Magpie (TV series)
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Magpie was a children's television programme shown on ITV from the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. It was a magazine format show intended to compete with the BBC's Blue Peter, but was deliberately much more "hip and trendy" compared to what the makers of Magpie considered to be rather old-fashioned "Auntie Beeb" approach of the BBC's show. It focused much more on popular culture - music, fashion, etc - than did Blue Peter.
The programme, made by Thames Television, was first transmitted on 30 July 1968, which was Thames Television's first day of broadcasting. It was shown once a week for the first year, but from then until it ended in 1980 went out twice a week. The first presenters were the former BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Brady, Susan Stranks (remembered by many for not wearing a bra and for wearing hot pants, the often more revealing successor to the mini skirts of the 60s), and Tony Bastable. Bastable and Brady left the show in 1972 to be replaced by Mick Robertson and Douglas Rae. Jenny Hanley replaced Susan Stranks in 1974. This lineup remained until 1977, when Tommy Boyd replaced Rae.
Approximately 1000 episodes were made, each of 25 minutes' duration.
The show's mascot was Murgatroyd Magpie, and the rocking theme tune (written by Ray Fenwick and played by the Spencer Davis Group) was based on the old children's nursery rhyme:
- One for sorrow
- Two for joy
- Three for a girl
- Four for a boy
- Five for silver
- Six for gold
- Seven for a secret never to be told
- Eight for Heaven
- Nine for Hell
- Ten for the Devil himself
The rhyme refers to an old English superstition concerning the portent of the number of magpies seen together in a flock. The Magpie version altered the final lines to:
- Eight to wish
- Nine to kiss
- Ten is a bird you must not miss
