REDOUBTABLE LUNCHTIME ten-minuter in which MAGPIE’s SUSAN STRANKS was “in command” doing craft stuff with card, paper, tissue, glitter and Gloy Gum. The real stars, though, were Itsy and Bitsy, two squeaky/growly puppet “spiders” (actually just gloves with a pom-pom stuck on the back, operated by NORMAN BEARDSLEY) who came down a woolen web at the start and caused the hapless Stranks much hassle in the “helping” department. Playing second fiddle: oft-forgotten Boris the mute ladybird and Cardew The Caterpillar. Earlier show TINGA AND TUCKER did a similar interfering with presenter act, but this was far superior. Four spin-off books were also available on how to make stuff, such as cardboard castles, Norman swords and helmets etc.
ansonort
October 2, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Considering Itsy and Bitsy were a blokes hands I wonder how Ms Stranks felt about them crawling all over her? And as for the bloke…
Rose T'internet
July 19, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Itsy and Bitsy were later cast as the three legged aliens in The Tripods- series 2 (they had grown a bit by then.)
THX 1139
May 15, 2015 at 4:05 pm
I was surprised to note when watching an episode of 90s Canadian sketch comedy The Kids in the Hall that Susan Stranks (presumably the same one) was a line producer on it. What hijinks Itsy and Bitsy could have got up to with the Chicken Lady or the head crushing guy, the mind boggles.
Joanne Gray
February 21, 2017 at 10:42 pm
Like with Emu, I pestered my parents to get me Itsy and Bitsy glove puppets.