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Playdays (known as Playbus until December 1989) is a British pre-school television programme which ran from 1988 to 1997 on Children's BBC. The show was the successor to Play School and, like its predecessor, was designed as an educational programme.
The show's name was changed after the BBC received a complaint from the National Play bus Association.
In 2002, reruns were moved to the new CBeebies channel until August 2004.
There were at least five different Why-Techs used over the years. The first one had a brown wood effect and was used until 1990. The second one was remote-controlled and used from about June 1990 until 1992. The third one that was first appeared in episode 105 from June 1992 was blue and continued to be used in the opening credits until the end of the series' run although it was replaced with another blue one a few months later.
It also showed videos, usually to show how everyday things were made – socks, toothbrushes etc. Sometimes either Peggy or Poppy or both visited the Lost Property Office. In a later series the office installed a telephone where people (usually Peggy or Poppy), could phone in asking for particular things (examples include information about spiders and a nighttime picture to help someone sleep during the day). Why Bird was voiced and puppeteered by Ellie Darvill for 9 series.
Bus Drivers
Dave was accompanied by a hand puppet named Chester. Elizabeth was also accompanied by a hand puppet called Ruby. The programme always featured a rhyme accompanied by Makaton sign language and a song performed by a marionette named Lizzie, who loved to sing and dance. She was occasionally accompanied by another marionette named Nick. There was also a story, often featuring Max and his magical chest of dressing-up clothes.
Presenters
It was later replaced by the Roundabout Stop, presented by Mr. Jolly (played by Robin Fritz), who maintained a fairground carousel called Rosie, whose platform initially did not have any objects to ride on. The show featured Bitsy Bob (played by Michele Durler), who played music and made things, and initially, Bella and Baxter the Numbears, followed by puppets Morris Cog and Milly Sprocket (puppeteered by Nick Mercer and Michele Durler), who presented a segment called "Morris and Milly's Numerical Melodies", where they sang a song glorifying a particular number. The Roundabout Stop also played host to an array of extra visitors to help with Rosie's puzzles, including, but not limited to, Rhythm Man (David Rubin), Dilys Litefoot (Teresa Gallagher), Paul Morocco, Allesandro Bernardi, Morton McKewan (Iain Lauchlan), Gladys Tootle (Sarah Davison) and Leaping Lindy (Caroline Hinds).
Children from local schools and organisations such as Chickenshed helped with the puzzles and performed the song at the end of the programme. Also joining Mr. Jolly occasionally were Professor Mopp and Morgan from the Dot Stop. During the time Clive Duncan played Mr. Jolly, the team was later joined by the musician Charlie Grindle (played by Nick Mercer), who also appeared as one of the bus drivers from The Why Bird Stop. Charlie often sang songs for them, as well.
The main body of the episode featured the characters finding different shaped pictures,; these came together to form the title of a nursery rhyme or song, which was performed by the entire cast at the end of the episode. In later episodes (1995 to 1997), Mr Jolly was played by Andy Hockley. Rosie's platform bore a tractor, a ship, an aeroplane and a car. These episodes featured Peggy, Poppy and Why Bird, who rode on the roundabout and went off on adventures (but in some episodes only Peggy and Why went on adventures, so on the third shape, they would both go together). Due to Peggy's small size in comparison to Why Bird and Poppy, she would typically ride the ship or the tractor on the roundabout so that she could sit astride the vehicle's funnel, as it meant she could be seen better.
At the start and end of each adventure, Mr. Jolly would sing the song "Roll Up and Ride on Rosie". A picture associated with the adventure appeared in their shaped ticket (purple circle, red square, pink triangle, yellow diamond, green arch or blue rectangle), and these would combine to make the song, which ended the episode.
A special 40-minute, direct-to-video special called Winter Adventure was released in 1997. The special saw Mr. Jolly, again played by Andy Hockley, with Poppy, Why Bird and Peggy visiting a cottage for the weekend. Poppy was now puppeteered by Colleen Daley, and Peggy was puppeteered by Paula Everett. Darvill continued her role as Why Bird.
When the stop became the Poppy Stop, the setting was at Poppy the cat's house, typically presented by Karl Woolley. Why Bird, Peggy Patch and other characters would often also appear in episodes at Poppy's house.
At Christmas, the Playbus would stop at The Christmas Tree Stop. These special episodes featured characters from all the usual stops.
| Playbus – Animated Alphabet BBCV 4282 | 2 October 1989 |
| Playdays – Days on the Move BBCV 4769 | 6 April 1992 |
| Playdays – Days by the Sea BBCV 4770 | 6 April 1992 |
| Playdays – Animated Alphabet Re-Release BBCV 4282 | 6 April 1992 |
| Playdays – Dot's Fun with Numbers BBCV 4946 | 5 April 1993 |
| Playdays – Lizzie's Singalong BBCV 4190 | 3 May 1993 |
| Playdays – Lizzie and Friends BBCV 5248 | 5 April 1994 |
| Playdays – 2 – on 1 BBCV 6296 | 7 July 1997 |
| Playdays – Winter Adventure | 3 November 1997 |
Magazines, books, audio tapes and PC games were also produced during its run.
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