Bric-A-Brac, 1980
During the 1970’s Brian Cant had become a Kids TV legend appearing on Play School, Play Away and of course the voice behind the Trumpton Trilogy (Camberwick Green, Trumpton, Chigley).
By 1980 still with Kids TV it was time for a new show. Back in the lunchtime slot, now known as the See Saw slot, he’d occupied as narrator of the Trumpton Trilogy, but this time the setting was quite different.
Cant played an elderly shopkeeper in an old bric-a-brac shop. The show was effectively an exercise.
in phonetics.
Bric-a-brac ran for thirteen ten minute episodes over two series between 1980 and 1982. The show would enjoy regular repeats until 1989.
Summary
Each episode would feature a particular letter with its phonetic sound being matched to all manner of objects dug up within the shop.
For example, in an episode featuring the letter G, the shopkeeper looked at a gold chain with a garnet which belonged to his grandma Grace (a bit of a gadabout) who wore it as a girdle. In another episode featuring W, we learned that you wear a woggle to keep your windpipe warm. You can see the pattern.
At the end of each episode, he would wind up and set off a traditional clockwork toy, upon which the camera would focus whilst the credits rolled.
Clips
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Presented By
Brian Cant
Details
Channel: BBC1
Created By: Michael Cole and Nick Wilson
Original Transmission Dates: 1st October – 5th November 1980 (series 1), 18th August – 29th September 1982 (series 2)