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 Tiswas © 1974 ATV Network Limited, © 2004 Granada Media . This is a non-profit site intended for education about the British televison series Tiswas. This site acknowledges all copyrights and presents material under the 'Fair Use' clause of international copyright law, for the purpose of review. . |
Times of slime! Tiswas is the landmark Saturday morning show. Fierce feuds against Swap Shop devotees rage on even to this day. But how many of you knew the show was a midlands-only spectacle in its first three years? Can you recall the much lamented final series? So much stuff has been written about the legendary show, but we're delving into many areas left untouched by others. Brush up on the facts that brought about Tiswas... [Overview of Tiswas' legacy] Introduction 'Chris slammed the door so hard the glass broke' O.T.T. (1982) During the seventh series of Tiswas, arguably the most popular time of the show, Chris decided to finish his time on the show as presenter and producer. Spurred on by the students and other adults who came to see the Tiswas stars on the Bucketeers tours across the country, and the increasing risque comedy contained within, Chris felt it right to create an adult-themed Tiswas, and persuaded the rest of the cast to join him for such a project early in the following year. Well, all but Sally James, whose contract with ATV extended to an eighth series of Tiswas. ATV itself were quite keen to keep hold of Chris, and green-lighted the new "late-night Tiswas", which had the working title of 'The Big Tis'. During the IBA upheavals between 1981 and 1982, the ATV name was replaced by 'Central Television', a 'new' broadcaster which was largely ATV under a different name and logo, but with some new shareholders and directors, with an IBA-stipulated policy to be more focussed on the midlands. Central, which would go on air on 1st January 1982, decided to plough ?1 million into The Big Tis, convinced of its success. For whatever reason though, ATV wouldn't grant the post-Tiswas Chris Tarrant his own production office, despite the fact ATV would be turning into Central. Fed up with the attitude of his masters, Chris took direct action and squatted in the offices of Tiswas, refusing to move until he got a proper workplace to create The Big Tis. Those working on the Tarrant-free series of Tiswas got to meet Chris in a manner they didn't quite expect. ATV soon relented and gave Chris his own office. |
  
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