Tikkabilla

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Tikkabilla is a UK children's television programme, shown on BBC1, BBC2 and on the CBeebies channel.

The programme aims to educate pre-school children in an entertaining manner. The title "Tikkabilla" comes from the Indian word meaning "Hop-Scotch", a popular children's game.

Each programme is introduced by two adults and a small dragon puppet named Tamba. Tamba serves as the programme's naive child; the programme's educational content is introduced as the presenters explain things to Tamba. Whilst Tamba appears in every episode, a team of presenters take it in turns to pair-up in each show. These presenters include Justin Fletcher, Sarah-Jane Honeywell, Paul Ewing, Simon Davies, Lorna Laidlaw, Toni Fruitin and Amit Sharma (both series 4 only) and Beverley Hills (series 1 only). Tamba is performed by puppeteers Sue Eves (series1 - 4) who created the voice for Tamba; Alison McGowan (series 2 & 3) and Katherine Smee (series 4 - "Star Wars Ep.1 The Phantom Menace"/"Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"/"Lost in Space"). Sue Eves has also written many scripts for the programme.

Much of the show's format follows that of 1964-1988 UK children's programme Play School. In the studio, which features a large, colourful house, the presenters and Tamba perform songs, tell stories and make things. Occasionally, special guests visit, normally to demonstrate a special skill or performance. The iconic square, round and arched windows made famous by Play School are again used as a device to transport the viewer from the studio to the outside, real world. Location items, sometimes featuring the presenters and Tamba and usually including young children, introduce the wider-world to the young audience.

Tikkabilla features mini-series inside the programme, such as Summerton Mill and Higgledy House, both of which are now shown as standalone programmes on CBeebies.

Produced by the BBC's pre-school unit, 4 series have been made since the show began in 2002. The most recent was first transmitted in September 2005.