You and Me (British TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids You and Me |
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Opening title from 1970s
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| Presented by | Frances Kay (Cosmo) and Francis Wright (Dibs) (1983-1992) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | BBC |
| Running time | 15 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC1 1974-1983 BBC2 1983-1992 |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original release | 14 January 1974 – 26 March 1992 |
You and Me was a popular BBC television show made for young children. It aired from the 1970s to the 1990s. The show had different parts designed to teach and entertain kids. It helped them learn early reading and counting skills. Even though new episodes stopped in 1992, you could still watch repeats until 1995.
Contents
About the Show: You and Me
The very first episode, named "Moving house," aired on January 14, 1974. It was shown on BBC1 at 10:45 AM. The show was inspired by the American series Sesame Street. It also used ideas from research on children's needs. This research was part of the 1978 Warnock Report.
You and Me wanted to be a "child-centred series." This meant it focused on a child's independence and enjoyment. It also aimed to help children understand the world around them. Learning about feelings and how to get along with others was just as important. The presenters were like friendly adults. They were there to guide and support the young viewers. The show expected that most children would watch with an adult.
How You and Me Was Made
The show's main goals were to teach children about safety, reading, and feelings. It featured a mix of real actors and puppets. In 1979, Tony Hughes played Herbert The Handyman. He was a kind but clumsy handyman. He often made a big mess when trying to fix things. There were only five episodes of Herbert the Handyman. But they were shown many times until 1983.
Other characters also introduced episodes:
- Two stop-motion animation characters: Alice the hamster and Crow.
- A puppet dragon named Duncan. He appeared with human friends Vicki (1979) and later Sam (1979-1982).
- Purrfecta the Pussycat with a human named Stephen. They worked together on a maths section in 1980.
Cosmo and Dibs: The Puppet Friends
In January 1983, two new puppets joined the show. They were Cosmo and Dibs, a pair of best friends. Cosmo was a female character from North East England. Dibs was a male character from London. They both lived in a busy street market.
The show's set looked like a street market in London's Shepherd's Bush. Each episode had a four-minute story with Cosmo and Dibs. These stories covered topics that kids cared about. They talked about sharing, eating, and even arguing. They also explored being silly, making up stories, and writing poetry. The goal was to make the stories helpful and fun for young viewers. The scripts aimed to teach and entertain without talking down to children.
By the early 1990s, the show's setup changed. Cosmo and Dibs moved into a house. They were joined by another puppet named Baxter and two human characters. The episodes became shorter, lasting 10 minutes. They focused on more everyday topics. In 1990, a fourth puppet, Spike, was also added.
Meet the Presenters and Puppets
The show had many different presenters. They came from various age groups and backgrounds. This made the show feel diverse and welcoming.
Here are some of the people who appeared on You and Me:
- Annette Badland
- Michael Balfour
- Jeni Barnett
- Charubala Chokshi
- Tony Hughes (who played Herbert The Handyman)
- Vicky Ireland
- Joe Barton (Puppeteer and voice of Duncan the Dragon)
- Isabelle Lucas
- Clive Mason (who helped with shows for the deaf community)
- Bill Owen
- Anton Phillips
- Christopher Lillicrap
- Harry Towb
- Frances Kay (Puppeteer and voice of Cosmo)
- Michael Snelders
- Maggie Ollerenshaw
- Simon Buckley (Puppeteer and voice of Baxter)
- Richard Coombs (Puppeteer and voice of Spike)
- Bharti Patel
- Francis Wright (Puppeteer and voice of Dibs)
- Larrington Walker
- Gary Wilmot
Main Puppet Characters
- Crow and Alice
- Duncan the Dragon
- Mr Bits-and-Pieces
- Purrfecta the Cat
- Cosmo and Dibs
Frances Kay and Francis Wright were the puppeteers and voices for Cosmo and Dibs. They played these characters throughout the series. The puppets themselves were created by Muppet-maker Tim Rose. The show's stories were written by the production team and cast members.
Henry the Kangaroo: Learning Words
From 1981 to 1992, the show also featured Henry the Kangaroo. Henry was an animated cartoon character. He helped children learn important "social sight words" like STOP and EXIT. Henry would always say, "I'm looking for the words in my book again..." When he left, he'd say, "Toodle-oo from the kangaroo, toodle-oo from me to you." Henry's voice was done by Nigel Lambert.
The You and Me Theme Song
The original theme song was written by Charley Dore, Julian Littman, and Karl Johnson. It was first an acoustic version. In 1983, a new reggae version was introduced. This version was performed by the band UB40. It was used until the show ended in 1992.
The lyrics were simple and catchy:
- You and me, me and you,
- Lots and lots for you to do,
- Lots and lots for you to see,
- Me and you, you and me …
The famous band Oasis even mentioned these lyrics in their song "She's Electric". They sang, "Cos I'll be you and you'll be me, there's lots and lots for us to see, lots and lots for us to do."
Images for kids
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Opening title from 1970s
