Welcome back to My 70’s TV Childhood! Today, we're returning to the colourful and somewhat surreal world of Rainbow, one of the most iconic children’s television shows of the 1970s. As regular listeners know, our podcast is all about the magic of growing up in 1970s Britain, when TV was a central part of our daily lives and a source of endless fascination for kids across the country.
Rainbow, a show that first aired in October 1972 on ITV, produced by Thames Television. Unlike many children's shows of the time, Rainbow stood out for its unique format, combining education, music, and a quirky cast of characters who quickly became household names. We’ll look back at the earliest days of Rainbow, starting with the show's original presenter, David Cook, and how it evolved over the years, especially with the arrival of Geoffrey Hayes, who became the face of the show.
One of the show's most memorable aspects was its eclectic mix of characters: Bungle, the oversized bear with a penchant for goody two shoes behaviour (and a somewhat terrifying original costume), Zippy, the loud-mouthed puppet with a zip for a mouth, and George, the shy, soft-spoken pink hippo who often played peacemaker. We’ll explore how these characters interacted, entertained, and occasionally terrified their young audience.
Rainbow was also known for its music, from its psychedelic opening theme to the many songs performed by various musical groups over the years, including the beloved trio, Rod, Jane, and Freddy. Ah, the joys of 70s television!
If you have any memories of watching Rainbow—whether it’s the early episodes with David Cook, the antics of Zippy, or the songs that you still hum to this day—we’d love to hear from you! Visit our blog at www.my70stvchildhood.com, or connect with us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, or LinkedIn. You can also email me directly at oliver@my70stvchildhood.com.
Join us next week for another round of our 70s TV trivia quiz, and don’t forget to tune in for our regular podcast in two weeks' time. Take care, and remember to like, rate, and review us wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Take care,
Oliver
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