Original title
Play Away
Released
11/25/1971
Origin country
GB
Status
In production
Number of seasons
14
Number of episodes
16
Play Away is a British television children's programme. A sister programme to the infants' series Play School, it was aimed at slightly older children. It ran from 1971 until 1984, and was broadcast on Saturday afternoons on BBC 2. While Play School had a more gentle, intimate feel, featuring just two presenters in a studio with the usual collection of toys, Play Away was much more lively, including songs, games and many jokes. The first eight series were shot in a studio, usually at BBC Television Centre, London, although certain episodes were recorded in Bristol or Manchester. Later episodes were recorded in front of a live studio audience. The format was a little like a music-hall variety show or 'end-of-the-pier' show. The Musical Director was Jonathan Cohen on piano, with Spike Heatley on double bass and Alan Rushton on drums, often with accomplished guest musicians such as trombonist George Chisholm.
Presenters throughout the thirteen-year run included familiar Play School presenters such as Brian Cant, Toni Arthur, Derek Griffiths, Floella Benjamin, Chloe Ashcroft, Johnny Ball, and Julie Stevens, as well as lesser known presenters including Janine Sharp, Roger Martin and Carol Chell. Play Away also played host to future stars such as Anita Dobson, Jeremy Irons and Tony Robinson.
Hello Hello. Anita Dobson (making her debut on the show), George Chisholm, Tony Robinson, and Simon the Parrot join Brian Cant and Julie Stevens for the usual jokes, songs, and general fun. This was originally broadcast on Saturday, 25th November, 1978, making it the oldest complete episode I've uploaded of anything. More pressingly, though, this is another important find, as this particular one is missing from the archives. In fact, I'm fairly certain that every single edition of Play Away originally broadcast in the year 1978 had its masters wiped by the Beeb. All of them. The blithering dunderheads.
Money Money Money. Brian Cant, Tony Robinson, Anita Dobson, and Julie Stevens are on duty for more of the usual sketches, jokes, and musical fun, and the title of the episode should give you a clue as to the broad theme. This one was originally broadcast on Saturday, 9th December, 1978
Here's something you don't see every day. In fact, it could be that we're very fortunate to see this at all, thanks to the infinite wisdom of the Beeb and their cost-cutting. But before we get to that, this is Play Away, starring Brian Cant and Floella Benjamin, and co-starring (in this particular instance) Delia Morgan and Keith Woodhams. References to the likes of Fame and The Thompson Twins definitely date this one, so I don't know what kids today will make of it, but if nothing else I found it to be very, very good fun. Better than I was expecting, which is a rare thing in the nostalgia business. What say you? After a bit of sleuthing at genome.ch.bbc.co.uk, I reckon that this could be the episode of Play Away broadcast on Saturday, 28th January, 1984 - at least, that's the only one I could find which lists exactly the right combination of presenters. If that is indeed the case (and please do correct me if I'm wrong), then according to this site, we're watching a lost episode:
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