Astronauts1983
The second series of Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie's space sitcom was made in 1982 and transmitted in late night in 1983 with no promotion whatsoever.It was as if there was a cull of all the old ATV series. It certainly wasn't their worst series and series one performed reasonably at 20.00
Auf Wiedershen Pet1983
Geordies Oz, Neville & Dennis joined brummie Barry, west country Bomber, cockney Wayne and scouser Moxey for adventures of a gang of workmates working in Dusseldorf , Germany after unable to find work in their hometowns. Supporyting cast included Michael Elphick and Michael Sheard
This comedy drama was one of the 1980s biggest hits and was written by Witzend's Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement and Produced by Tony Charles
Auf Wiedershen Pet1986
The second series sees the lads working in Spain and Central countyry Derbyshire. Excellent supporting performances here by Bryan Pringle as the local landlord.
Gary Holton died whilst filming this series even though he does appear in every episode.
The Central logo morphs into a roulette ball in this title sequence
Blockbusters1991
The classic two versus one game show started with a 50 episode run in 1983 and was still going strong until Carlton(London) moved it into an afternoon slot.
Hosted by DJ Bob Holness, who is famous for having a 'P'.
Blockbusters1984
A 120 episode run which saw the show scheduled for 6 days per week from September 1984. Here are the flipping titles for that time as well as a Central Promo...
Boon1988
Boon was a comedy drama running for 7 years created by Jim Hill and Bill Stair. Michael Elphick starred as Ken Boon, The Urban Cowboy who in partnership with Harry Crawford (played by David Daker) ran courier firm The Texas Rangers....
By 1988, Amanda Burton had left Brookside and joined the programme for a year.
Boon1987
Further adventures of The Texas Rangers. Neil Morrissey had now joined as long haired biker Rocky Cassidy. The catchy theme Hi Ho Silver was sung by Jim Diamond. The 1986/7 title sequence was created by Tiswas graphic artist Chris Wroe
The Bretts1987
Bolstered by NEW FACES before this series by SHINE ON HARVEY MOON's Lawrence Marks and Maurice Gran was thought to be so successful that production of series two started before series one was shown.
Alas, it bombed, series 2 was moved to a graveyard slot on Sundays and that was it. Overseas sales were thought to be good though. One of Central's many co-productions with WGBH Boston.
Bullseye1984 / 1987
Sunday evening favourite Jim Bowen hosts a Christmas edition of the Darts & General Knowledge quiz Bullseye. Three pairs of contestants would battle it out to find out "what you would have won" behind Bully. Fantastic titles by Chris Wroe with Central Head of Music Johnny Patrick providing the theme.
Right clip - credits sequence from 1987
Central Job Finder1987
Central was one of the first to offer a text based job vacancy pages on a normal TV throughout the night accompanied by library music. When the 24 Hour operation started , the programme lasted for about an hour. Think Pages From Ceefax.
Did anyone apply for that Welder job in Mansfield?
Central Lobbyc1990
Central's long running political programme which replaced ATV's LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE in 1982.
The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady1984
Pippa Guard played Edith Holden in this 12 part series following the monthly diaries of a Warwickshire schoolteacher.Very high brow for ITV and yet it was given a safe 19.00 slot between Crossroads & Corrie on Wednesdays!
Crossroads1985
These are the Phillip Bowman titles following a car around Birmingham. Phillip was brought in to add some glamour to the ailing soap in the form of new manager Gabrielle Drake and the motel now housed a leisure complex!
Titles were by Schools graphic artist Stuart Kettle who dispensed with the famous cross credits in favour of a familiar roller.
Crossroads Kings Oak1987
The Archers producer William Smethurst was now in charge. Much intended comedy was brought in as was the goings on of the village of Kings Oak where the soap was set.
right clip - The changesweren't enough, the same year the soap ended. Jill Chance drove offinto the sunset with her new man, John Maddingham, and Crossroads hadfinished forever... Or had it?
Cue Gary's Christmas Special1986
After success on LWT shows SATURDAY GANG and COPYCATS, Central gave him his own series.
These titles remind me of the PIPKINS sequence where Hartley Hare gets squashed.
Cuffy1983
Bernard Cribbins as Cuffy and Jack Douglas as Jake mixed with some of the lesser characters from ATV's SHILLINGBURY TALES for 6 half hours. Again written by Francis Essex. Produced at Elstree in 1982, for TX in 1983.
Again set in the fictional village of Shillingbury and filmed in the real village of Albury,Herts. Very close to Tring station and the very southern end of the Central region.
Emu's Pink Windmill Show1986
After the cancellation of Central's THE SATURDAY SHOW, a similiar format was given to Rod Hull, Grotbags and Croc for their Pink Winmill Show which went out live on Wednesday afternoons. Credits only
England Their England1987
A regular regional documentary series that was started by ATV focussing on individuals in the midlands. This edition featured comic artist Alan Moore.
Family Fortunes1984
In 1983, Bob departed to the BBC's BOBS FULL HOUSE and Central found new host Max"Big Money" Bygraves who stumbled through 26 episodes before a brief cancellation.
Gas Street1988
Join Vince Hill and Suzi Quatro for Pebble Mill style lunchtime chat & song from Central's Gas Street studios in Birmingham. Gas Street is now where all of Central's news output comes from since the closure of Broad Street.
Girls on Top1985
Dawn French,Jennifer Saunders and Ruby Wax wrote and with Tracey Ullman starred in supposed girl version of the BBC's THE YOUNG ONES. Paul Jackson produced both series, with Ben Elton as script editor.
The credits include a little known at the time Harry Enfield. Unlike the BBC show this went out in peak-time ITV!
Girls On Top1986
By series 2 Tracey Ullman and her character had left for America and the theme was not sung by the girls, but by Squeeze's Difford and Tilbrook.
Grim Tales1990
Fairy stories - with attitude -read by Rik Mayall who sat in a chair with moving legs!
Hardwicke House1987
Central thought a lot of Hardwicke House - a new comedy set in a school with anarchic teachers and unruly pupils. Indeed it started with a 60 minute special before the series proper the following day. Indeed production had started on series two.That is until it was broadcast. Given a 8pm slot on ITV the audience were expecting something more tame like Fresh Fields. Unfortunately they reached for the off button and the telephone. It wasn't that the series wasn't funny it just didn't suit the timeslot and the target audience.
Sunday at 10pm would have been better. Only 2 episodes were shown the rest were reportedly burnt, but that isn't so. All episodes exist and there are some cracking shows still to be seen. Network needs to put these on dvd please! We won't tell the Daily Mail!
An excellent cast with the late Roy Kinnear in his last role, Roger Sloman, Duncan Preston, Nick Wilton, Tony Haygarth and Pam Ferris.
Inspector Morse1993
One of Ted Child's biggest winners as head of Central Drama was to commission a series of two hour block dramas from the pen of Colin Dexter. Excellent lead for John Thaw beer swilling detective, with Auf Wiedershen's Kevin Whately providing excellent support. Based in the southern end of the Central franchise using all the joys of the historic City of Oxford.
Link1985
LINK and sister programme GETTING ON ran for most of 1978 to 1987 on Sunday mornings. Link was aimed at a handicapped audience, whereas GETTING ON was for the elderly. Here's a great Chris Wroe title sequence which shows handicapped people enjoying themselves. Theme by Chris Tookey.
Link1992
By 1988, LINK was reduced to a 15 minute weekly frequency instead of fortnightly half hours. Regular presenter Kevin Mulhern produced Coffers Bear Productions and the show was out-sourced from Central.
Married for Life1996
After the success of The Upper Hand, which was based on US Sitcom Who's The Boss, Central tried another Americian adaptation. This time Russ Abbot played the Al Bundy character in the British version of Married With Children. Sadly this only lasted one series of six episodes.
Mike Reid's Mates and Music1984
Comedy and music with the versatile Mike Reid, helped by Helen Shapiro and Gary Wilmot with Laurie Holloway on the piano.
Murphys Mob1984
The adventures of Dunmore United's junior supporters club. Starring Ken Hutchinson as Murphy with Keith (Stig of the Dump) Jayne as young Boxer with the excellent Milton Johns as Derek Cassidy.The first two series were filmed at Elstree and used nearby Watford FC's ground. The latter at Nottingham using Derby County's. The excellent theme is sung by Gary Holton and the series was written by Brian Finch.
Unfortunately, our tape runs out with 5 secs to go, so enjoy more signs for Bushey & Harrow....
Mr Bean1993
This is a Thames show, when Thames lost their franchise other ITV companies had to "present" independent's programmes for the network. So it became a Tiger Aspect production for Thames presented by Central. Hmmmm
Rowan Atkinson played the bumbling Mr Bean.
New Faces of 861986
New Faces returned with a change. All were recorded from the Birminghjam Hippodrome and presented by ex-winner Marti Caine who had returned to work for the midlands contractor after a spell with the BBC. Previous host Derek Hobson was now preoccupied by Thats My Dog.
Produced by Peter Harris abd Richard Holloway who had both worked on The Muppet Show.
New Faces of 871987
Six acts were marked by the audience who had to "Press your buttons please!". The results were displayed on a weaving scoreboard called Spaghetti Junction. Celebrities on the judging panel included Chris Tarrant, Bernie Winters and Nina Myskow who was the ITV critic at the News of the World. 
New Faces of 881988
The 1987 series had problems with ratings disaster The Bretts following the show in the Friday schedules. Thus the 1988 series appeared back on Saturday nights where the series had begun. Unfortunately, 17.45 was a tad too early for big numbers and the show was cancelled.
No Excuses1983
Rock Follies' Charlotte Cornwell starred as rock star Shelley Maze who had many highs and even more lows.When her butler played by Alfred Burke was abused onscreen, the series was subsequently relegated to a late night slot.
The Nuclear Age1989
Documentary series co-produced with WGBH Boston dealing with the history of Nuclear War.
Oi For England1982
With the early Thatcher years of 3 million unemployment and social unrest. Drama producers captured the moment with many down to earth dramas.Oi For England was about a group of skinheads starting a band in Moss Side, Manchester. Notable for a young Neil Pearson in the cast - barely recognisable!
Written by Trevor Griffths and Mike Prince warned us to expect some strong language! Oh the days!
Orm And Cheep1985
Pre school puppet series concerning a relationship between a bird and a worm! Narrated by Richard Briers.
O.T.T.1982
Chris Tarrant's ill fated adult Tiswas. Sketches ,songs,comedy and plenty of nudity! Chris was joined by Bob Carolgees,Lenny Henry, John Gorman and Helen Atkinson-Wood.The Phantom Flan Flinger was recreated as Count Custard played also by Benny Mills. This clip is introduced by Central's Su Evans whilst Stewart White gets another appearance on network ITV.
Guests included balloon dancers, Malcolm Hardee's The Greatest Show On Legs.
Peak Practice1993
Picturesque medical drama set in the attractive Peak District National Park created by Lucy Gannon.
Kevin Whately from Morse and Amanda Burton from Boon played married doctors.
Cracking theme music by John Altman.
The Price is Right1985
Leslie Crowther was the first British host of the classic Goodson Todman Americian game show where contestants were told to Come On Down and guess the prices of objects to win bigger prizes. The initial run was made by comedy producer and Fifteen To One presenter William G Stewart who also acted as the warm up man. In the final series the contestants got consulation prize of a teddy bear..... called William!!
right clip - credits from 1985
PS It's Paul Squire1983
After two series of the show within a show that wouldn't be a show without THE PAUL SQUIRE SHOW came this - The Show.
A bizarre mixture of fast moving stand up, sketches and song designed to bring out the best in this versatile entertainer. Paul would slap and clap himself before before walking through a door into the next part of the programme. In the credits sequence he would leave through a door positioned in a massive Central endcap. Created, produced & directed by the legendary Royston Mayoh who had just finished work on Kenny Everett's Thames series. Made in 1982, but TX'd in 1983.
Press Gang1993
One of the most intelligent teenage comedy dramas concerned the running of the Junior Gazette. Written by Steven MoffattStarring Julia Sawalha, Dexter Fletcher, Lucy Benjamin and Paul Reynolds.Made by Richmond Films for Central.
The Ratties1988
An offbeat surreal cartoon series written by Mike Wallis and Laura Milligan. Voiced by dad Spike!
Adventures of a family of rats that live down a hole! If only! Very silly and some how ended up on CITV whereas it deserved much more.
The Saturday Show1983
Join Isla St Clair and Tommy Boyd for more fun and surprises live from Birmingham.Wrestler Big Daddy was due to star in this programme but pulled out with days to go. Hence Chris Wroe's hastily changed title sequence. To think Lewis Rudd (Central's head of children's) thought this was better than Tiswas!
Shine On Harvey Moon1984
One of Central's first successes. Initally an ATV Marks and Gran 30 minute sitcom this series blossomed into a 60-minute comedy drama. Concerning soldier Harvey Moon as he returns home from war. Starring Kenneth Cranham, Elizabeth Spriggs assisted by Nigel Planer, Lee Whitlock, Maggie Steed and Dr Legg.
This series brought Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke back together and they would star in their own Marks & Gran show, Birds of a Feather, a few years later.
Produced by Tony Charles & directed by Baz Taylor throughout for Witzend. A follow up series for Meridian started in 1993 as Witzend had a stake in Meridian at the time.
Right clip - credits sequence. Now, surely, someone has noticed the similiarity between the moon and Central's logo here or are we reading too much into this sort of thing!
The $64000 Question1990
Bob Monkhouse returned to Central in 1990 for a revived version of the "double or nothing" quiz. The original show had a prize of 64000 sixpences, whilst in this version the prize was £6400.Watching this now it makes Millionaire look easy with each section having 4 or 5 questions to progress. Also the contestants had to keep returning on following programmes as £6400 could not be won solely on one show due to IBA rules!
Spitting Image1984
A couple of clips here of Central continuity announcer Stewart White on the first series of Spitting Image...
Right clip - Stewart interrupts the euro-phone-in....
Spitting Image1986
The original style titles of the satirical puppet show. There were plenty of different versions though. The Margaret Thatcher thumping the desk allegedly does not have any sound effects attached! : ) Right - Credit sequence using the Central font!
Spitting Image1986/1987
Here's The Ronnie (Blankety Blank) Hazlehurst Requiem followed by Ken Livingstone as Tweety Pie....
Right clip - A swipe at those Christmas BBC idents
Spitting Image1988
Script editor and all round nice guy, the late Geoffrey Perkins now produced the classic puppet show. An updated titles sequence to show the disappearance of Ronald Reagan and the introduction of George Bush as US president.
Star Fleet1982
Star Fleet is the UK dubbed version of the Japanese puppet show X-Bomber. Filmed using supermarionation techniques, the sci fi series continues its cult following today.What Central had to do with the programme is unclear. It was certainly billed as a Central Production in 1982, showing before another Central show - Isla St Clair's The Saturday Show.
The excellent theme music is by Paul Bliss from The Moody Blues.
Starting Science1982
Max Mason went out on location in the Central version of this schools science series. Ron Geesin again supplied the music, and Stuart Kettle the graphics, but not a patch on the quirky ATV series. Plenty more in our Schools section.
Starting Out1982
Tosh Lines from The Bill moves in with Play School's Carol Chell, they move from Morecambe to the midlands to live next to Mavis Hooper from Crossroads.Well its all explained here in one of the longest title sequences ever... Graphics by Stuart Kettle.
Saturday Stayback1983
After the furore of OTT , Tarrant and co were given the safety of a recorded sketch show. Each programme was recorded in a different midlands pub with the regulars partaking in the precedings. From the OTT lineup, Lenry Henry had joned the BBC, John Gorman stayed backstage, however, Tarrant, Carolgees, Helen Atkinson Wood remained on screen. Joined by new faces Suzanne Sinclair, Tony Slattery and Phil Cool. However my favourite was Kevin Seisay singing songs about Adolf Hitler and cannibals. Unfortunately this was pasted by Jasper Carrott's series in the ratings and it didn't return. Theme by Roy Wood, Graphics by Chris Wroe, of course.
The Struggle For Democracy1990
Late night historical documentary series, a co-production with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Tales From Fat Tulips Garden1985
Tony Robinson (Baldrick or the short naked bloke from Who Dares Wins) wrote this excellent show with producer friend Debbie Gates.Tony would play all the characters talking directly into the hand held camera and changing voice occordingly. There were various elements of slapstick involved and Tony usually ended up pieing himself, but it was his engaging storytelling style which pulled it off. A follow up series Fat Tulip Too was made in 1987 however there was a problem - the only person on screen was Tony and as a kids show there needed to be an end product (to sell!) Tony was off to the BBC to star in Maid Marian.
Two follow up series were also made by Debbie Gates, in the same style, Revolting Animals and Jellyneck with new cast members.
Right clip - credits sequence, featuring Kevin Stoney's excellent score and Chris Wroe's old Tiswas graphics.
Tales Out of School1982
A series of four hard hitting plays written by David Leland and produced by controller of drama Margaret Matheson.They were Birth of a Nation, Flying Into The Wind, RHINO (Really Here In Name Only) and most famously Made In Britain. The latter starred newcomer Tim Roth as Trevor, a violent skinhead with no regard for authority. He is helped by his social worker, Sgt Cryer from The Bill. Directed by Alan Clarke it won the Prix Italia award in 1984 for best drama.
The Upper Hand1991
UK remake of the successful US role reversal sitcom Who's The Boss. Starring Joe McGann and Diana Weston with Honor Blackman as Laura.
Unnatural Causes1986
Ten years after ATV's BEASTS scifi writer Nigel Kneale and producer Nicholas Palmer teamed up again to produce the thriller Ladies Night. Just one of the series of seven.
Valentine Park1988
Unchallenging light comedy series, one of a number written and produced by Glen Cardno. Set in a park! starring Ken Jones, Liz Smith, Daniel Peacock and David Thewlis. Series 2 was shunted back from peak time to a 1715 slot.
Voyager1989
Central started making a few co-productions with National Geographic Society in the USA. When the original 60 minute programmes weren't given a network slot, this 30 minute series appeared scheduled against EASTENDERS.
Narrated by Juilan Pettifer for John Gau Productions.
Wayne Dobson - A Kind of Magic1990
After supporting Central entertainer Joe Longthorne, magician Wayne gets his own show. He makes himself disappear and change places with Linda Lusardi. Aided by puppet Ringo Rabbit played by Bobby Davro.
Workout1987
A discussion programme about unemployment. Nothing special really except these excellent claymation titles!
Worst of O.T.T.1982
By episode 13, it was decided that there'd be no new show and instead a rehash of the "worst" sketches.
Right clip - credits sequence, ....and at last,a glimpse of Ellen Thomas' firm breasts!.
Woof!1989
Another top rating show from Central's children's department. A comedy about a boy that couldn't help turning into a dog.
Written by Brittis Empire and Chance In A Million's Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss.
Produced by David Puttnam and starring his wife Liza Goddard.