Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden
Encyclopedia
Tales from Fat Tulip's Garden was a children's TV program in the mid 1980s, starring Tony Robinson
. It was produced by Debbie Gates
for Central Independent Television
and aired on British TV network ITV
from 1985-87, in a 4:00pm timeslot, with each episode lasting about 10 minutes.
Robinson would tell children's stories directly to camera in an English garden setting, and would put on all the voices himself. The show was written by Debbie Gates
and Robinson and carried by Robinson's unique and engaging storytelling style, which was semi-improvised. Robinson hoped to provoke the imagination and produce a sense of immediacy in contrast to the shortcomings he saw in children's television at the time.
The majority of the programme was filmed in the house and garden of Little Monkhams, a property in Woodford in the Redbridge Borough of London. Further scenes were filmed in the part of Epping Forest facing the house (Lord's Bushes and Knighton Woods)
A book of the TV series was printed in 1985. ISBN 0-590-70453-2.
Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...
. It was produced by Debbie Gates
Debbie Gates
Debbie Gates is a UK television writer and producer. She specialised in children's stories told on location by actors taking the parts of various characters without costumes, make-up or props. She is best known for writing and producing Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden, broadcast by ITV in May and...
for Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
and aired on British TV network ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from 1985-87, in a 4:00pm timeslot, with each episode lasting about 10 minutes.
Robinson would tell children's stories directly to camera in an English garden setting, and would put on all the voices himself. The show was written by Debbie Gates
Debbie Gates
Debbie Gates is a UK television writer and producer. She specialised in children's stories told on location by actors taking the parts of various characters without costumes, make-up or props. She is best known for writing and producing Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden, broadcast by ITV in May and...
and Robinson and carried by Robinson's unique and engaging storytelling style, which was semi-improvised. Robinson hoped to provoke the imagination and produce a sense of immediacy in contrast to the shortcomings he saw in children's television at the time.
The majority of the programme was filmed in the house and garden of Little Monkhams, a property in Woodford in the Redbridge Borough of London. Further scenes were filmed in the part of Epping Forest facing the house (Lord's Bushes and Knighton Woods)
A book of the TV series was printed in 1985. ISBN 0-590-70453-2.
Transmission guide
- Series 1: 13 editions from 1 May 1985
- Series 2: 13 editions from 4 June 1987