Children's Favourites
Encyclopedia
Children's Favourites was a BBC Radio
programme from 1954 broadcast on the Light Programme on Saturday mornings from 9:00. A precursor (from 1952) had been called Children's Choice after the style of Housewives' Choice
.
The programme played requests from children of all ages. For most of its run, the programme was frequently introduced by Derek McCulloch
(Uncle Mac). McCulloch's grandfatherly tone was quintessentially 'old-school' BBC
. His opening words "Hello children, everywhere!" were his "catch-phrase", though a modification of his much earlier closing words "Goodnight children, everywhere" on Children's Hour
.
Many children wrote in with requests, though often just to get their names mentioned on the radio. McCulloch ensured that all types of music were played whatever the majority had requested: not just children's pieces but a wide range of music from pop to hymns to the light classics. The signature tune for most of the time until the mid-sixties was Puffin' Billy by Edward White
played by Melodi Light Orchestra.
McCulloch made his last broadcast in 1965 and several other presenters were then tried including Leslie Crowther
. After Radio 1
and Radio 2
were launched, the show was re-named Junior Choice (simultaneously broadcast on the two stations) and Puffin' Billy was replaced by Morningtown Ride
. An instrumental version of the Seekers' hit was used, played by Stan Butcher's Birds n Brass.
In February 1968 Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart
took over from Crowther and became the host for eleven years, attracting over 17 million listeners. The style became less cosy and less reverent. As tastes changed, new favourites were added, though some of the old favourites remained for years. Additionally pop music records, as opposed to records specifically for children, were requested more frequently as the 1970s progressed.
In 1980 Stewart was replaced as presenter by Tony Blackburn
, but by this time the programme had come to be seen as somewhat old-fashioned. Blackburn despised the show and, when promoting it at the end of the previous week's Top 40
show, would often revert to a plummy 1950s type of voice such as he naturally spoke with before he became a DJ. (He had abandoned his original accent in favour of his familiar mid-Atlantic tones after being told by Radio Caroline
that he sounded too "posh
" ) The title "Junior Choice" was dropped in the early months of 1982, but similar programmes, now titled "Tony Blackburn's Saturday Show" and "Tony Blackburn's Sunday Show" continued until 23 September 1984, after which Blackburn left Radio 1, Peter Powell
took over the weekend breakfast show, and the link with the "Uncle Mac" era was finally broken.
English Songwriter P.M.Adamson subsequently wrote a song as a tribute to this byegone era which was first published as a poem and later converted into a slide show for you tube.
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
programme from 1954 broadcast on the Light Programme on Saturday mornings from 9:00. A precursor (from 1952) had been called Children's Choice after the style of Housewives' Choice
Housewives' Choice
Housewives' Choice was a BBC radio record request programme broadcast every morning from 1946 to 1967 on the BBC Light Programme. It played a wide range of music designed to appeal to housewives at home during the day...
.
The programme played requests from children of all ages. For most of its run, the programme was frequently introduced by Derek McCulloch
Derek McCulloch
Derek Ivor Breashur McCulloch OBE was a BBC Radio presenter and producer, who is best remembered as "Uncle Mac" in Children's Favourites and Children's Hour and for playing 'Larry the Lamb' in Toytown.-Early life:...
(Uncle Mac). McCulloch's grandfatherly tone was quintessentially 'old-school' 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...
. His opening words "Hello children, everywhere!" were his "catch-phrase", though a modification of his much earlier closing words "Goodnight children, everywhere" on Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
.
Many children wrote in with requests, though often just to get their names mentioned on the radio. McCulloch ensured that all types of music were played whatever the majority had requested: not just children's pieces but a wide range of music from pop to hymns to the light classics. The signature tune for most of the time until the mid-sixties was Puffin' Billy by Edward White
Edward White (composer)
Edward George White was a British composer of light music whose compositions including Runaway Rocking Horse , Paris Interlude , Puffin' Billy and Telegoons became familiar as radio and television theme tunes.White was born in London, and was largely self-taught...
played by Melodi Light Orchestra.
McCulloch made his last broadcast in 1965 and several other presenters were then tried including Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther, CBE was an English comedian, actor and gameshow host.-Biography:Crowther was born in West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire. At the end of 1944 he moved to London with his parents, but was evacuated for a few months to Bute until just after the war ended.His father, Leslie Frederick...
. After Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
were launched, the show was re-named Junior Choice (simultaneously broadcast on the two stations) and Puffin' Billy was replaced by Morningtown Ride
Morningtown Ride
"Morningtown Ride" is a lullaby written by Malvina Reynolds in 1957 and recorded by a number of artists, notably The Seekers. It tells the comforting story of the 'journey' through nighttime made by all the "little travellers" .-1962:...
. An instrumental version of the Seekers' hit was used, played by Stan Butcher's Birds n Brass.
In February 1968 Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart
Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart is a radio broadcaster from England. His real name is Edward Mainwaring but he is known by the nickname Ed Stewpot Stewart.-Early life and career:...
took over from Crowther and became the host for eleven years, attracting over 17 million listeners. The style became less cosy and less reverent. As tastes changed, new favourites were added, though some of the old favourites remained for years. Additionally pop music records, as opposed to records specifically for children, were requested more frequently as the 1970s progressed.
In 1980 Stewart was replaced as presenter by Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
, but by this time the programme had come to be seen as somewhat old-fashioned. Blackburn despised the show and, when promoting it at the end of the previous week's Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
show, would often revert to a plummy 1950s type of voice such as he naturally spoke with before he became a DJ. (He had abandoned his original accent in favour of his familiar mid-Atlantic tones after being told by Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
that he sounded too "posh
Posh
Posh or POSH may refer to:In computing:*Plain Old Semantic HTML*Poshlib, the Portable Open Source Harness*Windows PowerShell, sometimes abbreviated PoShIn entertainment:*Posh , a 1980 album by Patrice Rushen...
" ) The title "Junior Choice" was dropped in the early months of 1982, but similar programmes, now titled "Tony Blackburn's Saturday Show" and "Tony Blackburn's Sunday Show" continued until 23 September 1984, after which Blackburn left Radio 1, Peter Powell
Peter Powell (disc jockey)
Peter Powell is a former disc jockey, popular on BBC Radio 1 in the late 1970s and 1980s, who has a second career in talent management.-Early career:...
took over the weekend breakfast show, and the link with the "Uncle Mac" era was finally broken.
English Songwriter P.M.Adamson subsequently wrote a song as a tribute to this byegone era which was first published as a poem and later converted into a slide show for you tube.
External links
- Children's Favourites - Sterling
- Children's Favourites - Whirligig
- Some of the Favourites
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KFgexLZjXE