Fireman Sam - Always on the scene!

In the children's TV battle arena, there was one thing alone that set Fireman Sam ahead of Postman Pat in the best career-based puppet show category - its theme tune!

Sung by Welsh songsmith Maldwyn Pope, it firmly established that Sam was, indeed, the hero next door. So popular was the theme that it was released by BBC Records as a 7" single, with full three-minute-plus version on the A-side and the glorious Welsh language version on the B side.

Original TV Theme intro:



Full 7" single version:


Find the Fireman Sam theme tune at tellytunes.com

Buy Fireman Sam Toys via Amazon

The fantastic Tony Hart, 1925 - 2009

A truly inspirational man whose work brought joy to generations and whose legacy lives on in those who he inspired and encouraged to take an interest in art.

Often copied but never matched, his memory will live on in the thousands, possibly millions, of works of art that his inspiration prompted others to produce.

Rest in peace.



You can leave your own tribute to Tony Hart on the Lasting Tribute website.

Blackadder's Christmas Carol

A festive slice of one of the finest BBC comedies of all-time! Ebenezer Blackadder, the nicest person in England, gets a visit from the Christmas Ghost, who shows him visions of his ancestors that will change Ebenezer completely.

First aired: Friday 23 December 1988, BBC1.

Part One:



See the rest of the episode here

Christmas at Woolworths through the years

As Woolies looks to be heading towards its last-ever Christmas on the High Street, we've spotted these two classic Woolworth's Christmas ads on YouTube to remind us all of the happier days of Woolies.

First up, this musical gem from 1981 featuring the Goodies amongst others trying to flog us such gems as a Polaroid camera for £13.99 and Woolie's fabulous Chevron cassette range (Shakin' Stevens anyone?) Note though the tin of Quality Street going for £6.89! 27 years on and it's the same price at Asda - perhaps precisely the reason why Woolies is now sadly like to be no more. (That and the bloody annoying dog and sheep double-act!)




Two years on and 1983 saw cockney banjo-twanger Joe Brown tempting us with Old Spice aftershave, Bontempi organs and, just what every loved one wants at Christmas - a 6-pack of blank C90 cassette tapes!



RIP Woolies :o(

Coca Cola Christmas - Holidays Are Coming...

# Holidays are coming, holidays are coming, holidays are coming, holidays are coming...
# Watch out, look around, something's coming, coming to your town....

Oh yes, holidays are indeed coming and you know Christmas is almost upon us when the Christmas Radio Times is on the coffee table and your telly ad breaks are punctuated by the jolly Christmas Cola trucks trundling their way through the snow!




#Fa, la, la, la, laaa, la, la, la, laaaaaaa, Fa, la, la, la, laaa, la, la, la, laaaaaaa....
#'Tis the season it's always the real thing....

Children in Need: BBC Newsreaders do Rocky Horror

In the last of this week's Children in Need clips, we look at another now-annual element of the show - the ritual humiliation of the BBC's news-reading corp.

In this classic clip, the team take on the Rocky Horror Show. Brace yourself for Micheal Burke in suspenders and Andrew Marr looking as though he's enjoying himself just that little bit too much!

Don't miss this year's Children in Need event on BBC1 tonight and you can donate online to the appeal at www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

Children in Need: Perfect Day video

1997's Children in Need appeal was led by the release of the multi-artist single Perfect Day.

An eclectic mix of artists re-recorded the song and video, originally as a corporate video for the BBC promoting its diverse music coverage. It was then released as a single in aid of Pudsey's appeal and raise over £2million for the appeal.

The video features (in order of appearance): Lou Reed, Bono, Skye Edwards (from Morcheeba), David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Elton John, Sir Andrew Davis (conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra), Boyzone, Lesley Garrett, Burning Spear, Bono, Sir Thomas Allen, Brodsky Quartet, Heather Small (from M People), Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette, Shane MacGowan, Sheona White (BBC Young Brass Soloist of the Year 1996), Dr. John, Robert Cray, Hugh "Huey" Morgan (from Fun Lovin' Criminals), Ian Broudie (from The Lightning Seeds), Gabrielle, Evan Dando (from The Lemonheads), Courtney Pine, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Brett Anderson (from Suede), Visual Ministry Choir, Joan Armatrading, Laurie Anderson and Tom Jones.

You can make a donation to this year's Children in Need appeal at http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

Children in Need: EastEnders Thriller

The second of this week's Children in Need picks comes from 2003 when the cast of EastEnders made their traditional annual contribution to the show in the form of their own recreation of Micahel jackson's classic Thriller video.

Featuring fat Barry as a rather podgy Jacko together with other cast members including the legendary John Barden (Jim Branning), the video also featured a special guest appearance at the end by Leslie Grantham aka Dirty Den, prior to his full-time return to the show the following year.

Don't forget to make your donation to this year's Pudsey appeal at http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

First aired: 21 November 2003, BBC1.

Children in Need: Doctor Who "Time Crash" special

It's Children in Need night this Friday so over the next few days we'll be adding some classic CiN features and sketches to the tellytunes scrapbook.

Kicking things off is last year's fantastic highlight, "Time Crash", the Doctor Who special which reunited fifth Doctor Peter Davison with current encumbent David Tennant in a witty, fast-paced and, at points for fans, lump-in-throat-inducing 7 minute special.

After you've watched, go make a donation to this year's pudsey appeal at http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

First aired: 16 November 2007, BBC1.

Crossroads: Bonfire night Motel fire

Anyone with a certain nervousness around bonfires and fireworks will have taken little comfort from the 1981 bonfire night episode of Crossroads.

As families prepared to set out for the nearest bonfire, the evening's episode of Crossroads played out. Motel staff were at their own bonfire party in the Motel grounds when disaster struck. As Jill Chance turns around from the bonfire, she sees the Crossroads Motel going up in flames.

"Oh my god! The Motel. It's on Fire!! Muuuuum...!!!"

And with that, the credits roll as the flames lick around the famous Motel reception.

Star character Meg Richardson/Mortimer (Noele Gordon) was originally thought to have been killed off in the fire. However, it later emerged that she'd done a runner and was found shacked up on the QE2 instead.

But, safe though Meg turned out to be, quite a few of us kept just that little bit greater a distance between ourselves and the bonfire that fireworks night..

First aired: 5 November 1981, ITV.