Bitsa
Encyclopedia
Bitsa was a British television
programme broadcast from 1991 to 1996 on BBC 1. It involved creative arts and "makes" very much like later show SMart
. It was repeated for a time on the now defunct digital
channel BBC Choice
.
The show featured two presenter
s, Simon Pascoe and Caitlin Easterby, who would create craft
projects from household junk and craft materials. Sometimes the items created were quite complex and advanced, but were always presented with instructions for viewers to follow. The show also featured a 'challenge' section, in which school children would shout three numbers corresponding to a selection of numbered boxes, each containing a different material, for example cardboard tubes, sticks or fabric. The presenters would then have three minutes to create something using only these materials. Much fervent use of a glue gun often ensued.
The theme tune
for Bitsa was written by Peter Charlton and the original musical arrangement was by Bill Le Sage
, but after the first series the tune was reworked by Mark Reader from the rock band Strider. Reader also wrote the music for the 3 minute challenge and composed all the rest of the music for the show.
Other items featured on the show included clips of children presenting craft projects they had made themselves, and footage of the presenters travelling around the country in their van visiting local schools. There was also a robotic puppet (made from glued together craft materials) named 'Hands' who would quickly make a small item, often mechanical
in nature, from small items such as pieces of card, elastic bands
or matchbox
es, who would hum as he worked, then present the completed item with a flourish
.
As the programme progressed Pascoe and Easterby became increasingly involved in devising and writing and developed, together with director Brian Jamieson
, the more complex and surreal narratives of the later series. Half the programmes included an off-the-wall episode featuring guest artists, many of whom have become significant players in their fields.
Bitsa was initially devised and written by Peter Charlton and Paul Goddard, who himself operated the character of Hands. He later went on to work on other BBC children's shows, including the Fimbles. Two books have been produced to accompany the series. Brian Jamieson directed most of the programmes though the last series was directed by Will Donaldson, better known as co-producer of Tweenies
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programme broadcast from 1991 to 1996 on BBC 1. It involved creative arts and "makes" very much like later show SMart
SMart
SMart was a British CBBC television programme based on the subject of art, which began in 1994. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London, previously it had been recorded in Studio A at BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham. The format is similar to the Tony Hart programmes Take Hart...
. It was repeated for a time on the now defunct digital
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
channel BBC Choice
BBC Choice
BBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
.
The show featured two presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
s, Simon Pascoe and Caitlin Easterby, who would create craft
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
projects from household junk and craft materials. Sometimes the items created were quite complex and advanced, but were always presented with instructions for viewers to follow. The show also featured a 'challenge' section, in which school children would shout three numbers corresponding to a selection of numbered boxes, each containing a different material, for example cardboard tubes, sticks or fabric. The presenters would then have three minutes to create something using only these materials. Much fervent use of a glue gun often ensued.
The theme tune
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for Bitsa was written by Peter Charlton and the original musical arrangement was by Bill Le Sage
Bill Le Sage
Bill Le Sage, born William A. Le Sage, born London - died , London, was a British pianist, vibraphonist, arranger, composer and bandleader. His credits include the score for the 1960 film The Tell-Tale Heart....
, but after the first series the tune was reworked by Mark Reader from the rock band Strider. Reader also wrote the music for the 3 minute challenge and composed all the rest of the music for the show.
Other items featured on the show included clips of children presenting craft projects they had made themselves, and footage of the presenters travelling around the country in their van visiting local schools. There was also a robotic puppet (made from glued together craft materials) named 'Hands' who would quickly make a small item, often mechanical
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
in nature, from small items such as pieces of card, elastic bands
Rubber band
A rubber band is a short length of rubber and latex formed in the shape of a loop and is commonly used to hold multiple objects together...
or matchbox
Matchbox
A matchbox is a box made of cardboard or thin wood designed to hold matches. It usually has a coarse striking surface on one edge for lighting the matches contained inside....
es, who would hum as he worked, then present the completed item with a flourish
Ruffles and flourishes
Ruffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for honors music .Ruffles are played on drums, and flourishes are played on bugles...
.
As the programme progressed Pascoe and Easterby became increasingly involved in devising and writing and developed, together with director Brian Jamieson
Brian Jamieson (director)
-Career:Jamieson is from New Zealand.Jamieson first entered the film industry with the New Zealand branch of Warner Bros. in 1977. He was later transferred to the United Kingdom. After his success publicizing Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Peter Yates' The Deep, he was...
, the more complex and surreal narratives of the later series. Half the programmes included an off-the-wall episode featuring guest artists, many of whom have become significant players in their fields.
Bitsa was initially devised and written by Peter Charlton and Paul Goddard, who himself operated the character of Hands. He later went on to work on other BBC children's shows, including the Fimbles. Two books have been produced to accompany the series. Brian Jamieson directed most of the programmes though the last series was directed by Will Donaldson, better known as co-producer of Tweenies
Tweenies
Tweenies was a television programme aimed at young children, broadcast on the BBC's Cbeebies channel.-Overview:The programme was created by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming...
.