Skateboarding duck
Encyclopedia
Herbie the skateboarding duck (c.1976-83) was the subject of an item first broadcast on the Midlands Today
insert to the BBC
news magazine programme Nationwide
on 24 May 1978.
Herbie, an Aylesbury duck
, was bought by Jacky and Paddy Randall of Croydon
for their children Mikala and Colin. The film, presented by reporter Alan Towers
, includes footage of Herbie waddling along the street, joining the family at breakfast and attacking the Randalls' terrier. The most famous part of the film is a four-second shot of Herbie apparently skateboarding by himself on Colin's board. This image seemingly captured the public imagination, and the BBC received many requests for it to be shown again, which it frequently was.
The clip also appeared on other TV stations around the world, many of which also produced their own variations on the theme. There was also renewed interest in the clip in 1983 after the death of Herbie was announced, and it has been repeated many times since on other TV programmes.
As a result of the item's popularity, the term "skateboarding duck" has come to signify a particular sort of quirky and essentially frivolous news story, often used to fill time at the end of a broadcast.
Midlands Today
Midlands Today is the BBC's regional television news programme for the West Midlands region, which covers the north of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands county...
insert to 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...
news magazine programme Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
on 24 May 1978.
Herbie, an Aylesbury duck
Aylesbury duck
The Aylesbury duck is a breed of domesticated duck, bred mainly for its meat and appearance. It is a large duck with pure white plumage, a pink bill, orange legs and feet, an unusually large keel, and a horizontal stance with its body parallel to the ground...
, was bought by Jacky and Paddy Randall of Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
for their children Mikala and Colin. The film, presented by reporter Alan Towers
Alan Towers
Alan Towers was a former presenter of Midlands Today, BBC Midlands' regional news programme.After stints as a newsreader with ITN and Granada Television in Manchester, Towers joined BBC Midlands in 1972 as a main presenter on Midlands Today and was also seen nationally as a presenter of features...
, includes footage of Herbie waddling along the street, joining the family at breakfast and attacking the Randalls' terrier. The most famous part of the film is a four-second shot of Herbie apparently skateboarding by himself on Colin's board. This image seemingly captured the public imagination, and the BBC received many requests for it to be shown again, which it frequently was.
The clip also appeared on other TV stations around the world, many of which also produced their own variations on the theme. There was also renewed interest in the clip in 1983 after the death of Herbie was announced, and it has been repeated many times since on other TV programmes.
As a result of the item's popularity, the term "skateboarding duck" has come to signify a particular sort of quirky and essentially frivolous news story, often used to fill time at the end of a broadcast.