Your Mother Wouldn't Like It facts for kids

Your Mother Wouldn't Like It was a fun children's sketch show that aired on ITV in the UK. It ran from 1985 to 1988. What made it special was that almost all the actors were kids!

The show was made by Central Television in their studios in Nottingham. The young actors were part of the Central Junior Television Workshop. This was a special program started by Central Television to help young people learn about TV. The show even won a BAFTA award, which is a big prize for TV shows. However, you can't buy it on DVD.

What Was Your Mother Wouldn't Like It About?

People think the idea for the show came from a TV producer. They asked kids from the Central Junior Television Workshop what kind of show they wanted to make. Most of them said "comedy!"

How the Show Worked

The first two series of Your Mother Wouldn't Like It had a cool idea. Some of the kids, like Loaf, Lonnie, Cans, Mary Rose, and Pam, were shown as if they were running and writing the show themselves. In between these scenes, there were lots of funny sketches.

The third series changed things a bit. It didn't focus as much on the kids running the show. But Loaf, played by Ian Kirkby, was still a very important character who linked everything together.

Meet the Characters

Loaf was a character who often did odd jobs or got into silly situations. Cans, played by Tom Anderson, was like the main boss of everyone.

There was also a funny puppet worm named Tapeworm. Tapeworm would pop up now and then to make a rude or sneery comment. In the very last episode, it was shown that Loaf was actually the one controlling Tapeworm and doing his voice! But the puppet's voice was really done by actor Karl Collins throughout the show's run.

The final series also had Richard Allenson playing Mr. Briefcase. He was a grumpy man from the "Ministry of Wholesome Television." Mr. Briefcase kept trying to shut down the show, but he always failed in a funny way. Richard Allenson later created a character called Professor McGinty, a detective who travels through time.

What Made the Show Funny?

Your Mother Wouldn't Like It used lots of classic comedy tricks. It had funny physical comedy, like people getting hit with custard pies or covered in gunge. These were often the big punchlines. The show also had a playful way of making fun of authority figures.

The Central Junior Television Workshop had about 100 members. It was split into two groups, one in Birmingham and one in Nottingham. Because there were so many talented kids, the show could feature different children each week for their own comedy acts. Doing impressions of famous people was popular, and so were funny parodies of other TV shows from that time.

Popular Sketches and Spin-Offs

The show had some sketches that appeared often. Here are a few of the most popular ones.

Palace Hill: A Royal School Spoof

Palace Hill was a funny parody of a popular BBC children's drama called Grange Hill. In Palace Hill, the characters were based on members of the British Royal Family. This sketch was so popular that it became its own spin-off show! It also aired on ITV and ran for three series. The spin-off even made fun of politicians like Margaret Thatcher.

What Was Palace Hill Like?

The spin-off show had a very unique and almost dream-like feel. It was as if the school was empty and strange. Characters like the school bully Nick Knuckle and his girlfriend Binky Spoon would wander the empty hallways. They often stopped to talk directly to the camera. One character, based on Prince Charles, had a sad love story with a girl from another planet. She eventually went back to her home planet. There was even a schoolboy character from the time of World War II.

The Wimp Reports

The Wimp was a character who wasn't very good at fitting in or being popular. He was played by Simon Schatzberger. Each week, The Wimp would investigate a different trend that young people were interested in. But he always ended up being embarrassed by his friends. These sketches were written by Sue Townsend, who is famous for writing the Adrian Mole books.

Twee Man

This was a parody of the American action cartoon He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. But instead of being a cartoon, it was acted out by people in costumes in real-life places. As the name suggests, Twee-Man was a more shy and weaker version of He-Man.

Who Was in the Cast?

Many talented young actors were part of the show. Some of them went on to do other cool things in TV and film:

• Steven Ryde later produced Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow for the BBC.
• Ian Kirkby, who played Loaf, also performed on Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow.
• Karen Murden later played Beverly Grice in the ITV soap opera Crossroads.
• Tayla Goodman went on to write a rock musical called Virus. It was first performed at Nottingham's Theatre Royal. She is also writing a film script called The Edge Of Goodbye with her business partner Peter Everett.

When Did It Air?

Here's when the different series of Your Mother Wouldn't Like It were shown:

• Series 1: 7 episodes from November 8, 1985, to December 20, 1985.
• Series 2: 7 episodes from August 22, 1986, to October 3, 1986.
• Series 3: 7 episodes from November 18, 1987, to January 13, 1988.