Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

[Richard1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Hardwick Hall was dropped during it's only series IIRC.

[George 1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Hardwick Hall was dropped during it's only series IIRC.

Hardwicke House it was actually called - to add insult to injury, it was actually filmed at a former girls' school which was less than a mile from where I used to live. It has comparisons with Grange Hill by virtue or being a school based series (well, it would have been a series if it had progressed of course), and also the fact that Roger Sloman had appeared in the first episodes of both series.

Central were a bit like the Carlton of the 1980s (ironically enough considering the takeover in the mid 1990s) as they were very liberalised when it came to new TV series that the mainstream audiences were not quite ready for - series such as those made by the Junior Television Workshop such as Your Mother Wouldn't Like It for example - even back then it felt Channel 4-esque and non-Children's ITV in its style. Series that felt a lot more like Channel 4 programmes rather than mainstream ITV back then - Girls on Top was another example which made it to Channel 4 - some programmes that ATV would have never had made.

The irony in that respect was that Hardwicke House was axed after two episodes and was replaced on ITV by Thames sitcom Chance in a Million which was actually a Channel 4 programme and was indeed more mainstream in comparison.

[George 1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

One that comes to mind is Mini Pops (without looking, I think I've posted this elsewhere on DYR).

Not long after Channel 4 opened in November '82 (IIRC), Mini Pops was commissioned

Mini Pops starred pre-pubescent kids, dancing to hit songs of the day, dressed up like Maddona & the like

Complaints were recieved by C4. Mini Pops was bordering on paedophilia. Obviously the kids involved loved it (all kids want to act grown up)

The commissioning editor pulled the show

It was one of the very first issues dealt with on Right to Reply - and there have been comparisons in recent years as well. Some of the Reality TV channels often show American beauty pageants where youngsters are dressed too maturely for their age which indeed does send to a shock to the system at times - the name JonBenét Ramsey comes to mind - one can easily understand why this sort of thing has not taken off in Great Britain, mostly because we are not the United States and so American traditions do not stand well on British soil and never really has done. Black Friday, anyone?

Apparently, when Channel 4 launched in November 1982, there seemed to be a parody that the channel had only shown programmes about social workers, the Health and Safety Executive, men in tweed jackets and the like which wouldn't make much of a good viewing next to something with Bob Monkhouse or Morecambe and Wise appearing on ITV, unless Border had decided to screen it after News at Ten where around a dozen viewers would have seen it.

But even a decade before Minipops, Yorkshire Television had shown a series called Junior Showtime which feels almost in the same vein as Minipops by virtue of youngsters pretending to be adults and singing and all that. It made the list of the 100 Worst TV Moments or whatever it was called by Channel 4. I suppose it was a lot more innocent in comparison, but it was made around 1972, and featured future Emmerdale actors when they were a lot younger - some of those Before they were Famous programmes seem to use archive episodes to pick out the famous when they weren't quite as famous back then.
.

[agfagaevart]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Coverage of the grand national some years ago due to i believe a terrorist threat? (happy to be corrected)

Remember the Grand National that was a complete fiasco?? They tried 3 or 4 times to start the race, but stuff kept going wrong.

[agfagaevart]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

One that comes to mind is Mini Pops (without looking, I think I've posted this elsewhere on DYR).

Not long after Channel 4 opened in November '82 (IIRC), Mini Pops was commissioned

Mini Pops starred pre-pubescent kids, dancing to hit songs of the day, dressed up like Maddona & the like

Complaints were recieved by C4. Mini Pops was bordering on paedophilia. Obviously the kids involved loved it (all kids want to act grown up)

The commissioning editor pulled the show

That show was quite popular (not with me BTW) until it was taken off air.

[agfagaevart]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Yet another post from me: This series was canned after it's star died.

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Yet another post from me: This series was canned after it's star died.

No, not really. The star was replaced, and it ran for 2 more years.

[George 1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Prior to clicking on the link, I correctly assumed that you were referring to Tripper's Day - I always thought that they were two different programmes, albeit with the same theme - a sitcom set in a Kwik Save / Lo Cost like 1980s supermarket.

I don't really remember the Rossiter version, although he does perform in the series rather like a poor man's John Cleese to be honest - very different to Rising Damp. Ironically, Bruce Forsyth gets mentioned in the first episode of that series by Rossiter with one of the co-stars going "good game, good game", mimicking Forsyth's voice - not the character he played two years later in Slinger's Day, but by Forsyth himself by name.

Slinger's Day was not too bad - ITV gave Forsyth plenty of exposure during the autumn 1986 schedules - he was doing Slinger's for Thames, while on Fridays of the same week, he was appearing as himself in Play Your Cards Right! What with his Hot Streak game show in the States and his cameo as a game show host in Magnum PI, Brucie's 1986 diary must have been full to the brim at the time!

[agfagaevart]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

No, not really. The star was replaced, and it ran for 2 more years.

It wasn't the same. Did not have the same name. Only simlarity was the supermarket. Bruce Forsyth was totally unsuitable for a sitcom.

[George 1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Forsyth may have been able to make people laugh and tell jokes, but he wasn't a magnificent actor, despite appearing in the odd film as well. They probably thought that "he is a funny man, so he would be suitable for a sitcom". On the other hand, did Leonard Rossiter do plain comedy outside of acting?

[80sChav]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Hardwicke House it was actually called - to add insult to injury, it was actually filmed at a former girls' school which was less than a mile from where I used to live. It has comparisons with Grange Hill by virtue or being a school based series (well, it would have been a series if it had progressed of course), and also the fact that Roger Sloman had appeared in the first episodes of both series.

Central were a bit like the Carlton of the 1980s (ironically enough considering the takeover in the mid 1990s) as they were very liberalised when it came to new TV series that the mainstream audiences were not quite ready for - series such as those made by the Junior Television Workshop such as Your Mother Wouldn't Like It for example - even back then it felt Channel 4-esque and non-Children's ITV in its style. Series that felt a lot more like Channel 4 programmes rather than mainstream ITV back then - Girls on Top was another example which made it to Channel 4 - some programmes that ATV would have never had made.

The irony in that respect was that Hardwicke House was axed after two episodes and was replaced on ITV by Thames sitcom Chance in a Million which was actually a Channel 4 programme and was indeed more mainstream in comparison.

Compared to Grange Hill in the early 80s to mid 80s Hardwick House was tame I thought George!

Keeping up with the Programmes being suspended etc - Grange Hill got moved to BBC 2 in the First Gulf War when Series 14 was new and possibly in 2003 9though i am unsure totally) when Iraq was invaded

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Another difference between Tripper's and Slinger's is obviously the fact that Rossiter and Forsyth were completely different breeds of entertainer - I cannot imagine Rossiter being a game show host for example. I could imagine Leonard Rossiter doing a Fawlty Towers-alike sitcom whereas Forsyth wouldn't have been able to play such a part.

[80sChav]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

Another difference between Tripper's and Slinger's is obviously the fact that Rossiter and Forsyth were completely different breeds of entertainer - I cannot imagine Rossiter being a game show host for example. I could imagine Leonard Rossiter doing a Fawlty Towers-alike sitcom whereas Forsyth wouldn't have been able to play such a part.

Both were good george, I admitt but I never liked Leonard in much else but he was amazingly funny in Tripper's Day - as too was Bruce ........ who whatever he did, was like Gold-Dust in it

80sChav

[akb48fan]

Re: Television programmes that were suspended or postponed

I know Hardwicke House has been mentioned in this thread after it was pulled off the air after 2 episodes because of so much negative reaction but did you know that you can now see the remaining 5 episodes that were never aired on TV thanks to Youtube. Yes, that's right - those 5 episodes you thought you'd never be able to see has been uploaded for everybody to enjoy thanks to a former Central TV worker.

[KidCurry]

There was one show in Australia that was pulled off the air midway through on the instructions of Kerry Packer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austra...st_Home_Videos

If you want to see the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c-hdqzuK2Y