Wizadora

Infobox Television
show_name = Wizadora


size =
caption = Cover of one of the "Wizadora" video releases, showing Tatty Bogle and Wizadora
format =
picture_format =
runtime = 9 or 15 minutes
creator =
starring = Wendy van der Plank
Steven Ryde (1995 onwards)
Brian Murphy
Tessa Hatts
Joe Greco(1993 - 1994)
channel = CITV
first_aired = September 1 1993
last_aired = September 1 1997
num_series =
num_episodes = 204 (18x15mins, 186x9min.)
producer = Janie Grace
related =

"Wizadora" was a children's television programme broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom from 1993 to 1997. The series was created by Don Arioli and Caroline Cullum.fact|date=July 2007 It starred Wendy van der Plank as 'Wizadora'. The show was filmed by Meridian Broadcasting (the same people who created "Zzzap!" which started the same year as "Wizadora").

The episodes all took place in Wizadora's cottage. A trainee wizard, Wizadora is always trying to solve problems using magic.

Characters

Wizadora's companions included -
* Tatty Bogle - a dim-witted scarecrow that lives in Wizadora's back garden, played by actors Joe Greco (1993, 1994) and Steven Ryde (1995-1997)
* Stan the Shopkeeper, who regularly takes delivery of new magical catalogue items, played by Brian Murphy
* Pippa the Postwoman, played by Tessa Hatts
* Top/Sticky/Bottom - three talking drawer people (sock puppets)
* Phoebe - a talking telephone
* Philbert - a squeaking vegetable and a trainee wizared that does spells as well as Wizadora. Philbert is also regularly seen gardening. Philbert also has one half-brother whose name is Tarquin.
* Dog Doormat - a barking doormat
* Hangle - a purple coat hanger with a yellow rain coat, glasses and a purple moustache, always talking curmudgeonly
* Very Old Fish - a cryptic talking fish
* Poot - Wizadora's computer
* Nigel the Snail - Very Old Fish's friend
* The Crows - Two crows which caused mayhem for Tatty Bogle in the garden
* Roxy - a quite friendly talking spider

Puppeteers Phil Eason, Francis Wright, Michael Bayliss, Sue Dacre, Don Austen, Brian Herring, Neil Sterenberg, Debbie Cumming, & Sheila Clark worked on the series.

Other information

The series was made for Meridian Broadcasting by production companies Workhouse and North Pole Productions at The Fountain Studios in New Malden and directed by David Crozier. The theme music was composed by Dave Hutton who was also the Senior Cameraman on the first four series of the show. The theme tune was recorded at Gordon Thrussell's studios at Ashford in Kent and the credits show music by 'Hutt and Thrust'. This was because the director, David Crozier, did not want the same name for two different credits on the programme (ie: Snr Cameraman and Music). The other cameramen were Roger Backhouse and Angus McMillan and sometimes Steve Leach. The vision mixer was Julie Miller. "Wizadora" Was seen on Living's Morning Children'sslot Tiny Living until "Tiny Living" Was Replaced by Living2.

"Jill Golick" wrote several episodes.fact|date=July 2007

Episodes

The programme ran for five series.The very first episode, "The Magic Parcel", was broadcast on Wednesday 8 September1993, and the final episode, "Goodbye Wizadora", was broadcast on Monday 1 September1997. [cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/wizadora/show/19863/episode_listings.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=episodessh&tag=episodes;more|title=Wizadora Episode List at TV.com]

Home Video and DVD

The show has never been released on DVD and, while some VHS cassettes were released in the mid-1990s, it can be difficult to find Wizadora media. [cite web|url=http://www.classickidstv.co.uk/wiki/Wizadora|title=Wizadora at Classic Kids TV]

Related Shows

Zzzap!

References