It's the final podcast of the series and to finish things off, here's some magic memories with Lizzie McPhee.
You can also listen to the chat via Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Remember Wizadora? If you're a regular follower of this blog or the youtube channel then you probably do. It was a pre-school show aired on CITV in the 1990's featuring the title character, a trainee wizard and her group of peculiar looking friends who all lived at her cottage. Such as Hangle, The Draw People, Filbert and Tatty Bogle.
The show actually started in 1991, written by Carolyn Callum and Don Arioli and developed by Oxford University Press and was designed to help teach English. With Maria Gough in the title role (also there's rumours Connie Booth played the role in an unaired pilot, how true this is I don't know) Originally broadcast on SWR in Germany. To the best of my knowledge I don't think it was ever aired in the UK but if anyone knows different let me know!
The version we know better was aired on CITV and produced by Meridian Broadcasting who had picked up the format and gave it something of a complete design overhaul. Starting in 1993, Wendy Van Der Plank took the role of the trainee wizard for five series and Lizzie McPhee took over the role for the final two series of the show between 1997 and 1998.
This interview came about rather unexpectedly. I had always wanted to interview both the CITV Wizadora's but found finding a way to contact either rather difficult. Then one day I happened across this video on Youtube. Which features Lizzie talking about mental health as well as her day's on Wizadora so I got in contact with Sean who created the video, who put us in touch.
In this chat we discuss just about everything to do with the show. How Lizzie unexpectedly got the role and how it was the complete polar opposite to her previous acting work. Her memories of working on the show and working with the likes of Brian Murphy (Stan the shop keeper) and Steve Ryde (Tatty Bogle) as well as Hangle puppeteer Michael Bayliss.
With many thanks to Lizzie for taking part and if you want to read more about her time on the show. I recommend the book Legends of Kids TV which also features anecdotes from Lizzie.
Also, that's it for this series! Many thanks for listening, I'll be back later in the year with a new series.
