THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST BBC AND ITV GAVE US AT THE TIME 17:30, 12 Mar 2025 Before programmes were on demand or as easy to re-watch and record as they are today, you'd rush home from

playing out in the street or being at school to catch your favourite children's TV show. And while it's been years since our favourite programmes of the 80s and 90s, many of us

still remember them fondly. From hard-hitting dramas to cartoons and animated shows - there really was something for everyone. Today, children have hundreds of channels and streaming

services at their fingertips, from Netflix to Apple TV, Disney+ and more. Some classic shows from decades ago still appear on there. But at the time, Children's ITV (CITV) and

others have come back in some form in more recent years. While there are sure to be some of your favourites on here, it would be impossible to make a complete, comprehensive list. But see

how many you remember in our list below. 21. ART ATTACK Article continues below This Children's ITV show, hosted by Liverpool's Neil Buchanan, helped a generation of children fall

in love with art. For anyone who is unversed about what Art Attack actually is, the show revolved around showing kids how to create incredible art pieces as well as providing super cool

tricks and trips so anyone could make art at home. It was on our screens for a whopping 17 years, after airing for the first time in June 1990 until it's last episode in May 2007.

However, in 2024 it was reported Art Attack is set for a comeback to our screens with new host Romesh Ranganathan. 20. THE DEMON HEADMASTER Based on the children's books by Gillian

Cross of the same name, The Demon Headmaster aired on CBBC between 1996 and 1998. The show follows Dinah Glass who moves in with a new foster family and starts at a new school. The title

character, played by Terrence Hardiman, sought to gain control of the school by using his hypnotic powers. Back in 2019, a sequel to the original show was broadcast on CBBC. 19. THE MOOMINS

The Moomins was a stop-motion animated TV series that first became popular on Children's ITV in the 1980s. Originally made for Polish TV from stories written in Swedish, it was edited

for a British audience and narrated by actor Richard Murdoch. The show followed the adventures of the hippopotamus-like Moomintroll and his family, alongside the other strange inhabitants of

Momminvalley. A later cartoon of The Moomins also became popular in the UK in the 1990s on CITV. 18. CHUCKLEVISION Thought by many to be the greatest CBBC series of all time, ChuckleVision

showcased visual gags and the slapstick adventures of the Chuckle Brothers Paul and Barry. Who can forget their most famous catchphrases - "To me, to you" and 'Oh dear, oh

dear." The Chuckle Brothers were real-life brothers Barry and Paul Elliot. Their hit show ran for 292 episodes from 1987 to 2009. Sadly older brother, Barry, died in 2018 aged 73. 17.

MAID MARIAN AND HER MERRY MEN Created by Sir Tony Robinson, best known for Time Team and playing Baldrick in the timeless BBC comedy Blackadder, Maid Marian and Her Merry Men was an

incredibly popular show back in the '80s and '90s. The show centred around Maid Marian, played by Kate Lonegran, and her fearless band of Merry Men's schemes against the

Sheriff of Nottingham, played by Sir Tony Robinson. The BBC children's comedy first aired in 1999 and ran for four series until 1994, with each episode containing comical songs. The

show won numerous awards including the 1990 BAFTA for Best Children's Programme. 16. THE 8.15 FROM MANCHESTER The 8.15 from Manchester only ran for two seasons, but the show became a

summer kids' TV favourite in the 1990s and helped launch the career of Dianne Oxberry, who joined the second series. Presented by Ross King, Charlotte Hindle and Dianne, perhaps most

people will remember it for the theme tune, a rewrite of Find Out Why by Inspiral Carpets. It was on air when Going Live was on its summer break, so it became a TV staple for any kid growing

up with holiday time on their hands. One of the favourite features was 'the wetter the better' which was filmed in Blackpool with children quizzed while suspended on seats over a

swimming pool. 15. THE QUEEN'S NOSE If you grew up in the '90s, you will likely remember rushing home from school to catch an episode of The Queen's Nose. before cracking on

with your homework The loved CBBC series told the tales of Harmony Parker, a girl with a magical 50p coin. The coin, first owned by her uncle Ginger, would grant Harmony her wishes but in an

unpredictable – and not necessarily enjoyable – way. Incredibly popular in its time, it is still fondly remembered today. The show ran for three series from 1995 to 1998, before being

revived again without the main character, Harmony, for another four series between 2000 and 2003. 14. WACADAY Anyone who was at school - or had children of school age - during the late 1980s

will have vivid memories of Wacaday. In fact even if you weren’t, you may yet remember that itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini song, although you might have been trying to

forget. The show presented by Timmy Mallett, whose OTT personality was matched only by his glasses and shirts, aired on ITV during the school holidays from 1985 until 1992. One of the most

memorable segments of the show was Mallett's Mallet - a word association game where two children fought not to trip over their words or else receive a bonk on the head from a sponge

mallet. Other regular characters to feature on Wacaday were its resident cockatiel called Magic and Pinky Punky, a talking hammer, famous for his catchphrase: "Mr Mallett! Mr Mallett!

Can I go to the toilet?" There were also phone-in quizzes, gunge-heavy games and cartoons such as Transformers, Batfink and Galaxy Hight, to keep all kids entertained first thing during

the summer holidays. 13. FIVE CHILDREN AND IT Based on E. Nesbit's children novel Five Children and It, in 1991 the BBC turned the story into a six-part television series. While

playing in a sand pit, fives siblings discover a sand fairy, called The Psammead, which is thousands of years old and has the power to grant wishes. In 2020, Jacqueline Wilson book based on

the original novel - Four Children and It - was also adapted into a film. 12. ROUND THE TWIST Perhaps holding the title of having the greatest theme tune of any TV programme ever made, Round

The Twist was a surreal children's comedy drama from Australia. The show centred around the Twist family who had come to live in an haunted lighthouse on the rugged Aussie coast of

Victoria. Running for four series on Children's BBC from 1990 to 2001, the show left its mark on a generation of kids in Australia and the UK. 11. DOGTANIAN AND THE THREE MUSKEHOUNDS

Swashbuckling hound Dogtanian first found fame in the UK when the BBC aired the TV series in the mid-1980s. Dogtanian is an ambitious young swordsman who dreams of becoming a hero and

joining the legendary Muskehounds in a cartoon version of 17th century France. After proving his skills and earning their trust, he and his three Muskehound buddies - Porthos, Athos, and

Aramis - must defend the king from the villainous Cardinal Richelieu’s secret plot to seize power. The cartoon series was a traditional good versus evil story, and if it sounds familiar,

that’s because it’s a retelling of the 18th century Alexandre Dumas French adventure novel The Three Musketeers - only for some reason the characters were all dogs. What is for certain it

was another kids TV series with an outrageously catchy theme tune. 10. CHORLTON AND THE WHEELIES The surreal kids series Chorlton and the Wheelies was the first production from the legendary

Chorlton-based animation studio Cosgrove Hall Films. 40 episodes were made for the series, which ran from 1976 to 1978 on ITV. The show followed the adventures of Chorlton the happiness

dragon in Wheelie World. He protects inhabitants from Fenella the Kettle Witch, who was always casting spells and had a terrifying habit of teleporting for the purposes of mischief. Of

course, her wicked schemes were always thwarted by Chorlton the happy dragon, who spoke with a thick Lancashire accent. In fact, the hero of the show not only shared the name with where the

show was made, the inscription "Made in Chorlton-cum-Hardy" is found written on the inside of the egg from which he hatches in the very first episode. 9. KNIGHTMARE This

children's adventure game show featuring state-of-the art computer graphics was a huge hit for CITV from 1987 until 1994. Under the guide of the dungeon master Treguard, played by actor

Hugo Myatt. A team of children would pit their wits trying to solve puzzles and navigating the castle's inhabitants, to guide their team mate through a series of dangerous dungeons to

complete the quest. The show became popular for its fantastical graphics and devilishly hard puzzles. There was also a real sense of unease watching the team's life-force ebb away,

illustrated by a graphic of a helmet wearing adventurer. Pieces of its armour, skin and face would disappear eventually leaving only a floating set of eyeballs. 8. DANGER MOUSE

"He's the greatest, he's fantastic. Wherever there is danger he'll be there!" Those lyrics are etched on the memory of most Brits who grew up during the 1980s and

'90s. Danger Mouse and his trusty sidekick Penfold first sprang onto our screens in 1981. In the decade that followed, the eyepatch-clad super spy and his bespectacled friend went up

against their nemesis, Baron Silas Greenback, hundreds of times as he unveiled various dastardly plans. But with his plots involving exploding custard and enormous chickens - the evil toad

never quite got the better of Danger Mouse and Penfold. 7. FUN HOUSE Fun House, which began in 1989, was hosted by English radio presenter, Pat Sharp - the 'Superstar DJ' of his

day. His co-hosts were the Grant twins, Melanie and Martina. Each episode of this classic Children's ITV game show featured two teams consisting of a boy and girl representing schools

from around the UK. There were three rounds in each episode - Messy Games, The Fun Kart Grand Prix and The Fun House, itself. The hit show ran for 11 series before finally calling it a day

in 1999. 6. BYKER GROVE For many '90s kids, Byker Grove formed the backdrop to their lives as they grew up, with the on-screen antics of its young cast striking a chord with school age

viewers everywhere. The popularity of the drama, set around a fictional youth club in Byker, Newcastle, made household names of its cast, the most famous being of course Ant and Dec who we

knew way back as PJ and Duncan. 5. GOING LIVE! Many will be filled with nostalgia remembering BBC's Saturday morning TV show Going Live! Presented by Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene,

the show ran from 1987 to 1993. Featuring a mix of games, phone-ins, cartoons, and interviews - much of the show's anarchic silliness was supplied by comedy duo Trevor and Simon. The

pair's skits, including the Singing Corner's 'Swing Your Pants' section and DJ Mick McMac and Moon Monkey, were some of the show's best-loved segments. 4. COUNT

DUCKULA Cosgrove Hall's wildly successful Count Duckula was a spin-off from their hit show, Danger Mouse where he was a recurring villain. The show aired from September 1988 to February

1993 with 65 episodes made in total. Count Duckula lived in Castle Duckula aided by the Lurch-like Igor and his nursemaid, Nanny, who referred to him as 'Ducky Poos'. In fact it

was his bungling Nanny's use of ketchup instead of blood in a diabolical ceremony to resurrect Count Duckula that made him come back as vegetarian instead of a blood-sucking vampire. 3.

GRANGE HILL Grange Hill, the trailblazing series famed for its stark reflection of school life, has been a cultural touchstone for youngsters growing up in the '70s, '80s, and

'90s. It even extended into the new millennium before it finally ended in 2008. Set in the fictional north London suburb of Northam, the show followed the lives of the students and

teachers who attended Grange Hill comprehensive. In stark contrast to the typically rosy depictions of youth on TV, Grange Hill was fearless in broaching contentious subjects, such as knife

crime and heroin addiction. 2. DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS This classic cartoon series was broadcast on Children's BBC between 1984 and 1991. It followed the adventures of six young people who

entered the Dungeons and Dragons ride at an amusement park and were transported into a dangerous world of sorcery. As they tried to find their way back home, they were aided on their quest

by the cryptic riddles of the Dungeon Master and the unicorn Uni. Along the way, they had to battle the forces of evil in the terrifying form of Venger - an evil wizard - who wanted to take

the children's magical weapons gifted by the Dungeon Master for himself. Article continues below 1. CHILDREN'S WARD Filmed in Greater Manchester, the show highlighted important

issues - and helped kickstart the careers of many now-household names including Will Mellor, Jane Danson and Stephen Graham. Back in 1989, the children’s drama launched and became one of the

best-loved programmes on CITV. The series, created by Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor, was filmed at Bolton General Hospital (now called Royal Bolton Hospital) and south Manchester. It was so

popular, school pupils would dash home so as not to miss an episode of the teatime series, which was essentially a soap opera for kids.