Show Me Show Me Explained

Presenter:
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:
  • 6 (regular)
  • 1 (seaside)
Num Episodes:
  • 156 (regular; inc. 1 special)
  • 6 (seaside)
Location:BBC Elstree Centre
Runtime:25 minutes
Company:BBC Studios Kids & Family
Network:CBeebies

Show Me Show Me is a pre-school television series that aired on CBeebies from 6 July 2009 to 30 October 2015 and is presented by Chris Jarvis and Pui Fan Lee. The series teaches and shows children to read stories about their toys. The show also aired on Pluto TV's BBC Kids FAST Channel in the United States, ABC Kids in Australia, BBC Kids in Canada and on BBC One And BBC Two.

Characters

The show features five toys: Mo Mo, Tom, Stuffy, Miss Mouse, and Teddington, each of which appears in their own song as well as in a storybook adventure.

In Series 1, a cartoon series produced by TV-Loonland AG called Penelope featuring a blue koala appeared in episodes, and was later split off on its own show.[1]

In Series 2, another cartoon series called Uki was featured, about an eponymous little yellow character who conveys emotions through laughter and smiles. As with Penelope, this was eventually split off onto its own series.[2]

Format

The show takes place on the top floor of a tower and each episode begins by climbing the ten-storey tower block lift where a child's voice counts from one to ten. On reaching ten we enter Chris and Pui's play room where a magical world of fun and games is explored.[3]

Each show centres on two items that form the title of the episode (for example "Granddads and Glasses"), each of which is introduced by a child requesting "Show me show me granddads". Chris and Pui then explore the items via videos, songs and activities, as well as a piece in which children talk about their experiences with that item.

Shows often feature one of the characters' songs, or a story read by one of the presenters about the exploits of the toys.

Most episodes contain a sequence of a shop. If Chris runs it, Pui comes as different nursery rhyme characters such as The Grand Old Duke of York, Little Bo-Peep, Incy Wincy Spider, Little Miss Muffet, Rapunzel, Old MacDonald, Granny Humpty and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. If Pui runs it, Chris enters as one of Humpty Dumpty, the Hey Diddle cow, Jack from "Jack and Jill", Pat the Baker, Hickory Dickory Dock, Horsey Horsey, Old King Cole, or Wee Willie Winkie.

The format of the show is similar to that of Play School – the BBC programme from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Transmissions

Series

Series Start date End date Episodes
1 6 July 2009 2 October 2009 40
2 6 September 2010 29 October 2010 25
3 6 June 2011 29 July 2011 25
4 4 March 2013 29 March 2013 20
5 28 October 2013 20 December 2013 26
6 5 October 2015 30 October 2015 20

Specials

Controversy

On 7 September 2016, cast member Chris Jarvis was alleged to have used the profanity "cunt" during a song about kites, sparking outrage among parents. In response, the CBeebies Facebook page released a statement saying "It's kite everyone, kite! We make shows for your little ones so it's always going to be kite."[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Penelope. https://web.archive.org/web/20110830233150/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/about/programmes/penelope.shtml. 30 August 2011. CBeebies.
  2. Web site: Uki. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721204202/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/about/programmes/uki.shtml. 21 July 2011. CBeebies.
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/about/programmes/showmeshowme.html Show Me Show Me
  4. Web site: Did CBeebies' Chris Jarvis just drop the C-word?. Metro.co.uk. Katie Baillie for. 2016-09-08. Metro. 2016-09-08.