Playdays
Playdays is an English pre-school television programme which ran from 1988 to 1997 on Children's BBC. The show was the successor to Play School and, like its predecessor, was designed as an educational programme.
The show's name was changed after the BBC received a complaint from the National Playbus Association.
In 2002, reruns were moved to the new CBeebies channel until August 2004.
The stops
The show begins with an animated title sequence of the Playbus driving along until it reached the bus stop. The bus stopped at a different place each day.Monday – The Why Bird Stop
Why Bird lived at the Lost Property Office, where things that were left on the Playbus were filed until someone claimed them. She interacted with the human bus driver – there were several throughout the series. She had a special computer called the Why-Tech, which had a variety of uses: it could provide music for songs, pictures for stories, instructions for making something in keeping with the programme's theme, or to help sing a song. In later episodes, the office became more like a warehouse, called "Why's Workshop".There were at least five different Why-Techs used over the years. The first one had a brown wood effect and was used until 1990. The second one was remote-controlled and used from about June 1990 until 1992. The third one that was first appeared in episode 105 from June 1992 was blue and continued to be used in the opening credits until the end of the series' run although it was replaced with another blue one a few months later.
It also showed videos, usually to show how everyday things were made – socks, toothbrushes etc. Sometimes either Peggy or Poppy or both visited the Lost Property Office. In a later series the office installed a telephone where people, could phone in asking for particular things. Why Bird was voiced and puppeteered by Ellie Darvill for 9 series.
Bus Drivers
- Brian Jameson
- Simon Davies
- Simon Harbrow
- Stuart Bradley
- Matthew White
- Paul Hawkyard
- Philip Hawthorn
- Royce Hounsell
Tuesday – [|The Playground Stop]
Dave was accompanied by a hand puppet named Chester. Elizabeth was also accompanied by a hand puppet called Ruby. The programme always featured a rhyme accompanied by Makaton sign language and a song performed by a marionette named Lizzie, who loved to sing and dance. She was occasionally accompanied by another marionette named Nick. There was also a story, often featuring Max and his magical chest of dressing-up clothes.
Presenters
- Dave Benson Phillips
- Elizabeth Watts
- Elizabeth Fost
- Zoe Ball
- Chris Jarvis
Wednesday – The Dot Stop (1988–1992) / The Roundabout Stop (1992–1997)
It was later replaced by the Roundabout Stop, presented by Mr. Jolly, who maintained a fairground carousel called Rosie, whose platform initially did not have any objects to ride on. The show featured Bitsy Bob, who played music and made things, and initially, Bella and Baxter the Numbears, followed by puppets Morris Cog and Milly Sprocket, who presented a segment called "Morris and Milly's Numerical Melodies", where they sang a song glorifying a particular number. The Roundabout Stop also played host to an array of extra visitors to help with Rosie's puzzles, including, but not limited to, Rhythm Man, Dilys Litefoot, Paul Morocco, Allesandro Bernardi, Morton McKewan, Gladys Tootle and Leaping Lindy.
Children from local schools and organisations such as Chickenshed helped with the puzzles and performed the song at the end of the programme. Also joining Mr. Jolly occasionally were Professor Mopp and Morgan from the Dot Stop. During the time Clive Duncan played Mr. Jolly, the team was later joined by the musician Charlie Grindle, who also appeared as one of the bus drivers from The Why Bird Stop. Charlie often sang songs for them, as well.
The main body of the episode featured the characters finding different shaped pictures; these came together to form the title of a nursery rhyme or song, which was performed by the entire cast at the end of the episode. In later episodes, Mr Jolly was played by Andy Hockley. Rosie's platform bore a tractor, a ship, an aeroplane and a car. These episodes featured Peggy, Poppy and Why Bird, who rode on the roundabout and went off on adventures. Due to Peggy's small size in comparison to Why Bird and Poppy, she would typically ride the ship or the tractor on the roundabout so that she could sit astride the vehicle's funnel, as it meant she could be seen better.
At the start and end of each adventure, Mr. Jolly would sing the song "Roll Up and Ride on Rosie". A picture associated with the adventure appeared in their shaped ticket, and these would combine to make the song, which ended the episode.
A special 40-minute, direct-to-video special called Winter Adventure was released in 1997. The special saw Mr. Jolly, again played by Andy Hockley, with Poppy, Why Bird and Peggy visiting a cottage for the weekend. Poppy was now puppeteered by Colleen Daley, and Peggy was puppeteered by Paula Everett. Darvill continued her role as Why Bird.
Thursday – The Patch Stop
Featuring Sam Patch, a small scarecrow doll and later replaced by Peggy Patch, a small rag doll who were both very kind natured. Sam and later Peggy would often travel places. From 1992 onwards Peggy would leave clues for children to find her and she would also be joined by Parsnip who first appeared about 1991–92, Poppy and/or Why Bird later in the episode. She was originally non-speaking, but gained a voice in 1994. Presenters included Vanessa Amberleigh, Colin Kerrigan, Ian Henderson, Sarah Davison, Chris Jarvis, Teresa Gallagher, Neil Bett and Peter Quilter.Friday – The Tent Stop (1988–1995) / The Poppy Stop (1995–1997)
A group of actors, including Trish Cooke, Ricky Diamond, Robert Hopkins, Will Brenton, Sue Monroe and Sarah Davison, would dress up, and with the help of a group of children, perform a play or show. Humphrey, a unicyclist puppet, and Wobble, a roly-poly clown also took part in the stories and they sometimes accompanied Lizzie for her songs.When the stop became the Poppy Stop, the setting was at Poppy the cat's house, typically presented by Karl Woolley. Why Bird, Peggy Patch and other characters would often also appear in episodes at Poppy's house.
At Christmas, the Playbus would stop at The Christmas Tree Stop. These special episodes featured characters from all the usual stops.