44 Years Ago: The End Of A Kid’s TV Cult Classic

Yesterday marked 44 years since the final farewell of the beloved children’s show “Magpie,” an ITV program that giggled and grooved its way into the history books from 30th July 1968 to 6th June 1980.

“Magpie” was ITV’s answer to the BBC’s “Blue Peter,” which had been around for about a decade by the time “Magpie” first aired on TV screens. The main difference between the two shows was that with more of a focus on pop culture, “Magpie” attempted to be the cooler, more “hip” version of Blue Peter.

From the show’s kickoff with Tony Bastable, Pete Brady and Susan Stranks, to the later years with Mick Robertson and Jenny Hanley, the host list reads like a who’s who of TV presenting royalty. Each presenter brought their own iconic flair to the show – and with the show being mostly unscripted, it truly allowed each of the presenters to show off their own personality and enthusiasm.

Helping with the pop culture style of the show was the theme tune itself – a song called “Magpie”, performed by the Spencer Davis Group under the alias of the Murgatroyd Band (named after the magpie mascot of the show).

While Blue Peter lives on even to this day nearly 70 years on from its start, one can still enjoy the fun the alternative show gave. 44 years on, you too can live as if you were one of the presenters (who wore the show’s logo on their tops) with our exclusive “Magpie” t-shirts, hoodies & sweatshirts! It’s just one of a number of brilliant designs covering classic TV shows and films in our range – so go check it out today and find something you’ll love!

Ashley