Tuesday 15 September 2015

Spike Milligan on Wolves Witches & Giants

Twenty years ago this week, the Carton Television press department was in full swing, publisising ITV's new animated series, Wolves Witches & Giants.


Spike Milligan was at hand at the Central London launch for the series and spoke to the television journalists of the day.

"The series is funnier than most adult shows,' Spike told the Today newspaper, (16th September 1995) "Apart from Rory Bremner, there is nobody I laugh at. Inbuilt insanity is essential when performing sureal comedy."

The Mirror (18th September 1995) quoted Spike. "I kept bursting into laughter. The scripts were so funny and I was given the chance to ad lib … that always sets me off."

Speaking to the Radio Times, for 16-22 September 1995, Spike Milligan said, "The story that sticks in my mind the most from my childhood was Little Red Riding Hood … It gave me a nasty feeling in my stomach because I thought that if they told the story enough times, the wolf would end up catching her."

Spike Milligan's style as an unconventional narrator for a children's series was picked up by The Telegraph, (18th September 1995). "Spike Milligan (sounding at times more like a Goon than narrator) on top form recounting the Wolf and the Seven Kids", with The Daily Mail Weekend (7th October 1995) adding, "Spike Milligan throws himself into the narration of this very funny version of an old fairytale. A perfect example of how to update a classic without ruining it."

Dr Mark Porter and his wife, Ros, were members of a cellebrity pannel for Radio Times's guide to the new season of Children's programmes, (23-29 September 1995) and their choice was Wolves Witches & Giants. "They liked they way in which the fables had been updated – eg the Big Bad Wolf being a car driving American. They also enjoyed Spike Milligan's wacky narration and the strong moral/practical message. (Wolf and Seven Kids – Don't open the door to strangers). "One to record and re-play." says Ros Porter. "We look forward to seeing more."


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