Your Mother Wouldn't Like It
Encyclopedia
Your Mother Wouldn't Like It was a children's sketch show broadcast on ITV
between 1985 and 1988. A unique aspect of the show was that the performing cast were almost entirely children.
The show was produced by Central Television at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
. The children used on the show were part of the Central Junior Television Workshop
, an initiative founded by Central Television. The show won a BAFTA
award but has never been issued on DVD or VHS tape release.
The first two series of Your Mother Wouldn't Like It were mainly based on the conceit of a few of the children - Loaf, Lonnie, Cans, Mary Rose and Pam - running and writing the show itself, interspersed with sketches. The third series did away with most of this narrative, but retained Loaf as an essential linking device.
Loaf (played by Ian Kirkby) was a dogsbody character, with Cans (Tom Anderson) as the main boss to everyone. A puppet worm - Tapeworm - would interrupt proceedings now and then with a sneery comment. On the last episode, it was revealed to the audience that Loaf was the puppeteer and voice behind Tapeworm, although the puppet's voice really belonged to performer Karl Collins
throughout the show's life. The final series also featured Richard Allenson playing the part of Mr. Briefcase, the sneering man from the ministry of wholesome television who repeatedly tried to close down the show and invariably ended up failing. Richard Allenson went on to create the character Professor McGinty, a time-travelling detective who tours the country with his mobile museum.
Familiar concepts from anarchic children's programmes were present, such as slapstick humour featuring custard pie
s and gunge
as visual punchlines, and a healthy disrespect towards authority.
There were roughly 100 members in the Central Junior Television Workshop, which was split into two branches, one based in Birmingham
, the other based in Nottingham. With a wide range of talent, different kids could be focused on each week for their own comedy routines. Impressions were quite popular, as were parodies of television programmes of the time.
with characters based on members of the British Royal Family
. This proved so popular that it became a spin-off show, also broadcast on ITV, running for three series, and targeted politicians such as Margaret Thatcher
for satire.
The spin-off show had a surreal, almost post-apocalyptic feel to it. The characters, such as school bully Nick Knuckle and his girlfriend Binky Spoon, spent their time roaming the seemingly-abandoned corridors of the school, often stopping to address the camera directly. The character based on Prince Charles had a doomed love affair with a girl from another planet, who eventually went back to her home planet. There was also a character who was a schoolboy from the WW2 era.
, who would investigate a different youth trend each week, only to be humiliated by his peers. The sketches were written by Sue Townsend
, best known as author and creator of the Adrian Mole
books.
but played in 'real life' by costumed actors on the more realistic (and cheaper) setting of present-day Earth. As the title suggests, Twee-Man is a more cowardly and feeble version of He-Man
.
for the BBC
, Ian Kirkby, who also performed on Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow, and Karen Murden. who went on to play Beverly Grice in ITV soap opera Crossroads. Tayla Goodman went on to write the rock musical
Virus, which had its world premiere at Nottingham's Theatre Royal, and is currently writing a film script, The Edge Of Goodbye, with her business partner Peter Everett
.
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
between 1985 and 1988. A unique aspect of the show was that the performing cast were almost entirely children.
The show was produced by Central Television at their Lenton Lane studios in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. The children used on the show were part of the Central Junior Television Workshop
Central Junior Television Workshop
The Central Junior Television Workshop is a British organization that offers free training for young people in performance skills for television, film, radio and theatre...
, an initiative founded by Central Television. The show won a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
award but has never been issued on DVD or VHS tape release.
Overview
It is thought that a TV producer asked members of the Central Junior Television Workshop what type of show they would like to make, and the majority decision was comedy.The first two series of Your Mother Wouldn't Like It were mainly based on the conceit of a few of the children - Loaf, Lonnie, Cans, Mary Rose and Pam - running and writing the show itself, interspersed with sketches. The third series did away with most of this narrative, but retained Loaf as an essential linking device.
Loaf (played by Ian Kirkby) was a dogsbody character, with Cans (Tom Anderson) as the main boss to everyone. A puppet worm - Tapeworm - would interrupt proceedings now and then with a sneery comment. On the last episode, it was revealed to the audience that Loaf was the puppeteer and voice behind Tapeworm, although the puppet's voice really belonged to performer Karl Collins
Karl Collins
Karl Collins is an English actor.He has played DC Danny Glaze in The Bill, and has appeared in Casualty, Dream Team, Holby City, As Time Goes By and 55 Degrees North...
throughout the show's life. The final series also featured Richard Allenson playing the part of Mr. Briefcase, the sneering man from the ministry of wholesome television who repeatedly tried to close down the show and invariably ended up failing. Richard Allenson went on to create the character Professor McGinty, a time-travelling detective who tours the country with his mobile museum.
Familiar concepts from anarchic children's programmes were present, such as slapstick humour featuring custard pie
Custard pie
A custard pie is any type of uncooked custard mixture added to an uncooked or partially cooked crust and baked together. In North America, custard pie commonly refers to a plain mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and sometimes nutmeg combined with a pie crust...
s and gunge
Gunge
Gunge as it is known in the British Isles, or slime as it is known in America and other parts of the world is a thick, gooey, runny substance similar in consistency to paint. It has been a feature on many children's programmes for many years around the world and has made appearances in game shows...
as visual punchlines, and a healthy disrespect towards authority.
There were roughly 100 members in the Central Junior Television Workshop, which was split into two branches, one based in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, the other based in Nottingham. With a wide range of talent, different kids could be focused on each week for their own comedy routines. Impressions were quite popular, as were parodies of television programmes of the time.
Palace Hill
Palace Hill was a spoof of the BBC's long-running children's drama Grange HillGrange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
with characters based on members of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. This proved so popular that it became a spin-off show, also broadcast on ITV, running for three series, and targeted politicians such as Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
for satire.
The spin-off show had a surreal, almost post-apocalyptic feel to it. The characters, such as school bully Nick Knuckle and his girlfriend Binky Spoon, spent their time roaming the seemingly-abandoned corridors of the school, often stopping to address the camera directly. The character based on Prince Charles had a doomed love affair with a girl from another planet, who eventually went back to her home planet. There was also a character who was a schoolboy from the WW2 era.
The Wimp Reports
The Wimp was a socially inadequate and unpopular character, played by Simon SchatzbergerSimon Schatzberger
Simon Schatzberger is an English television actor of Jewish origin. He has appeared on several television programmes in both guest roles and starring roles, including Your Mother Wouldn't Like It, Press Gang, Audrey and Friends, Comin' Atcha!, Band of Brothers, Black Books, Doctors and The Cottage...
, who would investigate a different youth trend each week, only to be humiliated by his peers. The sketches were written by Sue Townsend
Sue Townsend
-Adrian Mole series:* The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ , her best selling book, and the best-selling new British fiction book of the 1980s.* The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole * The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole...
, best known as author and creator of the Adrian Mole
Adrian Mole
Adrian Albert Mole is the fictional protagonist in a series of books by English author Sue Townsend. The character first appeared in a BBC Radio 4 play in 1982. The books are written in the form of a diary, with some additional content such as correspondence...
books.
Twee Man
A parody of American action cartoon Masters of the UniverseMasters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
but played in 'real life' by costumed actors on the more realistic (and cheaper) setting of present-day Earth. As the title suggests, Twee-Man is a more cowardly and feeble version of He-Man
He-Man
He-Man is a fictional heroic character featured in the Masters of the Universe media franchise. In most variations, he is the alter ego of Prince Adam...
.
Cast
Among the cast were Steven Ryde, who went on to produce Dick and Dom In Da BungalowDick and Dom in da Bungalow
Dick and Dom in da Bungalow was a CBBC children's entertainment television series presented by the duo Dick and Dom...
for 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...
, Ian Kirkby, who also performed on Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow, and Karen Murden. who went on to play Beverly Grice in ITV soap opera Crossroads. Tayla Goodman went on to write the rock musical
Rock musical
A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and concept albums become rock musicals...
Virus, which had its world premiere at Nottingham's Theatre Royal, and is currently writing a film script, The Edge Of Goodbye, with her business partner Peter Everett
Peter Everett
Peter Everett is an Australian television host. He hosted the Australian adaptation of cook show Ready Steady Cook on Network Ten. He is known for appearing on Changing Rooms which aired on the Nine Network in 1998. He also took part in the reality figure skating series Skating on Thin Ice in...
.
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 7 edition from 1 November 1985 - 20 December 1985
- Series 2: 7 editions from 22 August 1986 - 3 October 1986
- Series 3: 7 editions from 18 November 1987 - 13 January 1988