Pob's Programme facts for kids

Pob's Programme was a fun children's TV show from the United Kingdom. It aired on Channel 4 between 1985 and 1990. The main star was a puppet named Pob. He seemed to live right inside your television screen!

About Pob's Programme

Pob was a special puppet, brought to life by puppeteer Robin Stevens. He even spoke a bit of Welsh! The show's opening was unique. Pob would breathe on the camera lens, making it misty. Then, he would trace his name in the mist. This show was created by Anne Wood and Doug Wilcox. They also made other famous shows like Rosie and Jim and Teletubbies.

What Happened in the Show?

Each episode of Pob's Programme was a bit of a mystery and a game. A famous guest would visit Pob's garden. They would find a special label tied to a string of wool. The label had a rhyme:

If in my programme you would be,

Wind the wool and follow me.

Follow where the wool is led first the Yellow then the Red

The guest would then follow the wool, winding it up as they went. They would find another label with more instructions. Eventually, they would discover the wool was Pob's unravelled jumper! This would wake Pob up, and he would trace his name on the screen. During the show, the celebrity guest would read a story. They would also solve a word puzzle with Pob.

Pob often had a quiet teddy bear friend named Teddy. Teddy was operated by Bob Berk and Wanda Szajna-Hopgood.

Who Visited Pob?

Many famous people visited Pob's garden. Over 28 different celebrities appeared on the show. Some even visited more than once! These guests were often well-known actors and performers.

Some of the famous visitors included:

• Roy Castle
• Jan Francis
• Charlie Williams
• Madhur Jaffrey
• Brian Blessed
• Brian Patten
• Hannah Gordon
• Su Pollard
• Kathy Staff
• John Duttine
• Ross Davidson
• Spike Milligan
• Toyah Willcox
• Bill Pertwee
• Josette Simon
• Rupert Frazer
• Bernard Hepton
• Peter Howitt
• Cheryl Campbell
• Susan Gilmore
• Pat Coombs
• Patricia Hodge

One special episode was filmed at Birmingham Children's Hospital. In this episode, Polly James played a patient.

Some celebrities had regular parts in the show. Nigel Kennedy tried to teach Pob to play the violin. Dick King-Smith followed nature trails using clues from Pob. Alan Dart showed different craft projects. Rod Campbell came up with new ways to open a mystery box.

How Many Episodes?

Pob's Programme had two series. There were a total of 82 episodes.

Did People Like It?

Yes, Pob's Programme was very popular! In 2001, Channel 4 made a list called 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows. Pob's Programme was ranked number 60 on that list.