Fred Harris (presenter)
Encyclopedia
Fred Harris is a British
comedian
and children's television presenter. Formerly a school teacher, he began his television career as a presenter of the BBC
children's programme Play School, on which he appeared regularly between 1973 and 1988. During this time he was also a presenter on Ragtime
and Chock-A-Block
.
He fronted several home computing BBC programmes (including Micro Live
) during the rise of the microcomputer in the early 1980s. He also presented a number of educational and schools programmes on the subject of maths, including ATV
's Figure it Out (memorable for having a set which included a giant pocket calculator), Central Television's Basic Maths and Channel 4
's Make It Count.
His career in comedy involved regular appearances in radio
shows such as Huddwinks, The Half-Open University, The Burkiss Way
and Star Terk II
and in the television show End of Part One
.
In the 1990s, he presented the Radio 4 programme The Litmus Test.
From late 1990s up to the present day he can be seen on the British Forces Broadcasting Service
(BFBS) children's programme Room 785
. Here he presents the "Broom Cupboard" slot introducing the forthcoming programmes.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and children's television presenter. Formerly a school teacher, he began his television career as a presenter of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's programme Play School, on which he appeared regularly between 1973 and 1988. During this time he was also a presenter on Ragtime
Ragtime (TV series)
Ragtime was a children's television series presented by Maggie Henderson and Fred Harris. The programmes featured play with words, songs, stories and puppets. Puppets emerged from the green Ragtime Bag, including wooden spoons with faces drawn on them. These were named Mr Porridge, Mr Curry, Mr...
and Chock-A-Block
Chock-A-Block
Chock-A-Block was a BBC children's television programme, first shown in 1981 and repeated through to 1989 and shown as part of the children's programme cycle See-Saw...
.
He fronted several home computing BBC programmes (including Micro Live
Micro Live
Micro Live was a BBC2 TV series that was produced by David Allen as part of the BBC's Computer Literacy Project, and followed on from earlier series such as The Computer Programme, Computers In Control, and Making the Most of the Micro...
) during the rise of the microcomputer in the early 1980s. He also presented a number of educational and schools programmes on the subject of maths, including ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
's Figure it Out (memorable for having a set which included a giant pocket calculator), Central Television's Basic Maths and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Make It Count.
His career in comedy involved regular appearances in radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
shows such as Huddwinks, The Half-Open University, The Burkiss Way
The Burkiss Way
The Burkiss Way was a BBC Radio 4 sketch comedy series broadcast from August 1976 to November 1980. It was written by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, with additional material in early episodes by John Mason, Colin Bostock-Smith, Douglas Adams, John Lloyd and others. The show starred Denise...
and Star Terk II
Star Terk II
Star Terk II is a BBC comedy radio show, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the 1980s. Each episode began with a parody of Star Trek's original series, which would go on to be interrupted by a series of sketches. Two series of six episodes were aired, in 1987 and 1989.-External links:*...
and in the television show End of Part One
End of Part One
End of Part One was a British television comedy sketch show written by David Renwick and Andrew Marshall and produced by Simon Brett, it was made by London Weekend Television. It ran for two series on ITV, from 1979 to 1980 and was an attempt at a TV version of The Burkiss Way...
.
In the 1990s, he presented the Radio 4 programme The Litmus Test.
From late 1990s up to the present day he can be seen on the British Forces Broadcasting Service
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
(BFBS) children's programme Room 785
Room 785
Room 785 is a children's television programme broadcast on the BFBS 1 channel, part of the British Forces Broadcasting Service. It has a similar format to CBBC in that the presenters are in a small studio and introduce the programmes from there...
. Here he presents the "Broom Cupboard" slot introducing the forthcoming programmes.