Welcome back to the podcast that celebrates growing up in Britain during the 1970's and the central role that TV had in our lives.

In this episode, we look at how animals played a part in our lives and on the TV screen. Our host Oliver remembers a host of childhood pets including Flopsy the Rabbit, Henrietta the Hen (obviously), several goldfish and a host of cats. We also recall some of our listeners thoughts on Follyfoot, Black Beauty, White Horses, Belle and Sebastian and Tales from the Riverbank. All this leads inexorably to Johnny Morris and Animal Magic.

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If you think there's too much news available today with 24 hour rolling news channels, here's a chance to remember what TV News was like in the 1970's. As well as there being far less of it, it was something we all listened to and paid attention in case we missed something.

We look at BBC and ITN news programmes and remember the heavyweight line ups fielded by both sides. Were you a Richard Baker fan or did you prefer Gordon Honeycombe? And why did the on screen chemistry between Reginald Bosanquet and Anna Ford work so well? We also remember Nationwide, why Stuart Hall was the Ron Burgundy of the North West and the revolution that was John Craven's Newsround. And did the 1977 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show consign the serious newsreader to history?

Oliver also looks at his Brooke Bond tea card collection and is fascinated by The Race into Space collection and the the plan to make a manned landing on Mars on 9th August 1982 - how did that go I wonder?

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Welcome back to the podcast which celebrates growing up as a child in 1970's Britain and the central part television played in our lives then.

This week, we're looking back to the BBC's Sunday Classic Serials where many of us got our first taste of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, E Nesbit and even James Fenimore Cooper. Do you remember Arthur Lowe as Mister Micawber in David Copperfield or the bleak, haunting adaptation of The Eagle of the Ninth? Oliver also remembers being bored rigid by a family holiday following the Thomas Hardy Wessex Trail as a seven year old.

Tim Worthington joins us again to discuss the Sunday Classics and he has particular memories of the BBC's adaptation of Pinocchio which stuck very closely to the original story and caused nightmares for countless young viewers. You can find out more about Tim at timworthington.org .

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Mr Benn is Fifty! This episode of the podcast celebrating growing up as a child in 1970's Britain and the TV that sustained us looks back at the adventures of the man from 52 Festive Road. Starting with the Red Knight, through adventures as a Caveman, a Cowboy, an Astronaut and many others, Mr Benn is an Everyman for our generation. Devised by David McKee and narrated by the wonderful Ray Brooks the series has a special place in our hearts. We also remember the fabulous accompanying music of Duncan Lamont.

We remember the rituals of a 1970's children's birthday party and play musical chairs and murder in the dark before sitting down to birthday tea with jelly and ice cream.

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Like many other things we've discussed in this podcast, Sundays were a bit different in the 1970's. Shops were all closed, pubs only open for a few hours, if at all and the TV schedules had a range of religious programming including the BBC's Songs of Praise and ITV's slightly glitzier Stars on Sunday. There were also religious programmes for children.

We're joined by the writer, broadcaster and popular culture expert Tim Worthington this week to discuss growing up in Liverpool and what television meant to him and his family. We also hear what Sundays were like on the TV and share fond memories of The Sunday Gang, a particularly lively group with a great theme tune who wanted to show us The Way. You can see more from Tim at timworthington.org

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Does your choice of Saturday morning TV shape your future life? In Swap Shop or Tiswas? we look at how the BBC and ITV targeted their young audiences. Did you side with Noel Edmonds and Maggie Philbin or did you prefer Chris Tarrant and the lovely Sally James? And why did groups of office workers from Dudley volunteer to be locked in a cage to be "flanned" by the Phantom Flan Flinger and have buckets of water thrown over them by Chris Tarrant?

In this episode of My 70's TV Childhood, we also look back to Magpie with those trendy long haired blokes Mick Robertson and Tommy Boyd, Susan Stranks and Jenny Handley. How did their cool, rock star chic compare to the more homely, down to earth Val, Lesley, John and Peter over on Blue Peter? Could you even watch both?

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This week, we go back to 1973 when not only did Oliver move house for the first time but we also met The Wombles who first graced our screens in February of that year. We also pay tribute to the great Bernard Cribbins, relive his success as a popstar, Jackanory host and generally all round good thing and ask why he hasn't received a knighthood yet.

We also reflect on whether The Wombles were really "a furry anvil around my neck" for Mike Batt or whether he should have been a bit more grateful. There's also speculation about what the band might have had as backstage riders in their contracts.

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We continue our new season of the podcast dedicated to celebrating growing up in Britain in the 1970's and the part that TV played in our lives then by looking at what came between our favourite TV shows - the adverts.

From Oliver's memories it seems like Britain spent the 1970's getting drunk, smoking and eating sweets and chocolates before buying lots of household cleaning products, presumably to clear up the mess. In his personal Top 10, our host remembers national stereotypes portrayed in ads for Cointreau and Texan, the boy on the bicycle delivering Hovis, the eroticism of Cadbury's Flake and Joan Collins inevitably getting soaked by Cinzano. Shhh! There's also the Secret Lemonade Drinker.

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Welcome back to the second season of the podcast which celebrates growing up in Britain during the 1970's and the central part TV played in our lives.

In this episode, we ask why so many 1970's programme makers and broadcasters seemed to have got the skill of inspiring terror in a generation of children down to a fine art. As well as revisiting the Public Information Films Dark Water and The Finishing Line, we remember Dr Who, Children of the Stones and The Changes striking fear into our hearts and we consider how many children were left emotionally scarred by The Singing Ringing Tree and ask whether it was part of an East German Communist plot.

We also unearth Paulus the Wood Gnome, remember Babapapa and speculate on what persuaded Orson Welles to go to Anglia TV in Norwich.

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After a short break for Christmas and the New Year we're ready for a new season of My 70's TV Childhood, the podcast which celebrates growing up in Britain during the 1970's and the central part that television played in family life during that decade.

There'll be lots of reminiscences, interviews, features and a few surprises in the new season but most of all there will be more from you, our listeners.

Let us know what you'd like to see in future episodes by visiting our blog www.my70stvchildhood.com tweeting @70stvchildhood or emailing [email protected] 

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