaterals and polygons, and is sent down to the Bristol Kite Festival to make a kite.
32 2 "Three-Dimensional Shapes" 26 January 2001 (2001-01-26)
Maths Man learns about prisms, pyramids and cuboids, and is sent down to the workshop at Legoland Windsor to build a church.
33 3 "Symmetry" 2 February 2001 (2001-02-02)
Maths Man learns about symmetry through shapes, buildings (specifically, the Taj Mahal), reflections and paintings, and is sent down to a castle to find three symmetrical items: an English flag, a knight's helmet and a stocks (he also duplicates a man sitting in them).
34 4 "Patterns" 9 February 2001 (2001-02-09)
Maths Man learns about patterns and tessellations through shapes, stamps, book covers, parties, the Hokey Cokey, chessboards and paintings, and is sent down to an art gallery to make a pattern from tiles that have shooting stars, rockets, moons and planets on them.
35 5 "Moving Around" 16 February 2001 (2001-02-16)
Maths Man learns about directions, angles and degrees through a clock, and is beamed down to a zoo so he can find his way to the tapir and rabbit enclosures. He is then beamed back up to Superhero School to learn about grid references through a map of the space station, and beamed down to an amusement park so he can find his way to a pirate galleon and a tall slide. Finally, he is beamed back up to Superhero School for a second time to learn about the eight points of a compass, and beamed back down to the amusement park so he can find his way to the "Dancing Sombreros", a carousel, and the "NPower Shortwave Run" (he also rides the last one once he has reached it).

Series 7: Solving Maths Problems (2002)

The seventh and final series had five episodes. Each episode was shorter, at fifteen minutes long.

  • Maths Man (still played by Paul Vates) continued to solve everyday maths problems on Earth.
  • A new character, Princess Nebulous (played by Paven Virk), also appeared.

This series aired on Mondays.

No.
overall		 No. in
series		 Title Original air date
36 1 "One-Step Problems" 7 January 2002 (2002-01-07)
37 2 "Two-Step Problems" 14 January 2002 (2002-01-14)
38 3 "Measure: Length and Time" 21 January 2002 (2002-01-21)
39 4 "Measure: Mass and Capacity" 28 January 2002 (2002-01-28)
40 5 "Money" 4 February 2002 (2002-02-04)

Megamaths Resources

Besides the TV show, Megamaths also had other resources to help kids learn.

VHS Tapes

All seven series were released on VHS tapes called "Video Plus Packs." These tapes were put out by BBC Educational Publishing. Sometimes, the episodes on the tapes were slightly changed.

Release name UK release date Notes Reference
Megamaths Tables 1996 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Money 1998 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Division 1998 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Measure 1999 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Fractions 2000 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Shape and Space 2001 Video Plus Pack
Megamaths Problem Solving 2002 Video Plus Pack

Books and Activity Packs

Teachers' notes were published for the first four series. These notes came with the VHS tapes. There were also activity books with worksheets and song lyrics. You could even get activity packs with the books, audio cassettes of the songs, and posters!

Release name UK release date Author Publisher Notes Reference
Megamaths Tables 1998 N/A BBC Educational Publishing Teachers' Notes

CD-ROMs

In 1998, a CD-ROM game based on the first series was released by Logotron Limited. The BBC also had a website for the show with games, but it's no longer available.

Release name UK release date Publisher Platform Notes Reference
Megamaths Tables CD-ROM 28 September 1998 Logotron Limited MAC For ages 5–11
Megamaths Tables CD-ROM 28 September 1998 Logotron Limited PC For ages 5–11

DVDs

Even though all series were on VHS, only the fifth series was later released on DVD in 2006.

Release name UK release date Notes References
Megamaths Fractions July 2006 DVD Plus Pack
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