From Andy Pandy to Zebedee: The Golden Age of Children's TV
02:15 am - 03:15 am, Sunday, December 21 on BBC Four (9)
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About this Broadcast
Nigel Planer narrates the story of the struggle to deliver TV programmes for children, who were an often overlooked audience in the days before everything went digital. Featuring interviews with stars and presenters of classic programmes, including Bernard Cribbins, Derek Griffiths, Janet Ellis, Johnny Ball and John Craven
HD
subtitles
16x9
sign-language
Arts/Culture (without Music)
Pop Culture/TV
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Did You Know..
Nigel Planer
(Narrator)
Born:
February 22, 1953
in
London
Best Known For:
Playing Neil in The Young Ones.
Early-life:
Planer was born in Westminster, London, in 1953. He was educated at King's House preparatory school in Richmond-upon-Thames and from the age of 13 at Westminster School. He subsequently studied at the University of Sussex at Brighton, and LAMDA. He was a founder member of The Comedy Store in London, and was one of the original cast of The Comic Strip team, pioneers of the alternative comedy movement in the UK.
Career:
Planer is best known for his role as Neil, the hippie housemate of Vyvyan (Adrian Edmondson), Rick (Rik Mayall) and Mike (Christopher Ryan) in the cult BBC comedy The Young Ones, which ran from 1982-84. Other leading roles on TV include Shine on Harvey Moon, Filthy, Rich and Catflap, The Grimleys, King & Castle, Bonjour La Classe and Roll Over Beethoven. He's also had notable successes on the stage. His first break in the theatre was understudying David Essex as Che Guevara in the original West End run of Evita. He was also in the original London cast of Chicago as Amos Hart, the original West End cast of Ben Elton's Queen musical We Will Rock You as Pop, and the original production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical as Grandpa Joe.
Quote:
"I flunked out of my university education after one year, for reasons probably best forgotten. I have been trying to compensate for this gaffe ever since."
Trivia:
In 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Edinburgh University.
Caroline Wright
(Executive producer)
Verity Maidlow
(Producer)
