This article is produced in partnership with TV Licensing (a trademark of the BBC) but all thoughts and experiences are my own.
From nostalgic memories of shows we watched as kids, shows we watched from the comfort of our blankets, social gatherings that brought us together to watch live sports on TV, or any of those memorable TV shows that connect us without a doubt , television has left a lasting impression on all of us at some point in our lives.
I’ve spent some time recently reflecting on some of these moments – I think it’s probably because my kids are now teenagers and have busy social lives, so we spend a lot less time together watching TV than we used to. I want to share 5 of the most memorable TV shows that captured key moments in my life and evoked powerful memories in me. Maybe you’ll recognize some of them, and maybe you can relate to what I’m sharing. Come with me and I’ll take you on a TV viewing journey…
1.2008 Beijing Olympic Games
2008 was a special year and one that I will always remember. You see, at 3am on June 29, 2008, I gave birth to my first child. A healthy baby boy we named Finley. Because it was my first pregnancy, my husband and I joined a local NCT group and in that group I made friends with a girl named Claire who had given birth to my son a few weeks before. boy.
Now, it turns out Claire’s brother is none other than Olympic canoeist Tim Brabants. He had previously won the K1 1000m bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was preparing to compete in the Beijing Olympics that summer. I’m not going to pretend that I’m into canoeing, because I’m not, but when it’s someone you kind of know, in a brother-of-a-friend kind of way, you care a lot more, right! ?
So on Friday 8th August 2008 my husband and I sat down to watch Tim competing for Team GB in the K1 1000m canoe race, baby Finley sleeping in my arms. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to watch a canoe race before, and if I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to watch a canoe race before, but the atmosphere was exciting. Knowing what it meant to him and Claire made things even more intense and when Tim crossed the line in first place it was Britain’s first gold medal in kayaking and both my husband and I were from Jumping up on the couch with baby Finley, who by now was awake, we hugged each other and jumped up and down, for a guy we’d never met and a girl we’d only known for a few months , we are absolutely ecstatic.
2. Ghost Watcher
It was Halloween 1992. At that time I was fascinated by all things scary and unknown stories. But my parents didn’t believe in trick-or-treating and told me they wouldn’t allow me to go panhandling to my neighbors’ houses, so Halloween wasn’t a big deal for us. I might have been interested in that, and I might have preferred to watch some horror movie in my room that I recorded from the TV on Betamax, but that was before I had a TV in my room, so I would have to watch it with me at night parents and brother sitting together in the living room.
As my dad flicked through the four available channels, he selected Ghostwatch. Now, Ghostwatch was very much ahead of its time, this was before the advent of reality TV, and to the impressionable teenager in me, it was everything and more. The show centered on bizarre events at a home in Northolt, north London, and that night, I and 11 million other viewers were tricked into believing that what we were seeing was real. Hosted by Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles, the show was basically a live broadcast of a ghost hunt – a precursor to Most Haunted, if you will . This feels like something groundbreaking. Of course it’s true, and if someone on TV tells us it’s true, it’s true. Who are we to argue when it’s so convincing!
The backstory is that “Pipeline,” the mischievous character who caused all the commotion, was a villain who once lived in the house and was guilty of child abuse and other horrific attacks that led to his suicide. Throughout the show, we glimpse pipes in reflections in windows or silhouettes on curtains. This is really terrible. The final climax came when the group visiting the house participated in a séance, Pipes was released into the studio, the lights went out and Michael Parkinson fell silent. Cue credits. No explanation, no acknowledgment of “oh, sorry guys, we made this all up”, just the impression that it happened and you should all go to bed now. Well, no, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again!
It took me a while to learn that the program was fake. It was definitely the talk of the school the next day, everyone I knew had seen it and we were all fascinated by it. But at least I know I’m not the only one not trick-or-treating.
3. Night Garden
If your children are now teenagers, you know all about the Night Garden. With characters including Iggle Piggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and Tombliboos, Night Garden is the quintessentially successful children’s TV show – it’s full of life-size, brightly colored characters who talk absolute trash and do really weird things thing, and as an adult none of it makes any sense. But children understand. When you think about it, we had the exact same stuff when we were younger, I mean The Flumps, Button Moon, Teletubbies, when we took a step back and tried to figure something out, they were all out Born out of utter madness. But Night Garden will always have a place in my heart, and here’s why.
My son is now 16 and would die on the spot if he knew I was writing this, he loves Night Garden. He had all the teddy bears, all the books, clothes, bedding, bath towels, you name it, this boy had it and he was an absolute magnet for people to look at. Every night, after he took a shower, he would come downstairs in his pajamas and slippers (observe, Night Garden theme song), sit next to me with his beaker of hot milk, and watch the night unfold. . Now, if you’ve seen Night Garden, you know they always play the same song at the end of the episode and all the characters gather around the carousel and dance to the song. My son’s favorite character is Iggle Piggle and when he hears the first notes of this legendary song he jumps off the couch with a dummy in his mouth and imitates Eagle Pigeon’s dance – a very simple side-to-side sway. I think I recorded a video somewhere, but I’ll save him from blushing and keep it secret.
After the dance, the characters would all go to bed and Eagle Pigeon would sail away in his ship, which also marked the time when my son would go to bed as well. It’s like magic. No tantrums, no begging for more, no tears, he just knew that if Eagle Pigeon had gone to bed, it was time for him to go to bed too. Then we go upstairs, brush his teeth, read a story together, then give him a hug and say good night.
4. The Great British Bake Off
I mean, we couldn’t make a list of memorable TV shows without including The Great British Bake Off, right! ? I’ve always loved baking. I wouldn’t say I’m a pro, but when I need to, I can whip up a pretty-looking birthday cake, a decent banoffee pie, and an amazing pancake.
The Great British Bake Off is one of those classic, quintessential TV shows that will make you feel good. Weird British humor combined with amazing afternoon tea style baking, all presented in the perfect fancy marquee, this is what great British television is all about.
What made it so memorable for me was how it connected me to my daughter. We have a great relationship, but you know what teenage girls are like, they have their moments, right? As they get older, the more they retreat to their rooms, close the door, and do their own thing. However, when The Great British Bake Off started, she came out of the room and joined me on the couch under a blanket and we sat in comfortable silence, occasionally umming or ahhing at the delicious treats displayed on the screen .
5. Let’s dance
Finally, on my list of memorable TV shows, there’s Strictly Come Dancing. Who can forget Ann Widdicombe being dragged across the dance floor by Anton Du Beke, Ed Balls “dancing” to Gangnam style, or Ross Allin Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice for their amazing dedication to the deaf community, and the geniuses of Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse Performing Rapper’s Joy’. All of these are shocking memories in their own right, but for me it’s not just the memory of the show, but the moments I shared with others while watching the show.
In our house, Saturday night strictly means putting on your pajamas, lights dimmed, wood stove on, and a bowl of popcorn and chocolate ready. We would sit there and make judgments about what everyone was wearing as they slid down the stairs at the beginning of the show and decide whether we would wear them or not. Usually, when the dances happen, my daughter (certainly when she was little, and pretty sure as a teenager it would be too cringe-worthy to do now) will jump up and imitate them, twirling and twirling on the living room floor. Finally, when it came to scoring, we all grabbed homemade scoreboards made from paper plates and lollipop sticks and scored each dance. If we happen to name the same score as one of the judges, we shout with joy.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and that it gave you a sense of the good old days. I’d love to know which 5 memorable TV shows would make your list. Let me know:
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This article was written in partnership with the BBC Television Licensing Moments to Connect campaign.
Your TV license allows you to enjoy a variety of live TV programs.
it covers you
- All TV channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Dave and international channels – but if you only watch non-BBC channels on demand, you don’t need a license
- Pay TV services such as Sky, Virgin Media and BT, but these platforms can offer both live and on-demand services
- Live TV on streaming services like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video
- Everything on BBC iPlayer.
This includes recording and downloading. on any device.
About the author
Becky Stafferton is a full-time content creator, online publisher, and blogging coach. She continually strives to promote a realistic, sustainable and positive image of how to live a healthy life. When she’s not writing, you can find her running around in muddy puddles, making lists, making good old moaning sounds, talking to her dog in a funny voice, renovating her house in the country, and teaching others how to Make money with your blog.
