Pob's Programme
Encyclopedia
Pob's Programme was a children's television programme, which was broadcast in the United Kingdom
on Channel 4
and BBC
between October 1985 and 1990. The programme is presented by a puppet named Pob (played by puppeteer Robin Stevens
), who speaks a primitive version of English
and who supposedly lives inside the viewer's TV (the casing and red, green and blue electron gun
s visible behind him). The opening titles of the show consist of the character breathing on the camera lens (this breathing was often mistaken for spitting, given the loud noise accompanying it and the thick condensation appearing on screen), and tracing his name in the condensation
. Each week on the programme, a celebrity guest visits Pob's garden, and entertains him — though Pob and the guest never appear on screen together.
Pob's Programme was created by Doug Wilcox and Anne Wood
of Ragdoll Productions
, which also created Rosie and Jim
. Wood went on to create the Teletubbies
.
The celebrity guest then follows the wool
len string, winding it as they go, and encountering a second label;
Ultimately the wool is found to be Pob's unravelled jumper, and he is awoken to trace his name on the screen. Over the course of the programme, the celebrity guest reads a story, and solves a word puzzle with Pob.
Before the end of the programme, the celebrity guest gives Pob a gift, usually related to their story, which they attach to the woollen thread of Pob's jumper. Pob retrieves the gift, and plays with it, stopping periodically to wipe the programme's end credits from the camera lens. The Ragdoll logo follows at the end of every episode, another ragdoll apears, but as a toy and Pob blows out the candle held by the toy ragdoll. the cartoon ragdoll stays on screen. The next celebrity visitor is seen arriving at Pob's garden, realises they are a week too early, and leaves.
Celebrity guests on the show included; Roy Castle
, Nigel Kennedy
, Madhur Jaffrey
, Brian Blessed
, Hannah Gordon
, Kathy Staff
and Spike Milligan
.
Pob is often accompanied in his mischief by a silent teddy bear called Teddy.
's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows.
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...
on 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...
and 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...
between October 1985 and 1990. The programme is presented by a puppet named Pob (played by puppeteer Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens is a British puppeteer, actor, director and writer for children's TV for nearly 30 years, and has done many successful programs. These include The Teletubbies, Pob, Rosie and Jim, Tots TV, Boohbah & Blips. He worked for Ragdoll Productions for about 20 years, at times co-writing...
), who speaks a primitive version of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and who supposedly lives inside the viewer's TV (the casing and red, green and blue electron gun
Electron gun
An electron gun is an electrical component that produces an electron beam that has a precise kinetic energy and is most often used in television sets and computer displays which use cathode ray tube technology, as well as in other instruments, such as electron microscopes and particle...
s visible behind him). The opening titles of the show consist of the character breathing on the camera lens (this breathing was often mistaken for spitting, given the loud noise accompanying it and the thick condensation appearing on screen), and tracing his name in the condensation
Condensation
Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization. When the transition happens from the gaseous phase into the solid phase directly, the change is called deposition....
. Each week on the programme, a celebrity guest visits Pob's garden, and entertains him — though Pob and the guest never appear on screen together.
Pob's Programme was created by Doug Wilcox and Anne Wood
Anne Wood
Anne Wood CBE is a British children’s television producer.She was born in Spennymoor, County Durham, England and grew up in Tudhoe Colliery, a small coalmining village nearby.-Her Teaching Years:...
of Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Productions is a UK company that produces children's television shows. It was founded in 1984 by Anne Wood, who later devised many of their television series, seen in 111 countries and translated into 41 languages.Before 1984, Ragdoll's founder Anne Wood made children's programmes for...
, which also created Rosie and Jim
Rosie and Jim
Rosie and Jim was a British children's television programme which appeared, on and off, on CITV since the early 1990s. The programme was the creation of John Cunliffe, in collaboration with Anne Wood and Robin Stevens, Robin Stevens] also played the character Jim...
. Wood went on to create the Teletubbies
Teletubbies
Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
.
Content
In a typical episode, the celebrity visitor to the show finds a label attached to a piece of string on the gates of Pob's garden;- If in my programme you would be,
- Wind the wool and follow me.
The celebrity guest then follows the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
len string, winding it as they go, and encountering a second label;
- Wind it slowly, wind it fast,
- A secret you will find at last.
Ultimately the wool is found to be Pob's unravelled jumper, and he is awoken to trace his name on the screen. Over the course of the programme, the celebrity guest reads a story, and solves a word puzzle with Pob.
Before the end of the programme, the celebrity guest gives Pob a gift, usually related to their story, which they attach to the woollen thread of Pob's jumper. Pob retrieves the gift, and plays with it, stopping periodically to wipe the programme's end credits from the camera lens. The Ragdoll logo follows at the end of every episode, another ragdoll apears, but as a toy and Pob blows out the candle held by the toy ragdoll. the cartoon ragdoll stays on screen. The next celebrity visitor is seen arriving at Pob's garden, realises they are a week too early, and leaves.
Celebrity guests on the show included; Roy Castle
Roy Castle
Roy Castle OBE was an English dancer, singer, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician. He attended Honley High School, where there is now a building in his name...
, Nigel Kennedy
Nigel Kennedy
Nigel Kennedy is a British born violinist and violist. He made his early career in the classical field, and he has performed and recorded most of the major violin concerti...
, Madhur Jaffrey
Madhur Jaffrey
Madhur Jaffrey is an Indian actress and food writer who introduced the Western world to the many cuisines of India.- Personal life :...
, Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
, Hannah Gordon
Hannah Gordon
Hannah Cambell Grant Gordon is a Scottish actress who is well known in the United Kingdom for her television work, including Upstairs, Downstairs, Telford's Change, My Wife Next Door, Joint Account and an appearance in the final episode of One Foot in the Grave.-Early life:Gordon was born in...
, Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff was an English actress, well known for her work on British television...
and Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
.
Pob is often accompanied in his mischief by a silent teddy bear called Teddy.
Recognition
In 2001, Pob's Programme was number 60 on Channel 4Channel 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 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows.