Disturbing kid's TV programs

[Floogal]

I remember growing up and seeing unpleasant shows on CBBC and CITV during the 80s and 90s that looking back were pretty heavy going, especially for kids.

Ones I remember we're children's ward. Especially when the girl (who ended up playing Maria in coronation Street) died.
Also this one called Dramarama with one off stories. I remember this particular episode about a boy who steals a rabbit and his dad thrashes him with a belt.
And this drama called the secret set partly in Eastbourne where these kids mum goes missing.

Worsel. Fucking. Gummage.

I know it has been mentioned but Chocky. A small boy possessed by a spirit. Think it was a friendly one though. Had the lovely James Hazeldene in it.

All the 1970s public information films about the dangers of railways and building sites. They used to play them at junior school during assembly; used to scare the hell out of me. Also TV adverts about the dangers of fireworks "it could be YOUR child".

I don't think it was aimed at kids but my grandparents used to let me watch strange but true it terrified me I'd hardly sleep a wink and I'd have the covers over my head all night! Also I know they are films but coraline and nightmare before Christmas spooked me, grizzly tales for gruesome kids creeped me out too.

@bailarbailar Yes! I mentioned it upthread. Earthfasts was so creepy. Nelly Jack John coming out of the earth with that cold flame candle...

[quote LondonPainter]@TyrannysaurusXXrightshoarder crying at Pipkins is one of my earliest childhood memories! What on earth were they thinking?

Love the name btw 🦖[/quote]
Yup - what the actual fuck was Pipkins all about? Hartley was like a sex pest!

Slightly different but has anyone seen the black and white Teletubbies videos on YouTube. They put a dark song on it - it is bloody terrifying!

@monarchoftheglen

Thanks for that clip of MR. I thought I was the only person who remembers it, I was about 5 at the cinema and it gave me nightmares - so creepy

All the 1970s public information films about the dangers of railways and building sites. They used to play them at junior school during assembly; used to scare the hell out of me. Also TV adverts about the dangers of fireworks "it could be YOUR child".

Every time I hear of a train being delayed due to trespassers on the line, I think that these should be shown to every generation!

King of the Castle was pretty awful, late 70s

Oh I had forgotten the Tomorrow people until you mentioned it.

(gibbers in corner)

yes 70s pregrammes were creepy

Words and pictures seen at school with tv on wheels

Man comes into shed with a motor cycle helmet on and the little boy was hiding- I was 6 and it was frightening

@WibbleyWobble

I remember a programme called Tottie, I loved it but vaguely remembered it was quite disturbing. It was a doll in a doll house style show. A thread here years ago explained why I remembered it with unease

• she died in a fire 🔥 I'm not sure if remember seeing it or just think I did from seeing the clip on YouTube but either way, very very weird and disturbing for a kids show.

I was going to say the same thing about Tottie. I don't think she died in the fire, was it a bird or something?

There was an episode of Bing once where the annoying little shit squashed a butterfly and that should've had a content warning TBH.

@allfurcoatnoknickers ah great, thought I was the only one - no-one I know IRL has ever heard of it!! So creepy

@bailarbailar

Does anyone else remember Earthfasts? It was filmed near where my family is from so I recognised a lot of the settings but it terrified me and still features in nightmares (!) must've been on around 1994/5 when I was 7ish

Earth feasts was scary and I was an adult

Also Box of Delight circa 1985

@notacooldad

There's was a programme when I was a child there was a programme called Changes. It scared the shit out of me. Machinery turned against humans. I remember being terrified of pylons for ages after!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjVqHVo0nq0

This was hideous - apocalyptic but prophetic maybe !!!!

@DeadButDelicious - Through the Dragon’s Eye haunts my nightmares even now. Charn was next level scary. I’ll never forget the scarf with ‘Help, Charn!’ written on it. Shudder!

anyone mentioned Carrie's war yet?

great famous well known book to teach kids about evacuees and the war.

But the TV adaptation.... bugger me it was terrifying. Culminated in a fire which was arson and I can't remember why but was terrifying.

Animal Quackers - terrifying costumes.
Absolutely loved Dark Towers as a child 🙂

@ThatsNotMyReindeer Collywobble is so disturbing. I think it’s the lifeless ring eyes and the bells on the feet! I also just found out that Collywobble is a she - I thought it was a boy but after paying attention realised my mistake!

Does anyone remember Round the Twist? It was Australian I think and this family lived in a lighthouse and odd/creepy stuff used to happen.

Also anyone seen Teddles on BBC iPlayer?! It’s the kids show a group of drunk uni lads would have made if they had the budget/imagination. So odd and there’s something about it that feels adult but I can’t figure out what!

I turned terrestrial TV off when my son turned 5 - can't believe the shit he was watching.
Only watches the odd film/animation on Netflix now and some oldies like Tom and Jerry on YT.

@bailarbailar I won't ever be able to forget it . I think being terrified by Earthfasts is a core memory for me.

@youvemademyshitlist

That program with Paul Daniels and some weird giant triangle with a face. Wizabit or Wizbit or something? It really freaked me out as a kid.

I was also slightly terrified of Grotbags from Rod Hull and Emu (emu was also quite scary tbf)

I'm still wary of paintballing after the horror that was PJ getting shot in the eyes and going blind in Byker Grove

The episode if Byker Grove that scared me the most and scarred me for life was when a girl and her boyfriend (can't remember their names but they both had dark hair) go into an old woman's house and her living room was flooded. The woman was a but confused I think and asked them to look at the TV and the young girl did and then she got electrocuted and died!

Not quite children's but I always watched 999 (Michael Burke) and developed a fear of javelins, petrol tankers, and swimming pool filters!

Singing ringing tree, I don't remember ever getting to the end of it, so for me the Prince/Bear is permanently tormented by the evil dwarf, I used to watch with a sort of terrified fascination.
Tried watching the moomins with my daughter, we were both freaked out by it.

@neonleopard

Not quite children's but I always watched 999 (Michael Burke) and developed a fear of javelins, petrol tankers, and swimming pool filters!

DH attributes his lifelong fear of flying with watching an episode of 999 as a child where there was a plane crash.

Mr Noseybonk from jigsaw 😱
The boy from outerpace
Box of delights (more like nightmares!)