THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT - ORIGINAL BBC 1970's EPISODE

A 1970's edition of the seminal Children's TV show "The Magic Roundabout" written and voiced by the unique Eric Thompson. Why this isn't repeated or released on DVD is beyond me. Classic stuff!!!

[@paperchain1232]

I am 54 I have just explained that this was the best children's TV show ever- absolutely mental and brilliant at the same time 💝

[@muddyrusson1105]

Yes this and the Banana Splits LoL 😃

[@aan386wtt6]

stupid

[@Intergoller]

Thomas the Tank Engine was better i think

[@lovemeccano]

ahhh, the best kids show EVER! made my parents tape every episode i missed. thankyou for posting this!

[@NitroNEXT]

As a kid I remember staying up way past bedtime into the early hours of the morning and occasionally this would come on. Watching it always felt like a surreal dream.

[@bunkaaa8726]

Bruh, exactly the same!

[@charliegreen6689]

Nitro the good old days of child hood

[@NitroNEXT]

This was maybe 15 years ago for me, in my 20s now. I think it was on one of the premium kids channels here in the UK. Once they ran out of programming for the night they'd rerun any old crap until morning. This just happened to be one of the shows aired during summer, if memory serves.

[@gf-zi5hr]

same here lol, only this was on CN in Poland in the early 90's

[@NicB98]

Nitro , jfxz. "

[@Stringbean421]

2018 and still no sign of any of these original episodes showing signs of being available on DVD. Seriously, what's the point of keeping them locked up in the TV vaults somewhere if nobody can ever see them again!!

[@berrypepperroni7708]

that honestly really freakin' sucks tbh! i get that feeling a lot

[@LothianOwl]

This reminds me of being a kid in the 1970s when it was shown just before teatime at the end of the afternoon.

[@MedicAles-q9t]

man!! videos like that makes u realize how much life changed nowadays!

[@marktripp8015]

My Dad often used expressions such as "dear heart" and "dear thing" in his classroom - until the day when one of the kids turned round and said "thanks Ermintrude".

[@portcullis5622]

+Mark Tripp If you have ever listened to the 'Test Match Special' cricket (for all our American friends out there,it is a summer sport involving a bat and a ball but is not really like baseball at all) commentary on the radio, Henry Blofeld uses those phrases all the time and he has a similar voice-in fact, to me he IS Ermintrude!

[@westfield90]

God I wish I was back then again

[@parker-boy98]

They rebooted the series in the same sickly animation as the UK film adaption of the same name, and it's shorter U.S. release Doogal!

[@philsaspiezone]

I saw this as a kid some great vintage CBBC. It used to be on 5:40 just before the BBC News.

[@peterward2275]

I never realised when I was young how many gags were there that only the parents could appreciate!

[@Davewise1965]

I was born in 1965, i was 5 years old in 1970. I remember all of the 1970's. I remember this very well. I loved those times. I know it is impossible, but i would go back to being 5 years old again in 1970 in an instant if i could.

[@SM05061963]

I have discovered lots of childhood favourites on You Tube!!! Fantastic!!!

[@whitewolf1963]

Brought back fond memories! Thanks for posting it!

[@moelplat]

The tune brings me back to the time I was very little (born 1963). I had a record with this, and I played it over and over and over........omg it's so long ago that I heard this melody... thanks for posting it!

[@richardtuffin]

No wander she was nationalised!! Oh that's brilliant.

[@Trainlover1995]

Richard Tuffin Greatest BR reference.

[@poshpaul55]

Absolutely fabulous !!! i was born on 1/12/1966 i loved this show

[@Angel-nr8td]

Cool i was born in 1966 also, use to watch this show on the old black and white telly.

[@fifer50]

As a young adult in the late 60s and early 70s, my mates and I would rush home to watch this iconic show.The English voice over of the French cartoon was what made it so successful. It was not quite the "South Park" of its day, but the adult messages were not lost on us.Thank you for sharing it.

[@richardlionheart3965]

Watching this as an adult i had no idea how political and satirical they were as a child, it's brilliant. Thank you for adding this.

[@dosie451]

I was talking about the design style the other day, but couldn't remember the name, after 35 years. Having run across a reference to Dougal on a blog, found this. I had a photo storybook and never saw the show. Thanks so much for posting this! Wouldn't I kill if I could go back to the 70's too!

[@pigonthewing1972]

lol this takes me back some yrs thanks for posting it x

[@BritishJuche]

Scarily so! Could learn a huge amount about 70's Britain just from watching this show.

[@davidsewellclarke4997]

I watched this when I was a kid , still watch watch Videos like Thunderbirds on U Tube. Can't beat the Old stuff .

[@VinceRocksMySocks]

wow, i'd never seen this before but always wanted to, thanks for uploading, it was fab!

[@daisies53]

Used to just love this! Thank you for posting! :)

[@morganfisherart]

Lovely. One of the greatest TV theme tunes ever.

[@Christinakayrob]

Pretty amazing dude, I have been looking for this show but I don't think we have it here in the U.S. but I remember this when I was a kid in England in the days of 1970 when my dad was in the U.S.A.F. at the time. Thanks for posting! A friend of mine just sent this one today.

[@TheWaterfallprincess]

as a child of the 70s I demand a DVD release of the entire series NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

[@carabiner7999]

Or whatever format they are making now. Oh wait, it would be a subscription, not an actual product!

[@ChristianInHollywood]

Thank you so much for posting this! There are old vhs copies for sale online but no proper DVD release. Shame... Thanks again!

[@blingking501]

I was born in 94 , and it must have been late nineties early 2000S when my dad worked down pit. I used to get up at crack of dawn say 4am and go down stairs and watch this. Then I'd piss off back to bed after

[@dougkennard9451]

I worked at BMC Longbridge for a short time during 1967-68 and our foreman would have a job on his hands pleading with grown men to work overtime if Magic Roundabout was on!

[@KT-tp7dk]

Really? That's incredible! The Magic Roundabout certainly was THE children's programme to watch amongst us kids. Kudos to your work colleagues of that time.

[@blackbirdsinging6264]

Quite right too! Overtime instead of The Magic Roundabout-unthinkable!! Apparantly work at thr Royal docks used to stop for it so you didnt stand a chance!

[@andythesoupdragon]

What model(s) did you build? Perhaps one of my old steeds.

[@kamaladevi1110]

I was born in 1968 I always watched this brings me back memories

[@thelittlewritter]

I live this, it's just great. Why they don't show this anymore is beyond me!!!

[@Mayeur000Donz]

Right now, I'm making a playlist of old-ish cartoons for my sister, 'cause I don't think she should be missing out. Plus, the newer series is just plain depressing... So, thanks for uploading this, sir. :)

[@Davewise1965]

I am 44 and i remember this well in the 1970's. Life was good then.

[@BRITISHBEAT]

Yes, I'm the same age ~ all these shows bring back so many memories...it's almost like we were living in a different world. I remember racing home from school to watch "Picture Book", The Woodentops and Andy Pandy. So wonderful to see them again! I never realized Eric Thompson was Emma's dad, you're right no wonder she is so talented!

[@Feakre]

I would love to be able to get the whole back catalogue of Magic Roundabouts. Not the Nigel Planer stuff, but the old UK versions by Eric Thompson. Thanks for the video, it brought back memories.

[@shahafsagi]

This is so... NOSTALGICAL! Wow I'm amazed, after about 10 years of searching for this cartoon.

[@helentrove620]

One of the best theme tunes for childrens tv haha! My brother & me used to watch this many years ago now...Its just weird to be able to look back & see this now we're in our 50's. I just wonder how we perceived it in our little heads way back then...along with The Herbs, The Clangers, Hector's House, Tales of the Riverbank etc. My, how things have changed for little'uns nowadays.(I do remember I always found Play School, the first of the afternoon programs boring but remember fondly Brian Cant).

[@jeremyripton]

Play away made me laugh..Mr Cant was funny and entertaining.

[@MrGhostwhowalks]

3:03 is funny "Oh dear, no wonder she was nationalised" (the train) LOL. As a forty nine year old Aussie brought up in Glasgow and Manchester till 1968, this song and the innocence of those days truly pulls on the heart strings.

[@ShadiaMia]

Thanks Alan for your great contribution to my nostalgia! I wish there were more episodes...?? Couldn't you get a petition going for the BBC to re-release it on T.V. or DVD format. Beats the rubbish they're producing these days! I read that there is an audio book of four stories read by Eric Thompson available online. Anyhow, cheers Eric Thompson wherever you may be. Rest in Peace.

[@valdom68]

SO NICE TO LISTEN!!! Thanks!!!

[@TrainFan_95]

Haha only just came across this for the first time since a child! Back then I didn't realize that it had been dubbed from French without any translation. It is just so brilliant!

[@jonhart7630]

It wasn't dubbed. They kept the French animation but made a completely different English script.

[@chrisrichmond1941]

...by Emma Thompson's dad Eric, no less.

[@deirdrecaskenette5473]

I remember the episode when Florence and Dougal are telling each other that they love the other and zebedee springs down to annouce,"Time for bed everybody!"Scandalous stuff!

[@Angel-nr8td]

Oh wow flash back to my childhood watching it on black and white tv in the 70s

[@robertbaker614]

best programe on telly!!! take the X-Factor off the air , put stuff like The Magic Roundabout on, in its place!

[@muddyrusson1105]

Absolutely

[@Asia_Ray]

yeah. x factor sucks a little.

[@harrygameshowproductions5296]

I agree

[@lostboy8814]

Yes Please.......I am so done with 21st Century shite !!

[@funwithchristina563]

How the heck did this end up in my recomendeds!? I've never looked this up in my life, but my Dad is from England so I know exactly what this is! What are the odds I'm seeing it here and now?

[@ThunderFist1978]

The good old days of Pinwheel! So many kids, myself being one, were introduced to so many shows that we otherwise may have never known about.

[@lacysiggins8891]

DJCandyManMike Exactly! The good ole days when "Nick" was Nickelodeon. It's been soooo long since I've seen this, as I heard the first few notes it came flooding back to me like it was from a dream.

[@uzzle65]

Great to see the MR agsin sfter a very long time, and only the 2nd time in colour too!! The golden age of kids' TV!!

[@aliservan7188]

Can you believe this classic children's TV series isn't available on DVD!?

[@TheRealAtello]

i was born in 89, but this is fantastic! i love seeing classics endure through time.

[@davidbonner-k9b]

Magic roundabout was magic in my kid days I used to love watching it.😮😅😊

[@Grellibe]

Just discovering this and it's amazing. I love it.

[@terryhunt3724]

I've just taken my evening meds I'm 54 I now know why I need meds but I still love watching this old but gold 💕

[@sugarbowlsox6847]

I remember watching this from 1 am paaast bed tym loved it oh the memorys❤❤

[@dormantsuperhero]

Im 44 and a combination of programs like this and the constant threat of the cold war back then, ah man, the 70s, got a lot to answer for lol:)

[@Diamondblade2008]

I love the theme tune to this programme!

[@deltaframes]

my ringtone. always brings a smile to my face 😃

[@YazVee]

I'm only 17 but a channel used to play reruns of this all night long when I was around 10. I used to sit awake and watch them till daybreak. Good times!

[@richardmann145]

Ahh to be young again. I used to run like a nut from the school bus to not miss the Magic Roundabout. Loved it & yeah I grew up & took lots of drugs .... See they knew 😂 Genius

[@lukegreen5341]

Happy 50th Birthday, The Magic Roundabout! 1964 - 2014 50 years! 1965 - 2015 50 Years!

[@Waitakeredame]

Used to watch this too, even made some models of it for Foyle's bookshop in London when they had a big fisplay of spin-off books. Lovely stuff - thanks

[@George-eq3wj]

'The Worlds End' gave me flashbacks from this

[@williamburwell8632]

I watched this as a kid.i m from england.:-)

[@yondabigman4668]

Jeez, remember the 1980s?

[@arabelladream]

@loaflord I own the Eric Thompson narrated episodes on VHS - BBC videos bought long before Nigel Planer started narrating the show. Nigel Planer narrated when it was on channel 4 in the early nineties. I watched my Magic Roundabout videos enough times as a child to be able to tell the difference, which is not at all subtle. The Fruit Party episode on KZbin is narrated by Nigel Planer. Very different voice.

[@tony671]

As a kid of the 60s and 70s i just love how good kids tv was then,and the magic roundabout was always the weirdest with some really weird characters, and stories was a 5min french show Eric Thompson then brilliantly makes the stories his and the character of Dylan the hippy rabbit was always my fave

[@alangardner2161]

TONY Hemphill I

[@charliebrown4573]

When I watched this it came on just before the news and why do I always think of stew

[@steven9435]

i used to watch this when i came home from school, it was great fun

[@BigyetiTechnologies]

It's incredible that when the BBC bought it off the French, they didn't get any stories so ended up having to write some to match the film.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

What was the original story for this one?

[@glengraham7080]

Someone told me that in its original form the characters were a spoof of certain politicians there? I've no idea if this is true or not.

[@drumdust]

My brother and I used to watch this in Australia. Haven't heard that opening theme in decades.

[@Angel-nr8td]

Me too in 1970

[@archstanton9547]

I watched this as a kid. It explains a lot.

[@JackCaz]

To everyone saying "So this is what 'Doogal' is based off. NO. This is what "The magic roundabout is based of," the original and much better version of the movie before it was redubbed and dummed down for American Audiences.

[@cid7482]

Delta Fox Well that was completely random and uncalled for

[@therealdgh13]

Unconventional Jack NOPE Doogal is terrible. The Magical Roundabout is just boring. It's mediocre, with mediocre jokes, actors, and cohesion. It's competent, but nothing else. Doogal was such a bad movie that it's unintentionally hilarious. This TV show is comforting.

[@xJunSkyx]

Oi Fox: 'mazingly on spot. well phrased. yu gotta pic on that Cowleg Bwoi u wanna step foot into his sphincter? Use sunscreen, doesnt get the neck red

[@guilhermeshiba3135]

SO THIS IS WHAT BRITISH RAGE IS BASED OF

[@thecinematicmind]

Unconventional Jack I recommend you check out Dougal and the Blue Cat, it’s a million times better than “Doogal” ever was.

[@donkey.PoorlyDonkey]

4:15 This will not do. Do it will not.

[@jayebeeson9372]

Don Key Hungover me @ drunk me who finished the doritos

[@spareda]

neanch'io posso crederci! grazie Alan e grazie Sibilla!!!

[@moomoosmum]

I use to love this as a kid wow brings back memories I wonder if they would put it out on DVD

[@GChaffe]

Nice one, reminds me of much simpler times.

[@valdom68]

NICE!!! Finally I founded it!!! Thanks!

[@Tyson323232]

I am 57 now and recall this show with great affection. BTW - The writer/narrator Eric Thompson was Emma Thompson's Father. Little wonder she grew up to be an amazing human being and actor

[@thememekidsscarspikecandia490]

Wow, I remember this! I still have videos of the magic roundabout!

[@josephadam291]

I wish network releasing all the episodes of magic roundabout in restored

[@parker-boy98]

I recently learned that Butch Hartman had a hand in writing the 2006 film, but his proposal of live action scenes with somebody reading a book, like the Princess Bride. Unfortunately, they were cut out, due to budget issues, and the new writers added in fart jokes that weren't in the original release. Why they even made the 2005 film in the first place, I don't know. The original series came out in the mid sixties, so no kids would have any desire to see the movie! Then again, Scooby-Doo is also in the sixties, and we got two fairly decent reboots that I was interested in. But releasing the Magic Roundabout film in America, when the original series aired in the U.K.? They should've left it at Doogal and the blue cat! (1970)

[@Dalek44]

I love the Classic Magic Roundabout! They really should release the classic stories on DVD! They've released other classic childrens TV series for the 60's on DVD, Why not The Magic Roundabout?

[@cjmckay1491]

Mary Whitehouse never banned a TV show, she was just a campaigner and largely ignored by the BBC management. Zebedee only occasionally said 'time for bed.' Thompson did base Dougal somewhat upon Hancock though.

[@thesilversupporter]

ah! this is the magic roundabout i remember! at thirteen now, i'm so happy to see this stuff again =D

[@jaysbigchat6157]

So I've just done a chat show about growing up and this show came up as a childhood memory and for the life of me I couldn't remember it. Until now 🙈😂😂😂

[@lianeyoung1020]

lovely memories from so many years ago.....

[@teedee9393]

Did anyone else randomly stumble across this in the middle of the night as a child and get freaked out by it?

[@SignoreBoy]

"I'm a bus!" :D I was always brought up by Nigel Planer's voice but it was neat to hear Eric Thompson for a change. Wish they'd release these classics on DVD soon.

[@storm3698]

I still love that tune

[@Jazbagz]

Man I love this, we have videos of this :D

[@SirMD93]

used to love this show, the theme brings back memories!

[@evanalmigjty93]

OMFG This brings back memories and nightmares!

[@frogdropping]

*sighs* Memories ... thanks Eric.

[@adamkincaid1234]

The Beatles used to watch this while on breaks from recording at Abbey Road. They declared it 'trippy'. For me it was one of the touchstones of childhood.

[@MrMpvincent69]

This was my tee time cartoon! Brilliant.:)

[@uxb59]

The lads and me used to watch this every evening without fail. I was 15 or 16 at the time and aJunior Soldier. Some good comments were made about Förence and Zebadie.

[@jessmaw]

@Minnowsong Well said... It's a shame all kids your age do not appreciate the brilliance of the classics!

[@metadyneman]

5.55pm every day... was much better than the News after!

[@boffeycn]

Work used to come to a halt in London's Royal Docks when this was airing.

[@97channel]

I remember some years ago that Channel 4 used to show this at gone 5am. It can have both a wonderful and alarming affect upon the soul at that hour. In the right (or wrong) frame of mind, simply pondering the significance of the (more than likely innocent) unoccupied horse on the roundabout during the opening sequence can lead you down a very deep rabbit hole.

[@Manimal2007]

This was the longest running animated series ever and should be on DVD as it's british classic!

[@Liamzinho9]

Ahhhh that theme tune. Brings back memories.