ITVX has added another series to its “Old School Classics Collection”. Smallfilms’ Bagpuss, a staple of many a childhood, is now available to stream free with ads.
What is Bagpuss?
Created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, Bagpuss first aired in 1974 and ran for 13 episodes. Set in an antiques shop at the turn of the 20th century, it follows a group of toys and ornaments who come to life when a new object is placed in front of them; Most notably, a pink and white cloth cat called Bagpuss wakes up. Each episode features a discussion of a specific object, such as a Ship in a Bottle, accompanied by a song.
Other characters include the mice of the mouse organ, a rag doll, Gabriel the toad and an old wooden woodpecker called Professor Yaffle. Oliver Postgate provided the narration, with music performed by Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner.
ITVX and the “Old School Classics Collection”
The “Old School Classics Collection” started as a section on Britbox UK. When ITV became the full owner of the streaming service in the UK, it was folded into ITVX. In the last few months, the section for classic children’s television has grown beyond the select few titles, mostly just one-off postings of episodes, into a fairly comprehensive collection (rights permitting).
The titles, spanning the 1960s to the 2000s, include Fireman Sam, Paddington, Roobarb, Press Gang, Thunderbirds, The Trumptonshire Trilogy, and Catweazle, among many others. Other Postgate and Firmin titles include The Clangers and Ivor the Engine. We will continue to update when new titles are announced.
Jamie’s Reaction
Who doesn’t love Bagpuss? This charming series has been a mainstay in the minds of generations of children. Postgate’s stop-frame animation, coupled with his narration, is still as enchanting as ever. I’m sure many people will feel pangs of nostalgia as the sepia-toned introduction “little girl called Emily” repeats 13 times. You might find yourself getting some of those tunes stuck in your head, too!
I love that ITVX are providing a free platform for viewers to rediscover classic pieces of children’s television. They may be of their time, to a point, but there is still a lot of goodness to come from discovering the joy of Bagpuss. I’m hoping that, within time, we’ll get some more obscure titles from the Postgate and Firmin Smallfilms library! Fingers crossed!
Where Can You Watch Bagpuss in the UK?
All 13 episodes of Bagpuss are available to stream for free on ITVX in the UK. It can also be streamed for free via Amazon Prime Video. Please note that this information can change at any time.
For fans of physical media, Fabulous Films has recently released a remastered Blu-Ray and DVD of the entire series.
Will you be watching Bagpuss on ITVX in the UK? Let us know on social media!
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