Do you ever get vague memories of TV shows you watched as a child, but can’t seem to remember the name? Or you remember it well enough but no one else seems to have a clue what show you are talking about?
Well, seeing some of these shows will take you on a trip down memory lane and rejig some of your favourite childhood memories sat in front of the TV.
On a Reddit thread, user Silly_Weather8332 posted into the AskUK subreddit, where Brits and non-Brits to ask questions about all topics around the UK, asking: ‘What’s an obscure British TV show that only you seem to remember?’
Over 3,700 people commented and shared their favourite programmes, some obscure, some well-loved classics, and everything in-between.
Suggestions include Aquila, The Brittas Empire and Get Your Own Back. Read on to discover if your favourite is on the list…
Aquila (1997-1998)
Children’s television show Aquila was aired on the BBC from 1997 to 1998, based on two boys Tom Baxter and Geoff Reynolds
They find a spaceship when they are digging in a field whilst on holiday – and aren’t sure if they should keep it for themselves or find out what it can do for them.
Children’s television show Aquila was aired on the BBC from 1997 to 1998, based on two boys Tom Baxter and Geoff Reynolds.
They find a spaceship when they are digging in a field whilst on holiday – and aren’t sure if they should keep it for themselves or find out what it can do for them.
The space pod is called ‘Aquila’, and they start learning how to use it by pressing some buttons in the cockpit of the strange craft
The space pod is called ‘Aquila’, and they start learning how to use it by pressing some buttons in the cockpit of the strange craft.
Their story becomes a funny one, and interesting, when they try to think of ways to hide their discovery and prevent doing anything wrong with it.
Each week, the episode left on a cliff-hanger when they faced new problems with their new boys’ toy.
CBBC show about two kids that found a spaceship that crashed in Roman times and went on adventures in it.
MarkCrystal said: ‘I mention this to people a couple of times a year and they always look at me like I’m making it up.’
Saber101 added: ‘I read the book about this, but I could never find any other reference to it until now, many years later on reddit. Good glory.’
The Brittas Empire (1991-1997)
The Brittas Empire ran for six years between 1991 and 1997, set in Whitbury-Newtown Leisure Centre, run by manager Gordon Brittas, pictured top
This series is set in Whitbury-Newtown Leisure Centre, run by manager Gordon Brittas – but when he is around, everything seems to go wrong.
The staff of the leisure centre, including his long-suffering wife Helen, have to put up with all his silly ideas and constant chaos,
Helen often turns to medication and having affairs with other men to try and copy with how difficult she finds him to be.
Gordon Brittas, the main character in The Brittas Empire, is an incompetent manager at Whitbury-Newtown Leisure Centre
Each character in the show has their own little storyline running – Laura, Helen’s best friend, finds Gordon annoying but admires him for being an honest and decent man.
Colin Weatherby is the deputy manager of the leisure centre, who has several medical problems like skin allergies (making him constantly wear a bandage over his infected hand) – and a boil on his face.
There is also the tearful receptionist Carole, then Gavin, the second deputy manager later in the series’, his paranoid partner Tim, Linda, and Julie.
Original_drama said on the thread: ‘It was really funny, Colin in particular still makes me giggle when I think about him.’
Jandolicious added: ‘Yes! I love this show. I ended up tracking down a boxed DVD set and it won’t work – they are British and I’m in Australia. So disappointing.
‘It was funny as. My sister and I would LOL at it when we were little and it was on. It stuck in my mind when they said about how good his references were and it turned out it was just to get rid of him. I’m in recruitment now and it goes through my mind a lot!’
The Queen’s Nose (1995-2003)
The Queen’s Nose, which ran from 1995 to 2003, was initially a novel by Dick King-Smith, adapted by Steve Attridge into a CBBC series
The Queen’s Nose, which ran from 1995 to 2003, was initially a novel by Dick King-Smith, adapted by Steve Attridge into a CBBC series.
It is a story about a girl called Harmony, 10, who wants an animal for herself, but her parents won’t let her – but Harmony’s best friend is toy dog Rex Ruff Monty.
Harmony, 10, he also gets seven wishes from her uncle, Ginger (pictured left), who gives her a magic coin
Because of her love for animals, she decides to imagine the people she meets as animals, with her father as a sea lion, her mother a Pouter pigeon and her sister a Siamese cat.
She also gets seven wishes from her uncle, Ginger, who gives her a magic coin.
On Reddit, user paper_zoe remembered: ‘That was one of my favourites.
‘Looking back it had a good cast, Donald Sumpter as the uncle who gives her the 50p, Liz Smith as her grandma and I recognise the parents too.
‘One of my memories of it is that Harmony’s friend wishes that Gary Mabbutt could play on his school football team. Went downhill after Harmony gave the 50p to someone else, or maybe I grew too old.’
The show on its first series won a Royal Television Society award in 1996, for Best Children’s Drama.
Knightmare (1987-1994)
British children’s game show Knightmare was broadcast between September 1987 to November 1994, and is based on a team of four children.
British children’s game show Knightmare was broadcast between September 1987 to November 1994, and is based on a team of four children.
One child takes on the game themselves with three others as their advisers to help complete a quest within their fantasy, medieval-themed environment.
They have to get through the dungeon by completing puzzles and cross paths with bizarre characters while on the journey through.
It got a ‘cult’ status among fans and even had a one-off special come-back episode in August 2013.
One child takes on the game themselves with three others as their advisers to help complete a quest within their fantasy, medieval-themed environment
KrytenLister came up with this one on Reddit: ‘There was a programme called Knightmare on ITV when I was a kid and I was trying to explain it to mates recently.
‘They had no idea what I was talking about. It was a sort of adventure show, almost like a virtual reality (but not) type thing where they’d have to get through dungeon mazes guided by someone else.
‘They couldn’t see where they were going and had to avoid traps and bad guys.’
Moonstrands replied: ‘You need new mates. Knightmare isn’t remotely obscure! ‘
They have to get through the dungeon by completing puzzles and cross paths with bizarre characters while on the journey through
Zzzap! (1993-2001)
The concept of children’s comedy programme Zzzap! was that a giant comic (18ft tall) was brought to life, and it followed this very same format for the whole time it ran from 1993 to 2001.
The CITV show was a short one, with the titles showing a few short clips for each character, then a series of two or three minute-long sections, then the episode was finished.
The concept of children’s comedy programme Zzzap! was that a giant comic (18ft tall) was brought to life, and it followed this very same format for the whole time it ran from 1993 to 2001
And, the show was made with deaf children in mind so most of the storylines were visual, and little sound was needed to understand what was happening
Each episode was a focus on one of the panels of the comic.
Each episode was a focus on one of the panels of the comic
And, the show was made with deaf children in mind so most of the storylines were visual, and little sound was needed to understand what was happening.
In certain segments where ‘handymen’ would appear, they would use sign clapping instead of actually clapping.
PerishingTardis said: ‘Came here to say Zzzap!
‘Rewatched some of it recently on YouTube and could hardly believe how bizarre, trippy, and kinda creepy it actually was.
‘All of the characters seem to have something “off” about them.’
Game On (1995 – 1998)
Game On follows the lives of three childhood friends, originally from Herne Bay in Kent, in their twenties living in a flat together in Battersea, London
Matthew Malone (centre), Amanda ‘Mandy’ Wilkins (left) and Martin Henson (right) live in the new flat which Matthew bought with his inheritance after his parents were killed in a car crash
Game On follows the lives of three childhood friends in their twenties living in a flat together in Battersea, London.
Originally from Herne Bay, Kent, Matthew Malone, Amanda ‘Mandy’ Wilkins and Martin Henson live in the new flat which Matthew bought with his inheritance.
An unemployed owner of this three-bedroom flat after his parents were killed in a car accident, Matthew is a ladies’ man who spends his days making up stories about his past and what he has done while the others are at work during the day.
Considering he is more of a ‘laddish’ character, he enjoys love story movies, Emmerdale and Reservoir Dogs.
Martin is the opposite – a passive bank clerk, who has ginger hair that Matthew loves to point out. All the time.
He is unlucky in love – and acts as Matthew’s doormat who constantly asks him for cups of tea, all because he looks up to him as the cool guy of the group.
Mandy, a career girl, has an endless stream of men coming to her bed – and after going through a period of abstinence in the second series, it is implied that she is addicted to sex.
She even kissed her science teacher at school, who understandably got the sack, then his marriage subsequently broke down.
Matthew is a ladies’ man, Martin is a passive bank clerk, and Mandy is a career girl who is constantly distracted by an endless stream of men getting into her bed
A smart girl with a degree and an IQ of 139, she is in a vicious cycle of temporary jobs that don’t get her anyway.
Their friends in the series are Clare Monaghan, an Irish nurse and Martin’s girlfriend (then ex), Archie Glenister, Mandy’s boss (and lover), and Jason, Mandy’s friend in college, who she never had sex with, because he was gay.
On Reddit, PaulaBear263 said: ‘Wow thanks I had completely forgotten this! Think I watched most episodes. Off to search for it on YouTube.’
NoNameNora added: ‘Another great British comedy! They changed Matthew in a latter series I think and it was never the same.’
Get Your Own Back (1991-2004)
British children’s TV game show Get Your Own Back was a fan favourite for the 13 years it was on CBBC. Pictured, presenters Dave Benson Phillips and Lisa Brockwell
British children’s TV game show Get Your Own Back was a fan favourite for the 13 years it was on CBBC.
The episodes involve a contest between a team of children and a team of adults who are looking to make as many points as possible.
The adults are looking to make the variety of tasks in each game as difficult as they can for their child counterparts.
The episodes involve a contest between a team of children and a team of adults who are looking to make as many points as possible
Winning children get the chance to avenge the adult by dropping them into a huge tub of colourful and messy gunge – the ‘Gunk Dunk’.
The children saw the parent, relative, older sibling, teacher or celebrity, who were aged approximately between 16 and 70, as having committed some sort of ‘crime of embarrassment’, which are usually trivial.
Their older counterparts could have sung badly in the shower or even asked them to clean their room – unforgiveable.
Hosted by Dave Benson Phillips, Lisa Brockwell presented the final three series’ alongside him.
This was the show the original poster on Reddit was describing, which she thought might’ve been a ‘fever dream’.
It was described on the thread as a ‘top tier’ kids show, with many fans reminiscing over the green gunge chucked over the adults.
Winning children get the chance to avenge the adult by dropping them into a huge tub of colourful and messy gunge – the ‘Gunk Dunk’
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