To wonder WHY this is - and that it should change?

TrinketsBiscuits · 2026-01-21T10:52:45+00:00

When I was a kid we had really good Saturday morning TV programs like Swap Shop and Saturday Superstore. Now there’s NO kids’ programmes at all on Sat mornings - instead a plethora of cookery programmes - each one with virtually the same format! Heads up for anyone interested - October 2nd this year will be 50 year anniversary of Swap Shop and there’ll be at least 1 program on TV commemorating it

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TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 17:23

jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 17:09

Kids programmes are the ones on the numerous kids channels, surely?

I'm not sure why they need to be high profile

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But when I was younger the kids TV programs tended to be ‘well mown’ iyswim

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jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 17:09

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 17:02

It’s just in the old days we all knew that programs like Blue Peter etc were kids programs also Record Breakers / now we don’t have a clue and it means that kids TV doesn’t have the high profile it once had let’s say circa 1983

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Kids programmes are the ones on the numerous kids channels, surely?

I'm not sure why they need to be high profile

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 17:02

jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 15:53

I don't understand why that's a problem though?

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It’s just in the old days we all knew that programs like Blue Peter etc were kids programs also Record Breakers / now we don’t have a clue and it means that kids TV doesn’t have the high profile it once had let’s say circa 1983

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jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 15:53

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:44

Yes but this means that the names of these programmes aren’t widely known unlike Blue Peter etc

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I don't understand why that's a problem though?

Pricelessadvice · 21/01/2026 15:50

Because when we were kids, Saturday and after school were the only kids tv there was. Nowadays you have channels and services dedicated to it 24 hours a day.
Kids do not need more TV.

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:47

The other thing is - back in December 1981/January 1982 - a pop song from some of the presenters of Swap Shop made it into the charts -

Brown Sauce with ‘I Wanna Be A Winner”

You couldn’t imagine that now - could you? 🤣

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Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:44

jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 15:19

They don't need publicity when they have an entire channel dedicated to them.

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Yes but this means that the names of these programmes aren’t widely known unlike Blue Peter etc

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jamandcustard · 21/01/2026 15:19

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:06

Yes but thing is .. imo - none of them apart from Peppa Pig get any publicity really!

j mean in the old days the kids programmes were

Record Breakers
Screen Test
Blue Peter
Chocky
Cheggers Plays Pop
Razmatazz
Jossy’s Giants

but thing is .. I can’t name any now which signals that they possibly don’t get much publicity

Also CBeebies suggests very young children and not say 7 - 13 year olds

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They don't need publicity when they have an entire channel dedicated to them.

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TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:06

Boomer55 · 21/01/2026 15:02

CBeebies has kids programmes.

Yes but thing is .. imo - none of them apart from Peppa Pig get any publicity really!

j mean in the old days the kids programmes were

Record Breakers
Screen Test
Blue Peter
Chocky
Cheggers Plays Pop
Razmatazz
Jossy’s Giants

but thing is .. I can’t name any now which signals that they possibly don’t get much publicity

Also CBeebies suggests very young children and not say 7 - 13 year olds

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Boomer55 · 21/01/2026 15:02

CBeebies has kids programmes.

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 15:00

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ok as for contemporary current TV I like -

Would I Lie To You

What Not To Eat

Social Media Monsters

er.. that’s it !!!

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Becoolpp · 21/01/2026 14:29

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Becoolpp · 21/01/2026 14:27

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Jools67 · 21/01/2026 13:02

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How rude

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TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 12:45

Branster · 21/01/2026 12:37

People keep piling on the 'get tv streaming services'
As far as I'm aware there are no children's shows as such, like OP means, some sort of live children entertainment program with real people, maybe with bits of cartoons thrown in or talks or activities.
Streaming services have series if cartoons or pre-recorded craft shows.
It's not the same as an actual regular weekly children tv show.

I guess they don't exist much anymore, maybe it's cheaper to produce standard series rather than shows. Maybe the appetite doesn't exist anymore?

I know what you mean OP. I am not familiar with the programs you mentioned because I grew up in a different country. But we used to have morning children tv at the weekend, I can't remember if it was on Saturdays or Sundays.

Yes, exactly this !

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Branster · 21/01/2026 12:37

People keep piling on the 'get tv streaming services'
As far as I'm aware there are no children's shows as such, like OP means, some sort of live children entertainment program with real people, maybe with bits of cartoons thrown in or talks or activities.
Streaming services have series if cartoons or pre-recorded craft shows.
It's not the same as an actual regular weekly children tv show.

I guess they don't exist much anymore, maybe it's cheaper to produce standard series rather than shows. Maybe the appetite doesn't exist anymore?

I know what you mean OP. I am not familiar with the programs you mentioned because I grew up in a different country. But we used to have morning children tv at the weekend, I can't remember if it was on Saturdays or Sundays.

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 12:31

MissyB1 · 21/01/2026 12:28

Watching Tiswas used to make me a bit anxious, it was really crazy and unpredictable, and the custard pie thing scared me. I was such a nerd 😂

I loved Crackerjack “it’s Friday, it’s five to five, it’s CRACKERJACK!!!”

Yes I’m a nerd as well - Tiswas just bored me 🤣

I LOVED Crackerjack!

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ginasevern · 21/01/2026 12:30

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 12:24

🤣 I tried to get into it !! I really did!

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OK, I believe you!

MissyB1 · 21/01/2026 12:28

Watching Tiswas used to make me a bit anxious, it was really crazy and unpredictable, and the custard pie thing scared me. I was such a nerd 😂

I loved Crackerjack “it’s Friday, it’s five to five, it’s CRACKERJACK!!!”

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 12:24

ginasevern · 21/01/2026 12:21

You had a misspent childhood OP!

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🤣 I tried to get into it !! I really did!

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ginasevern · 21/01/2026 12:21

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 11:29

Noooo !! Swap Shop was ACE! I never got Tiswas!!

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You had a misspent childhood OP!

cardibach · 21/01/2026 12:13

wishingonastar101 · 21/01/2026 11:21

Never watched TV in the mornings and my kids don't ever... seems such a slovenly thing to do.

Watching tv before noon is slovenly? Really?
Slovenly
ADJECTIVE

frequently or habitually unclean or untidy
negligent and careless; slipshod

you know you can do it after a wash and while sitting tidily?

AnnieLummox · 21/01/2026 12:06

All the big British soaps did indeed increase their episodes heavily from the 90s onwards. It was an easy win at the time - no risk in developing a new show that might not work; a rise in production costs, but nothing like that involved in building a brand new set, recruiting a new cast and behind the scenes team, creating a PR campaign etc.. If you’ve got a popular product, why not make more of it?

The problem now is that, while multi-channels, streaming etc. have seen viewing figures plummet (along with advertising revenue), the cost of making the shows hasn’t dropped. Far less bang for your buck. So cuts have to be made somewhere, and episode count is an easy start.

Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 12:05

There’s just actually now been a new item on Radio 2 midday news saying that the BBC is apparently now going to create kids’ viewing content specifically for YouTube - to reflect the fact that kids are increasingly watching online content

This is obviously the way the world is going ..

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Original poster

TrinketsBiscuits · 21/01/2026 11:39

AnnieLummox · 21/01/2026 11:35

I think you’re the one missing the point. The answer to the OP’s question is still that streaming has made programmes like this obsolete. Even before streaming, they were dying out. They became shared cultural moments, as another poster puts it, largely because of a lack of an alternative. Everyone watched not just because there were only four channels, but because they didn’t have the internet to browse, TikTok videos to make… hell, even videogames were a bit of a luxury until the 90s really got underway.

It’s not just about streaming, but the increase in competition for our attention in general. So as for the second part of the OP’s question - “Should this change?” - it would only really be a matter of “should” if there was a huge untapped market for it. There isn’t. There won’t be a new, mainstream terrestrial equivalent to Live and Kicking for the same reason terrestrial channels are cutting the number of episodes of soap operas instead of launching new ones.

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Thank you - this is a very interesting take.

one thing I’m very surprised about though is soap operas cutting their episode numbers - from what I can see since the 80s soap operas like Corrie and Eastenders have increased their episodes although since the late 80s there’s been the demise of the Aussie soaps as well as Brookside etc

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