The Children's Channel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Children's Channel (TCC)

Broadcast area	United Kingdom Republic of Ireland Benelux Scandinavia (Nordic version)
Ownership
Owner	Flextech / sky UK
History
Launched	1 September 1984; 40 years ago (1 September 1984)
Closed	3 April 1998; 26 years ago (3 April 1998) October 1998; 26 years ago (October 1998) (UK cable) October 2000; 24 years ago (October 2000) (Nordic)
Replaced by	Trouble

The Children's Channel, also known as TCC, was a British television station in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Benelux nations (with Dutch voiceover) and Scandinavia, which was owned by Flextech. It began broadcasting on 1 September 1984.

Tiny TCC/Living

In 1995, The Children's Channel introduced a strand for toddlers and preschoolers called Tiny TCC, which aired every morning from 6am until 9am. This block was then transferred over to UK Living on 3 February 1997 and renamed Tiny Living with its airtimes being changed to 7:00-9:00 on weekdays, and 7:00-10:00 during the weekend. Following The Children's Channel's unexpected closedown of British and Irish operations on 3 April 1998 and full replacement by then-timeshared channel Trouble the next day, the strand was finally withdrawn in 2006.

The mascot for the channel was a huge cuddly Wigasaurus called Tiny. He had his own show called Tiny and Crew! in which he learned new things about life. Tiny had a fixed age of just 5 years in the show. He could speak no English and was joined by Dog, who loved nothing more than bones and playing hide and seek and Arabella, a frog who would sometimes come across a little bossy but loved to try new things. The buddets were flowers who were known for their singing. Tiny was later joined by presenters Sarah Davison and Sophie Aldred, then-in 1999-a lifelike doll named Tammy (Tam). The last series was created two years later.

Programmes

In its day, TCC created some original programming. Connect 4 and The Super Mario Challenge were popular tea-time quiz shows. Some other 'in-between' show segments included Link Anchorman, featuring Chuck the Chimp and Hopper the Penguin. All of the puppets were created and performed by Hands Up Puppets, primarily Marcus Clarke and Helena Smee. Other TV talent made an appearance or got an early break working on these series, including Konnie Huq, then awaiting news of her university place. Some of today's TV producers also got valuable early TV introducing experience on these series including Lisa Opie, Tim Lowe, Karen Ward and Mike Crosby. A live action quiz programme, Around the World in 80 Seconds, was produced for the channel in 1993-4. Hosted by Timmy Mallett as Captain Everything, schoolchildren participated in a quiz based on geography and general knowledge of particular countries, before "replaying" famous scenarios from history of their chosen country. The top team received a prize of a four-day trip to the then-new Euro Disney.

During school holidays, Ratkan aired 07:00-12:00, with It's Droibee Time off air.