About

Hello There

My name’s Jack (If that isn’t already apparent) and welcome to my blog.

Me - MCM Comic Con Birmingham
November 2018

The best way to describe what I do is that I enjoy researching, writing and talking about the TV shows I enjoyed watching when I was growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s. More specifically the ones aired on CITV and CBBC. Occasionally Milkshake as well. 

I’m quite lucky in that fact that my childhood was a happy one. But due to the fact I was a bit socially awkward (this was later found out to be Aspergers Syndrome) I didn’t always go out and play. I’d much rather watch the TV after school. I absolutely loved watching CITV. This is back when it was a programming block on ITV (Channel 3) between 3:20-5:00pm and when the CITV channel didn’t exist. I think the extra fondness for CITV in particular came from the fact that for a long time it was broadcast from Birmingham. Which I’ve lived near to all my life. 

"CITV, Turn on your telly at twenty past three!"

There were so many shows on those programming blocks I liked. Too many to list. CITV wise I loved Zzzap!, Art Attack and Jungle Run. Over on CBBC I had particular fondness for the likes of Bodger & Badger and Chucklevision.

I often taped various programmes and watched them over and over again. As well as buy the latest VHS releases of my favourite shows. Which to this day are still kept safe. 

I have no idea how many times I sat drawing my favourite TV shows or how many times I dreamt I’d one day be a part of the shows I enjoyed or meet the people involved. One Christmas or Birthday I asked my parents if I could have an Art Attack studio in the house. For some reason I never got it…

What do you mean I can't have this in my bedroom!?

That didn’t stop me from at least partly re-creating the set at home once…

This is an Art Attack! (With bonus retro t-shirt)

So yes you could say I was pretty fond of certain TV shows as a child. Well… I still am. 

Other highlights during my childhood were meeting Stephen Mulhern who at the time was presenting on CITV. By total accident and getting his autograph (on a beermat of all things).  No photo sadly, it was before camera phones were a thing!

To My Mate Jack, Magic Wishes, Stephen, CITV

As well as meeting the late, great Mark Speight from SMart. 

As I got older and those shows finished. I got a computer and pretty much the first thing I did was look up old Kids TV shows. I had this real thirst to know everything about how all the programmes I loved were made. This has been something of an interest of mine now for over 10 years. For some reason it’s just always interested me. 

From quite early on through forums and fan sites I got to know a bunch of like minded fans who wanted to discuss their happy memories of the TV they watched after school. We also uploaded our VHS recordings to Youtube and the now defunct Google Video for each other to enjoy. Most of those people I’m still in contact with today. Some have become real life friends. 

Some years later I’m thinking of a way of how to put this interest and knowledge to some use. As I hit my mid 20’s and nostalgia for the era I was part of was becoming a thing online. I decided to start a blog but then wondered if I could actually get some interviews with ex-Kids TV stars of the era to do some interviews. But seeing as since the age of 17 I’ve been involved in community radio I really wanted to do audio podcast interviews instead of written Q&A’s as I feel you get a good conversation and stories flowing. Plus it’s just really cool the idea of having a chat with your heroes. 

Radio DJ-ing in my spare time!

So in September 2018 I set up this blog. Originally under the not-so-great name of ‘Jack Remembers Things’ and later I changed it to the current name you see. Which is a little better and it also adds in my slight homage to Art Attack. Without any doubt, Neil Buchanan is my childhood hero!

Honestly so far things have been amazing. So many people have been more than happy to chat with me about their time working on the shows I remember sitting and watching every week for many happy hours. It’s a completely surreal experience believe me. 

The highlights for me so far have to be chatting with Gareth “Gaz Top” Jones from How 2 and starting the conversation off with 20 minutes of discussing life in general, speaking to your heroes and Slade of all things before actually starting the conversation properly as well as Gareth helping me to contact Fred Dinenage who is something of Television royalty in the UK. 

Almost all of the conversations I’ve recorded have been over the phone or via Skype. But for one exception and that being Richard O’Brien from The Crystal Maze. Who invited me down to his hotel in London while he back in the UK. To be able to sit next to someone you’ve admired almost all your life and chat with them is nothing short of amazing and it’s a moment I’ll treasure for my entire life. 

Me and Reckless Rick!

Recently I’ve attended MCM Comic Con in Birmingham and cosplayed as my childhood icons. Once dressed as Neil Buchanan from Art Attack and as Cuthbert Lilly from Zzzap! (Alongside my friend Rachael who happily agreed to be Daisy Dares). The reaction I got on both occasions totally blew my mind with so many people stopping me for photos. 

Get Zzzapped!

Had some great feedback and comments as well about what I do from ex-crew members of various shows. Special thanks to the people who worked for The Media Merchants production company down in Maidstone who I have a massive amount of respect for. 

So it’s been a fun journey so far. I’m still recording interviews, writing articles and doing occasional Youtube videos. I hope you enjoy what I do and it brings back some happy fond memories of more simpler times! Adult life can sometimes be a bit difficult and stressful and sometimes it’s nice to revisit those memories. I hope what I do makes your day a bit of a happier one. 

Thanks for reading!

Jack