Tikkabilla
Encyclopedia
Tikkabilla is a UK children's television programme, shown on BBC1, BBC2 and on the CBeebies
channel.
The programme aims to educate pre-school children in an entertaining manner. The title "Tikkabilla" comes from the Punjabi
word meaning "Hopscotch
", a popular children's game.
Each programme is introduced by two adults and a small dragon
puppet
named Tamba
, whom resembles Spyro the Dragon in colouration. Tamba serves as the programme's naive child; the programme's educational content is introduced as the presenters explain things to Tamba. Whilst Tamba appears in every episode, a team of presenters take it in turns to pair-up in each show. These presenters include Justin Fletcher
, Sarah-Jane Honeywell
, Paul Ewing, Simon Davies, Lorna Laidlaw, Veejay Kaur, Toni Fruitin and Amit Sharma (both series 4 only) and Beverley Hills (series 1-3 only). Tamba is performed by puppeteers Sue Eves (series 1 - 4) who created the voice for Tamba; Alison McGowan (series 2 & 3) and Katherine Smee (series 4). Sue Eves has also written many scripts for the programme.
Beverley Hills also writes for the programme as well as writing for the sister show, Storymakers.
Francis Haines and Liz Kitchen wrote the majority of the programme's music. Francis Haines and Jake Hook
co-wrote one of the songs.
Much of the show's format follows that of 1964-1988 UK children's programme Play School. Tikkabilla presenter Simon Davies also presented Play School in its later years. In the Tikkabilla studio, which features a large, colourful house, the presenters and Tamba perform songs, tell stories and make things. Occasionally, special guests visit, normally to demonstrate a special skill or performance. The iconic square, round and arched windows made famous by Play School are again used as a device to transport the viewer from the studio to the outside, real world. Location items, sometimes featuring the presenters and Tamba and usually including young children, introduce the wider world to the young audience.
Tikkabilla features mini-series inside the programme, such as Summerton Mill
and Higgledy House
, both of which are now shown as standalone programmes on CBeebies
.
Tikkabilla began in 2002 and is produced by the BBC's pre-school unit.
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
channel.
The programme aims to educate pre-school children in an entertaining manner. The title "Tikkabilla" comes from the Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
word meaning "Hopscotch
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a children's game that can be played with several players or alone. Hopscotch is a popular playground game.- Court and rules :- The court :...
", a popular children's game.
Each programme is introduced by two adults and a small dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
puppet
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
named Tamba
Tamba
The word Tamba may refer to:* Tamba Province, a former province in Japan* Tamba, Hyōgo, a city in Japan* Tamba , a Limited Express train service operated by West Japan Railway Company.* Tamba , a genus of noctuid moths...
, whom resembles Spyro the Dragon in colouration. Tamba serves as the programme's naive child; the programme's educational content is introduced as the presenters explain things to Tamba. Whilst Tamba appears in every episode, a team of presenters take it in turns to pair-up in each show. These presenters include Justin Fletcher
Justin Fletcher
Justin Fletcher, MBE is an English children's TV personality in the United Kingdom.Fletcher is most associated as a presenter and actor on the BBC pre-school television channel CBeebies, both speaking and performing in various often self-created roles.-Biography:Born in Reading, Berkshire, he is...
, Sarah-Jane Honeywell
Sarah-Jane Honeywell
Sarah-Jane Honeywell is an English television presenter, actress, dancer, acrobat/aerialist best known for her work on the CBeebies television channel....
, Paul Ewing, Simon Davies, Lorna Laidlaw, Veejay Kaur, Toni Fruitin and Amit Sharma (both series 4 only) and Beverley Hills (series 1-3 only). Tamba is performed by puppeteers Sue Eves (series 1 - 4) who created the voice for Tamba; Alison McGowan (series 2 & 3) and Katherine Smee (series 4). Sue Eves has also written many scripts for the programme.
Beverley Hills also writes for the programme as well as writing for the sister show, Storymakers.
Francis Haines and Liz Kitchen wrote the majority of the programme's music. Francis Haines and Jake Hook
Jake Hook
Jake Patrick Robert Hook is a British, million-seller songwriter, producer and arranger. Hook signed with EMI, in December 2009, on the strength of the single "Coming Home" by The Soldiers.-Origins:...
co-wrote one of the songs.
Much of the show's format follows that of 1964-1988 UK children's programme Play School. Tikkabilla presenter Simon Davies also presented Play School in its later years. In the Tikkabilla studio, which features a large, colourful house, the presenters and Tamba perform songs, tell stories and make things. Occasionally, special guests visit, normally to demonstrate a special skill or performance. The iconic square, round and arched windows made famous by Play School are again used as a device to transport the viewer from the studio to the outside, real world. Location items, sometimes featuring the presenters and Tamba and usually including young children, introduce the wider world to the young audience.
Tikkabilla features mini-series inside the programme, such as Summerton Mill
Summerton Mill
Summerton Mill is a British children's television series created by Pete Bryden and Ed Cookson. It was first shown on the CBeebies channel in 2005 as a segment of the BBC's Tikkabilla...
and Higgledy House
Higgledy House
Higgledy House is a UK children's television programme shown on the CBeebies channel. Stars Justin Fletcher and Sarah-Jane Honeywell play cohabiting friends whose eccentric exploits at home are the subject of the show; though aimed at young children, the comedy is at times Laurel and...
, both of which are now shown as standalone programmes on CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
.
Tikkabilla began in 2002 and is produced by the BBC's pre-school unit.
External links
- CBeebies - Tikkabilla at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- Tikkabilla Toys, Books, DVDs
- www.beverleyhills.co.uk