The Riddlers Explained

Num Seasons:9
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Runtime:15 minutes
Genre:Puppet show
Channel:ITV

The Riddlers is a British children's programme produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV between 2 November 1989 and 27 August 1998.

Synopsis

The series centred on Marjorie Dawe and the two Riddlers (small humanoid creatures, portrayed by puppets, whose main aim in life was to "riddle things out") named Mossop (voiced by Richard Robinson) and Tiddler (female, but voiced by Mike Gallant), who inhabited her garden at Riddleton End. It would later be revealed that Tiddler was an orphan and had no other next of kin, so Mossop adopted Tiddler as an infant. Tiddler was not the latter's real name, but a title given to young apprentice Riddlers: once they achieved full Riddler status there would be a special (graduation type) ceremony, at which they would be given their 'real' name. Tiddler's training included being told twelve stories by a Riddlestone, usually one of 'Eesup's Foibles' (Yorkshire dialect for Aesop's Fables) – she would then have to 'riddle out' the moral of the story.

When Tiddler had achieved full Riddler status (by getting the morals of twelve stories correctly) she chose to be called Tiddlup at the ceremony. Marjorie wanted to go to the ceremony but was told by Mossop that only Riddlers and Tiddlers could go as it was a Riddler law. In order to go, she became a Riddler and started to study as a Riddler.

Other characters featured in the show included Marjorie's neighbour, Mr. Montgomery Grimley (a gardener and odd-job man), and several other Riddler characters – including another Tiddler known as Middler, Mossop's brother Glossop, and Eesup, a story-teller. Marjorie's sister Monica was also featured as a recurring character. Many of the plots featured in the series revolved around the male characters making mistakes which would then be solved by the female ones.

Series cast

Production

Total of episodes were produced and broadcast during the series' nine-year run. For much of its run, The Riddlers was produced by Ian Fell and directed by Chris Ryder (later a series producer).[1] Later series were directed by Ann Ayoub. The executive producer was Chris Jelley.

All episodes were written by Rick Vanes (whose previous work for YTV included Puddle Lane and Mooncat). Eesup's Foibles stories were written by Shirley Isherwood. Neil Innes provided the music and songs featured. Puppeteer for Middler and Mossop, Richard Robinson, created the puppets and provided illustrations for the Eesup's Foibles stories. David Baker was assistant puppeteer series 1 through 6 and Garry Rutter for the show's last three years.Garry Rutter would later work on MacDonalds Farm puppeteering Baa Baa and The Fimbles Doing animatronic work. Many of the programmes were recorded in Yorkshire Television's studios on Kirkstall Road, Leeds, although some later episodes were filmed on location. Five VHS releases were issued by Video Collection International, two DVDs were issued by Kids Club (VCI) and several tie-in books were published.

An episode from the fifth series was broadcast on the CITV channel on 6 January 2013, as part of a weekend of archive programmes to celebrate CITV's 30th anniversary.

Transmission guide

Series 4 (1992-1993)

  1. Water Music - 26 November 1992
  2. Belt and Braces - 3 December 1992
  3. Worrying Developments - 10 December 1992
  4. Edgar Saves the Day - 17 December 1992
  5. Water, Water Anywhere? - 7 January 1993
  6. Not Wanted on Voyage - 14 January 1993
  7. Camp Sights - 21 January 1993
  8. Beside the Seaside - 28 January 1993
  9. Tickets To Ride - 4 February 1993
  10. A Head for Heights - 11 February 1993
  11. Fish & Ships - 18 February 1993
  12. A Room for the Knight - 25 February 1993
  13. A Ticklish Problem - 4 March 1993
  14. Getting in Shape - 11 March 1993
  15. Return To Lender - 18 March 1993
  16. The Riddler Christmas - 25 March 1993
  17. Mossop on His Metal - 1 April 1993
  18. Mossop the Genius - 8 April 1993
  19. Too Big for His Boots - 15 April 1993
  20. A Few Hiccups - 22 April 1993
  21. The New Mossy Boots - 29 April 1993
  22. Special Delivery - 6 May 1993
  23. Doing Things Day - 13 May 1993

Series 5 (1993-1994)

  1. Relatively Speaking – 7 September 1993
  2. Squeamish - 9 September 1993
  3. A Miner Problem - 14 September 1993
  4. The Tooth Will Out – 16 September 1993
  5. Back To School - 21 September 1993
  6. Legend of the Vampire Hedgehog - 23 September 1993
  7. Lucks and Ducks – 28 September 1993
  8. A Whale of a Time – 30 September 1993
  9. A Shady Character - 5 October 1993
  10. A Complete Washout - 7 October 1993
  11. The Wrong Lines - 12 October 1993
  12. Not So Smart - 14 October 1993
  13. A Hat For Middler - 19 October 1993
  14. All the Fun of the Festival - 21 October 1993
  15. Middler the Plotter - 26 October 1993
  16. Daring in the Diary - 28 October 1993
  17. Feeding Time - 2 November 1993
  18. The Stowaway - 4 November 1993
  19. The Isle Of Riddlers - 9 November 1983
  20. The Rocket - 11 November 1993
  21. The Missing Tickets - 16 November 1993
  22. Vikings And Black Dogs - 18 November 1993
  23. Three Legs, Four Horns, Seven Kingdoms - 23 November 1993
  24. Fairies and Tales - 25 November 1993
  25. Who’s Been Sleeping In My Cellar - 2 December 1993
  26. Oh Brother - 7 December 1993
  27. A Job at the Circus - 9 December 1993
  28. Roll Up, Fall Down - 14 December 1993
  29. Glossop Moves In - 16 December 1993
  30. The Unwelcome Guest - 4 January 1994

Series 6 (1994-1995)

  1. All Fall Down - 8 September 1994
  2. Home and Wahey! - 15 September 1994
  3. In Branches Everywhere - 22 September 1994
  4. Trouble In Store - 29 September 1994
  5. The Super Well - 6 October 1994
  6. A Caravan For Middler - 13 October 1994
  7. Flight To Holy Island - 20 October 1994
  8. On Hadrian’s Wall - 27 October 1994
  9. Dipping And Tripping - 3 November 1994
  10. Tiddlup At The Wicket - 10 November 1994
  11. A Face From The Past - 17 November 1994
  12. Job Hunting - 24 November 1994
  13. Last With The News - 1 December 1994
  14. The Riddleton Circus - 8 December 1994
  15. Punch And Judy - 15 December 1994
  16. Oh, Baby! - 12 January 1995
  17. Hush A Bye Mossop - 19 January 1995
  18. Mossop Steps Out - 26 January 1995
  19. A Tiddler At Play School - 2 February 1995
  20. Mossop Returns - 9 February 1995

Series 7 (1995-1996)

  1. Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - 7 September 1995
  2. Just for Kicks - 14 September 1995
  3. A Test for Middler - 21 September 1995
  4. Trick Cycling - 28 September 1995
  5. Where on Earth? - 5 October 1995
  6. French Lessons - 12 October 1995
  7. Bon Appetit - 19 October 1995
  8. Alarms and Excursions - 26 October 1995
  9. Eesup - 2 November 1995
  10. Let Loose in the Library - 9 November 1995
  11. A Tiddler’s Best Friend - 16 November 1995
  12. It’s a Dog Life - 23 November 1995
  13. Dog Tired - 30 November 1995
  14. The Phantom Piper - 7 December 1995
  15. Loch Ness Mess - 14 December 1995
  16. Cabers and Kilts - 4 January 1996
  17. Highland Fun and Games - 11 January 1996
  18. A Little Bit Of Dirt - 18 January 1996
  19. At the Hospital - 25 January 1996
  20. Mossop the Invalid - 1 February 1996
  21. Thanks a Lot - 8 February 1996
  22. Flea Market - 15 February 1996
  23. Mossop the Conkeror - 22 February 1996
  24. Grimley the Golfer - 29 February 1996
  25. Listen To The Band - 7 March 1996

Series 8 (1996-1997)

  1. Vote for Mossop - 12 September 1996
  2. The Chief Riddler - 19 September 1996
  3. Statue There? - 26 September 1996
  4. Your Place Or Mine - 3 October 1996
  5. Well Dressed Wells - 10 October 1996
  6. Light Fantastic - 17 October 1996
  7. Middler’s Mansion - 24 October 1996
  8. The Tiddlers' Holiday Camp - 31 October 1996
  9. Tickling Trout - 7 November 1996
  10. Daylight Snobbery - 14 November 1996
  11. Rootin' Tootin' Cowboys - 21 November 1996
  12. Under The Greenwood Tree - 28 November 1996
  13. A-Hunting We Will Go - 5 December 1996
  14. Eesup Junior - 12 December 1996
  15. Not A Leg To Stand On - 19 December 1996
  16. Chairs And Stairs - 9 January 1997
  17. Mossop Calling - 16 January 1997
  18. Middler’s Taxi Service - 23 January 1997
  19. Lollipop Middler - 30 January 1997
  20. Clothes For Your Nose - 6 February 1997
  21. Highly Alarming - 13 February 1997
  22. A Word In The Hand... - 20 February 1997
  23. Leisure Hunt - 27 February 1997
  24. Stereo-oh! - 6 March 1997
  25. Playing Chopsticks - 13 March 1997

Series 9 (1997-1998)

  1. Ideal Home - 9 September 1997
  2. Dumb Waiter - 16 September 1997
  3. That Sinking Feeling - 23 September 1997
  4. All Stuck Up - 30 September 1997
  5. All at Sea - 7 October 1997
  6. Castaways - 14 October 1997
  7. On the Line - 21 October 1997
  8. Cycling Proficiency - 28 October 1997
  9. Middler's Cafe - 4 November 1997
  10. Metal Detector - 11 November 1997
  11. The Time Machine - 18 November 1997
  12. Mystery in History - 25 November 1997
  13. Back to the Stone Age - 2 December 1997
  14. Blow Up - 16 December 1997
  15. Spooks Of Riddleton End - 18 June 1998
  16. Mossop’s Art Gallery - 25 June 1998
  17. Good Sports - 2 July 1998
  18. Hoe, Hoe, Hoe - 9 July 1998
  19. Riddler Scouts - 16 July 1998
  20. Tall and Small and Basketball - 23 July 1998
  21. Creepy Crawlies - 30 July 1998
  22. Fashion Victims - 6 August 1998
  23. Little Red Riding Hood - 13 August 1998
  24. That’s Rich - 20 August 1998
  25. Good Morning, Mr. Magpie - 27 August 1998

UK VHS releases

VHS TitleRelease DateEpisodes
The Riddlers: Mossop Needs A Haircut And Other Stories (YTVE 17)1991Mossop Needs A Haircut, Siege of Riddlers End, Daft As A Brush, Holiday Plans
The Riddlers: Mossop The Hero And Other Stories (VC1264)5 October 1992Stones From the Sky, Lights Out, The Treasure of Riddleton End, Mossop the Hero
The Riddlers: The Riddlestone Necklace And Other Stories (VC1278)8 February 1993Mossop and Grimley Builders, Middler's Invisible Horse, A Brush with Mossop, The Riddlestone Necklace
The Riddlers: A Riddler at Last and Other Stories (VC1309)5 July 1993The Search For a Riddling Tree, Top Hat and Tails, The Honorary Riddler, A Riddler at Last
The Riddlers: Mossop The Thinker and Other Stories (KC1513)9 March 1998Mossop's Magic Cleaner, Tiddlup Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Mossop The Thinker, Learning To Teach

External links

Notes and References

  1. Heartbeat and Beyond: Memoirs of 50 Years of Yorkshire Television. Ed. John Fairley, Graham Ironside. Pen and Sword, 2017.

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