It's a Mystery (CITV)
Encyclopedia
It's a Mystery was a networked Children's ITV
programme which ran for five series from 1996 - 2002. It was produced by The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd and Meridian Broadcasting Ltd. Series five was simply called Mystery.
It was a programme that educated children by challenging them to solve a mystery. Usually this would involve people telling stories of mysterious occurrences that have happened to them, such as a Man in a Van driving up to a roundabout
and seeing his exact duplicate across the roundabout, driving the same vehicle. Other times, the presenter would show unexplained phenomena such as ghost
s in the Tower of London
or the Loch Ness Monster
. The presenter would then offer up possible explanations as to what might have been behind the mystery or if there is even an explanation to give. After each story, it would be given a solved or unsolved designation. At the end of each episode, a riddle
would be asked for the audience to solve until the next episode (where the answer would be given).
Forty-four episodes were made, and the series regularly made the Children's' Top Ten.
The programme was presented by Neil Buchanan and Sophie Aldred (Series One); Neil Buchanan, Gail Porter and Tristan Bancks (Series Two and Three); Neil Buchanan, Ben Jones and Shelly Blond (Series Four); Steve Wilson and Shiarra Juthan (Series Five).
It's a Mystery has not been repeated on CITV at all since it ended production in 2002.
The series used many actors over the years. These included; Jo-Anne Good (Crossroads, BBC London 94.9), Russell Hookey
(Channel Report, Lookaround, ITN News), Barry Rose (Crossroads), Mike Dyer-Ball (Casualty) and Hal Dyer (Rentaghost, On the Buses, George & Mildred)
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
programme which ran for five series from 1996 - 2002. It was produced by The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd and Meridian Broadcasting Ltd. Series five was simply called Mystery.
It was a programme that educated children by challenging them to solve a mystery. Usually this would involve people telling stories of mysterious occurrences that have happened to them, such as a Man in a Van driving up to a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
and seeing his exact duplicate across the roundabout, driving the same vehicle. Other times, the presenter would show unexplained phenomena such as ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
s in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
or the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
. The presenter would then offer up possible explanations as to what might have been behind the mystery or if there is even an explanation to give. After each story, it would be given a solved or unsolved designation. At the end of each episode, a riddle
Riddle
A riddle is a statement or question or phrase having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Riddles are of two types: enigmas, which are problems generally expressed in metaphorical or allegorical language that require ingenuity and careful thinking for their solution, and...
would be asked for the audience to solve until the next episode (where the answer would be given).
Forty-four episodes were made, and the series regularly made the Children's' Top Ten.
The programme was presented by Neil Buchanan and Sophie Aldred (Series One); Neil Buchanan, Gail Porter and Tristan Bancks (Series Two and Three); Neil Buchanan, Ben Jones and Shelly Blond (Series Four); Steve Wilson and Shiarra Juthan (Series Five).
It's a Mystery has not been repeated on CITV at all since it ended production in 2002.
The series used many actors over the years. These included; Jo-Anne Good (Crossroads, BBC London 94.9), Russell Hookey
Russell Hookey
Russell Hookey is a radio and television journalist and broadcaster working in the United Kingdom and Channel Islands.He is currently reading news on the National UK radio station Classic FM & the London talk station LBC 97.3....
(Channel Report, Lookaround, ITN News), Barry Rose (Crossroads), Mike Dyer-Ball (Casualty) and Hal Dyer (Rentaghost, On the Buses, George & Mildred)
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 10 editions from 12 September 1996 - 13 November 1996
- Series 2: 7 editions from 3 September 1997 - 15 October 1997
- Series 3: 10 editions from 4 January 1999 - 8 March 1999
- Series 4: 7 editions from 3 April 2000 - 5 June 2000
- Series 5:10 editions from 9 April 2002 - 9 May 2002