Words and Pictures: Series 12 (Sophie Aldred)
Series 12 of the BBC Schools TV series Words and Pictures was shown in the 1990s, covering English for Primary pupils.
Sophie Aldred presented a whole year of Words and Pictures programmes in 1992-93, set in a bright studio and with a lively array of animations, poems, story readings and location trips setting those stories in context.
Magic pencil demonstrates how to form letter shapes, and Sophie launches enthusiastically into song, the first Words and Pictures presenter to do so herself.
Titles & Theme Music
Episode List
In addition, A short preview of this series, just a couple of minutes long, was shown in-between other schools programmes on Monday 15th June 1992.
Episode Guide
A simple guide to the books and letters featured in each episode.
Autumn term
1. The Owl and the Pussy Cat
- Story: The Owl and the Pussy Cat by Edward Lear
- Letter: s
First broadcast: Wednesday 16th September 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 23rd September 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR010W
2. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
- Story: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse by Aesop
- Letter: m
First broadcast: Wednesday 23rd September 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 30th September 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR011P
3. Tidy Titch
- Story: Tidy Titch by Pat Hutchins
- Letter: t
First broadcast: Wednesday 30th September 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 7th October 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR012J
4. Farmer Duck
- Story: Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell & Helen Oxenbury
- Letter: d
First broadcast: Wednesday 7th October 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 14th October 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR013D
5. Peter's Chair
- Story: Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
- Letter: g
First broadcast: Wednesday 14th October 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 21st October 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR014X
6. Whatever Next!
- Story: Whatever Next by Jill Murphy
- Letter: r
First broadcast: Wednesday 21st October 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 4th November 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR015R
7. Let's Go Home Little Bear
- Story: Let's Go Home Little Bear by Martin Waddell & Barbara Firth
- Letter: n
First broadcast: Wednesday 4th November 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 11th November 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR016K
8. Matthew's Dream
- Story: Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni
- Letter: p
First broadcast: Wednesday 11th November 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 18th November 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR017E
9. Jack and the Beanstalk
- Story: Jack and the Beanstalk (traditional)
- Letter: b
First broadcast: Wednesday 18th November 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 25th November 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR018Y
10. I Want a Cat
- Story: I Want a Cat by Tony Ross
- Letter: c
First broadcast: Wednesday 25th November 1992, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 2nd December 1994, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR019S
Spring term
11. But Martin!
- Story: But Martin! by June Counsel
- Letter: h
First broadcast: Wednesday 13th January 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 20th January 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR020L
12. The King's Pudding
- Story: The King's Pudding by Jay Cowley
- Letter: k
First broadcast: Wednesday 20th January 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 27th January 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR021F
13. The Sky is Falling
- Story: The Sky is Falling (traditional)
- Letter: f
First broadcast: Wednesday 27th January 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 3rd February 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR022A
14. The Greedy Zebra
- Story: The Greedy Zebra by Mwenye Hadithi & Adrienne Kennaway
- Letter: j
First broadcast: Wednesday 3rd February 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 10th February 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR023T
15. Katie Morag Delivers the Mail
- Story: Katie Morag Delivers the Mail by Mairi Hedderwick
- Letter: l
This episode received a couple of extra, unintentional broadcasts years after the rest of the series had stopped being shown, as noted below.
First broadcast: Wednesday 10th February 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Monday 24th April 2006, 10:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR024N
16. Supermoo
- Story: Supermoo by Babette Cole
- Letter: w
First broadcast: Wednesday 24th February 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 3rd March 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR025H
17. The Grasshopper and the Ants
- Story: The Grasshopper and the Ants by Aesop
- Letter: a
First broadcast: Wednesday 3rd March 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 10th March 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR026B
18. Elmer
- Story: Elmer by David McKee
- Letter: e
First broadcast: Wednesday 10th March 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 17th March 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR027W
19. In a Minute
- Story: In a Minute by Tony Bradman & Eileen Browne
- Letter: i
First broadcast: Wednesday 17th March 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 24th March 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR028P
20. Musical Max
- Story: Musical Max by Robert Kraus
- Letter: o
First broadcast: Wednesday 24th March 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 31st March 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR029J
Summer term
21. Andrew's Bath
- Story: Andrew's Bath by David McPhail
- Letter: u
First broadcast: Wednesday 28th April 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 28th April 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR030D
22. Little Beaver and the Echo
- Story: Little Beaver and the Echo by Amy MacDonald & Sarah Fox-Davies
- Letter: y
First broadcast: Wednesday 5th May 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 5th May 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR031X
23. Why Anansi the Spiderman Makes Webs
- Story: Why Anansi the Spiderman Makes Webs by Floella Benjamin
- Letter: v
First broadcast: Wednesday 12th May 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 12th May 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR032R
24. The Elves and the Shoemaker
- Story: The Elves and the Shoemaker (traditional)
- Digraph: sh
First broadcast: Wednesday 19th May 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 19th May 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR033K
25. This is the Bear and the Picnic Lunch
- Story: This is the Bear and the Picnic Lunch by Sarah Hayes
- Digraph: th
First broadcast: Wednesday 26th May 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 26th May 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR034E
26. Super Dooper Jezebel
- Story: Super Dooper Jezebel by Tony Ross
- Digraph: ch
First broadcast: Wednesday 2nd June 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 9th June 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR035Y
27. A Dragon in a Wagon
- Story: A Dragon in a Wagon by Lynley Dodd
- Digraph: dr
First broadcast: Wednesday 9th June 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 16th June 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR036S
28. Mermaid Janine
- Story: Mermaid Janine by Iolette Thomas
- Digraph: st
First broadcast: Wednesday 16th June 1993, 11:00am on BBC2 Last broadcast: Friday 23rd June 1995, 9:45am on BBC2 BBC programme number: ESBR037L
Broadcasts
| Year | Term | Day | Time | Channel | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Autumn 1992, Spring & Summer 1993 | Wed | 11:00 | BBC2 | |
| Fri | 14:02 | BBC2 | Repeat | ||
| 1994-95 | Autumn 1994, Spring & Summer 1995 | Mon | 13:45 | BBC2 | Fri 12th May only shown in rpt slot due to VE Day Holiday on Mon 8th May |
| Fri | 09:45 | BBC2 | Repeat |
Accidental repeats
Words and Pictures often revisited the same popular children's stories over the decades, and so over the course of the series there were several episodes with the same title usually several years apart. For example several Trog stories by Ben Butterworth were featured in 1976, and again in 1984. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle was used in 1977, 1987 and 1996.
The spin-off series Words and Pictures Plus likewise revisited some stories that had been used in the original Words and Pictures series, including the popular Katie Morag Delivers the Mail from this year's series.
Unfortunately, this created problems when the episodes were selected for transmission in later years by the BBC. Although this 12th series of Words and Pictures had ostensibly concluded in 1995 after its repeat broadcast, ten years later the episode featuring Katie Morag Delivers the Mail was accidentally broadcast in place of the episode of the same title from Words and Pictures Plus - not once but twice!
First on the CBBC Channel on Tuesday 4th January 2005, and then again on BBC2 on Monday 24th April 2006.
(And in fairness I should declare that early versions of this web page included similar confusion about the episodes on Katie Morag Delivers the Mail and also This is the Bear and the Picnic Lunch, both of which were re-done on Words and Pictures Plus and both had incorrect dates for their final transmissions here at first. It's easily done!)
Credits
| Presenter | Sophie Aldred |
| With | Helen Sharman (episode 6) Michael Rosen (episode 27) |
| Music | Paddy Kingsland Bob Foster Andrew Neve |
| Animation | Alan Rogers & Peter Lang Mike Hibbert |
| Graphics | Peter Travers-Jones Zosia Rooney |
| Design | Francesca Boyd |
| Consultant | Cliff Moon |
| Film directors | Allan Johnston Mark Alexander Holness Neil Bender |
| Studio directors | Andrea Christodoulou Neil Bender |
| Executive Producer | Judy Whitfield |
| Series Producer | Clare Elstow |
Resources
Teacher's Notes
Video
For schools
Favourite Stories from Words and Pictures Volume 3 included this year's stories But Martin!, Whatever Next!, The Greedy Zebra and Supermoo, all read by Sophie Aldred
Favourite Stories from Words and Pictures Volume 4 includes this year's stories Tidy Titch, Andrew's Bath and Farmer Duck, all read by Sophie Aldred plus Why Anansi the Spiderman Makes Webs read by Tommy Eytle.
Both of these videos were released in 1993, just after the first transmission of the programmes, for £19.99 each.
General release
Two Words and Pictures videos were released by the BBC in 1994 for a general, home audience. Both were based on this year of programmes, produced by Kristin Mason, and originally cost £8.99.
Time for a Story was a compilation of 11 story readings by Sophie Aldred. Buy from Amazon
Alphabet Fun Time was a specially compiled video of Magic Pencil sequences from this series with newly recorded links by Sophie Aldred. Buy from Amazon
Alphabet Fun Time was re-released in 1997 as a longer 2-on-1 video alongside the BBC Video release of Numbertime. Buy from Amazon
Later still it was edited into 4 TV programmes and became the Magic Pencil unit of Words and Pictures.
Links
- BBC Video (UK) Wiki - Tell Me a Story video
- BBC Video (UK) Wiki - Alphabet Fun Time videoComprehensive details of the video compilation releases.
With thanks to Ben Rigsby.
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