| Ridgey Didge | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Children's television series |
| Presented by | Jared Robinson Rebecca Hetherington Simon Watt Danny Carretti Chris Harriott Ashley Paskey |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) | North Ryde, New South Wales |
| Running time | 52 minutes (including commercials) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Network Ten |
| Picture format | 4:3 (PAL) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original run | 1987 – 1989 |
Ridgey Didge was a popular Network Ten magazine television programme for children in Australia.
The title comes from the Australian slang, ridgey didge, which means honest, true or the real thing.
Contents |
A long running series of 52 minute programmes. Each studio based episode was intended to be an entertaining voyage of adventure and discovery for the viewers, constantly covering new topics reflecting Australian life and culture. Location segments added to the mix. Of particular note was a feature episode recording the creation of a time capsule to commemorate Australia's bicentennial in 1988 (the capsule was opened in 2001).
A team of presenters hosted each programme:
They were joined by puppet characters:
Other presenters of regular segments:
The lyrics in the signature tune repeated the words ridgey didge several times which became a catchphrase amongst the target audience. This was accompanied with a hand gesture. The three middle fingers of the right hand were closed, leaving the thumb and little finger extended; the hand was then twisted from side to side in time with the rhythm of the music.
The show aired between 1987 and 1989, Monday to Friday at 4 p.m. on Network TEN!
Produced by the in-house production department based at the TEN studios in North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia: