History Series / Tiswas

* BreakupBreakout: Chris Tarrant and Lenny Henry went on to become household names. The rest of the team[[note]]the other substantive members of the presenting team were Sally James, Bob Carolgees (he's the one with Spit the Dog) and John Gorman (formerly one third of the Scaffold)[[/note]] didn't really.

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TiswasFlinger_8749.jpg]]

Tiswas (/ˈtɪzwɒz/; an acronym of "Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile") was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982, and was produced for the ITV network by ATV. It was created by ATV continuity announcer Peter Tomlinson (later to become a regular presenter on the show) following a test period in 1973 when he tried out a few competitions and "daft stuff" between the programmes.

Incredibly influential on other Saturday morning kids' shows--''Series/DickAndDomInDaBungalow'', ''Series/SMTVLive'', ''Series/MinistryOfMayhem'', even ''Series/LiveAndKicking'' would not have been the same without ''Tiswas''. (Arguably, even late-night zoo programmes like ''Series/TheWord'' drew on it). One noticable difference from its followers, however, is that most presenters since have tended to be cheeky big brother types in their teens or early twenties, while all the ''Tiswas'' presenters except Creator/LennyHenry were in their 30s at least. Watching adults being completely childish has a relish all its own. However, it's pretty much completely unknown over in the US and much of the non-European world. An american adaptation under the title ''Playstreet'' was made by Taylorfilms and [[Creator/{{Central}} Central Television]] for NBC.

Incredibly influential on other Saturday morning kids' shows--''Series/DickAndDomInDaBungalow'', ''Series/SMTVLive'', ''Series/MinistryOfMayhem'', even ''Series/LiveAndKicking'' would not have been the same without ''Tiswas''. (Arguably, even late-night zoo programmes like ''Series/TheWord'' drew on it). One noticable difference from its followers, however, is that most presenters since have tended to be cheeky big brother types in their teens or early twenties, while all the ''Tiswas'' presenters except Creator/LennyHenry were in their 30s at least. Watching adults being completely childish has a relish all its own. However, it's pretty much completely unknown over in the US and much of the non-European world.

* CatchPhrase: "Compost Corner!"

* ParentalBonus: Sally James favoured [[NippledAndDimed thin tops and inadequate bras.

* AffectionateParody

* ExcitedKidsShowHost

* RunningGag

* {{Slapstick}}

* SpinOff: Most of the presenters left in 1981 to make ''OTT'', an attempt to use a similar format as a late-night comedy for adults.

* AscendedExtra: Several comedians started as one-off guests and became regulars (eg Jim Davidson, Frank Carson). Also the Bright Eyes kid, Matthew Butler (he even ended up going on the Four Bucketeers tour with them.)

It was very tied in with popular culture. There were the bands, and lots of impressions and parodies of other shows; but also they accidentally launched a dance craze (The Dying Fly) and the presenters had a number 1 hit with "The Bucket of Water Song".

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Creator/TrevorMcDonald[[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; Bob "The Tray" Blackman would sing Mule Train whilst banging a metal tea tray on his head; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

* FunWithAcronyms: Title stood for "This is Saturday, wake and smile."

Incredibly influential on other Saturday morning kids' shows--''Series/DickAndDomInDaBungalow'', ''Series/SMTVLive'', ''Series/MinistryOfMayhem'', even ''Series/LiveAndKicking'' would not have been the same without ''Tiswas''. (Arguably, even late-night zoo programmes like TheWord drew on it). One noticable difference from its followers, however, is that most presenters since have tended to be cheeky big brother types in their teens or early twenties, while all the ''Tiswas'' presenters except Creator/LennyHenry were in their 30s at least. Watching adults being completely childish has a relish all its own. However, it's pretty much completely unknown over in the US and much of the non-European world.

* SongParody: One memorable scene had songstress ToyahWilcox singing parody lyrics to her own hit song, "It's a Mystery," about how much she wanted to get a pie in the face, while the Phantom Flan Flinger began granting her wish. Naturally the scene ended with a full-fledged pie fight.

* CoveredInGunge: The show had a credited custard-pie maker.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: A pre-Eurythmics AnnieLennox (on the show with her previous band, The Tourists) responded to being pied by the Phantom Flan Flinger by storming off stage as a pie fight broke out around her.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Most of the early shows were wiped by ATV. There is a ''Best of Tiswas'' DVD featuring clips from the later seasons.
* TheMerch: Lots of tie-in products at the time: a magazine, annuals, books, and, of course, songs.
* NeverWorkWithChildrenOrAnimals: The boy who had to go for a wee. The lad who started crying when it was his turn to read out his poem. Oh my god, the armadillo...

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Creator/SirTrevorMacDonald[[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; Bob "The Tray" Blackman would sing Mule Train whilst banging a metal tea tray on his head; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Creator/SirTrevorMcDonald[[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; Bob "The Tray" Blackman would sing Mule Train whilst banging a metal tea tray on his head; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Creator/TrevorMcDonald[[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; Bob "The Tray" Blackman would sing Mule Train whilst banging a metal tea tray on his head; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

The inventor of the Creator/{{ITV}} SaturdayMorningKidsShow format, and probably the most anarchic of them all. Famous for the [[InTheHood Phantom]] [[CoveredInGunge Flan Flinger]] and starting off Chris Tarrant's career. Not so famous, but no less instrumental, for launching Creator/LennyHenry's TV career. ''Tiswas'' ran from 1974 to 1982, although in the first year it consisted more of short links between cartoons and other programmes, with less of its own identity, whereas 1982 was much more sedate than the classic years after many of the presenters left in 1981.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Trevor [=McDonald=][[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; Bob "The Tray" Blackman would sing Mule Train whilst banging a metal tea tray on his head; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

Incredibly influential on other Saturday morning kids' shows--''Series/DickAndDomInDaBungalow'', ''Series/SMTVLive'', ''Series/MinistryOfMayhem'', even ''Series/LiveAndKicking'' would not have been the same without ''Tiswas''. (Arguably, even late-night zoo programmes like TheWord drew on it). One noticable difference from its followers, however, is that most presenters since have tended to be cheeky big brother types in their teens or early twenties, while all the ''Tiswas'' presenters except Creator/LennyHenry were in their 30s at least. Watching adults being completely childish has a relish all its own.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: Most of the early shows were wiped by ITV. There is a ''Best of Tiswas'' DVD featuring clips from the later seasons.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) Creator/LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Trevor [=McDonald=][[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

The inventor of the Creator/{{ITV}} SaturdayMorningKidsShow format, and probably the most anarchic of them all. Famous for the [[InTheHood Phantom]] [[CoveredInGunge Flan Flinger]] and starting off Chris Tarrant's career. Not so famous, but no less instrumental, for launching Lenny Henry's TV career. ''Tiswas'' ran from 1974 to 1982, although in the first year it consisted more of short links between cartoons and other programmes, with less of its own identity, whereas 1982 was much more sedate than the classic years after many of the presenters left in 1981.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) LennyHenry would be impersonating newsreader Trevor [=McDonald=][[note]] Who made a few guest appearances as himself[[/note]]; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

Incredibly influential on other Saturday morning kids' shows--''Series/DickAndDomInDaBungalow'', ''SMTVLive'', ''MinistryOfMayhem'', even ''LiveAndKicking'' would not have been the same without ''Tiswas''. (Arguably, even late-night zoo programmes like TheWord drew on it). One noticable difference from its followers, however, is that most presenters since have tended to be cheeky big brother types in their teens or early twenties, while all the ''Tiswas'' presenters except LennyHenry were in their 30s at least. Watching adults being completely childish has a relish all its own.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) LennyHenry would be impersonating a newsreader; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello, the Music/{{Pretenders}} and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

!!!!Tropes associated with Tiswas include:

* BreakupBreakout: Chris Tarrant and Lenny Henry went on to become household names. The rest of the team[[note]]the other substantive members of the presenting team were Sally James, Bob Carolgees (he's the one with Spit the Dog) and John Gorman[[/note]] didn't really.
* CatchPhrase: “Compost Corner!”

* ExpositoryThemeTune: “Saturday, Saturday, Saturday is Tiswas day!”

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) LennyHenry would be impersonating a newsreader; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (and not just kid-friendly groups: the performers included Music/ElvisCostello and Music/StatusQuo), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.

On any given Saturday morning, there would be a studio full of overexcited children, some there to show off a talent or do a competition, some as the audience. (Many of their parents would be locked in a cage at the back of the set, intermittently getting buckets of water thrown over them by the presenters.) LennyHenry would be impersonating a newsreader; a pre-''Series/DoctorWho'' Creator/SylvesterMcCoy would be roaming around as a werewolf, biting the audience; bands would play (not just kid-friendly groups- StatusQuo, for example, turned up), or be interviewed by Sally James ([[PeripheryDemographic showing off the garters]] she had been sent from Royal Navy ships); there would be comedy sketches, done by anybody from Creator/MichaelPalin to Bernard Manning; [[ConsultingMisterPuppet Spit the Dog]] would live up to his name; John Gorman would be roaming around in character as a cleaner asking if he had died in two world wars in order to put up with a studio this messy; a 5-year-old boy in a rabbit suit would sing Bright Eyes; at least one item would go completely off track; and everyone would end up getting custard pies thrown over them.