That’s TV, a UK based archive television channel, are to broadcast the classic 1980s/1990s kids TV series Press Gang. In an announcement made on their social media, they announced it was to air on the eighth of February.
Initially aimed at a teenage audience, the Bafta award-winning series followed the activities of a children’s newspaper called The Junior Gazette. The show, a comedy-drama, jumped between humorous situations and hard-hitting storylines that broke new ground in children’s television. It starred Julia Sawalha and Dexter Fletcher in the lead roles of Lynda Day and Spike Thomson. It also featured familiar faces that included Lee Ross, Kelda Holmes, Paul Reynolds, Lucy Benjamin. Written by Steven Moffatt (Doctor Who, Coupling, Sherlock), in his first TV project, broadcast on ITV’s Children’s ITV block between 1989 and 1993; Running for forty-three episodes over five series.
Since Moffatt’s forays into the world of Doctor Who, the show has seen something of a renaissance in recent years. CITV showed the first and last episodes during their Old School Weekend in 2013. The complete series was released on DVD and is available to purchase from Network. It is also available to watch on the UK version of Britbox.
That’s TV have broadcast a range of classic British television programming including, The Benny Hill Show, All In Good Faith and The Kenny Everett Video Show. It also recently announced plans to broadcast the ITV series of Russ Abbott’s Madhouse from 1980-1985.
Press Gang will be broadcast on That’s TV, starting on the 8th of February at 8pm. Please see their Twitter feed for any updates to the schedule.
That’s TV is available on Freeview channel 91, Sky channel 187 and Freesat channel 178.
