The Riddlers facts for kids

The Riddlers is a British children's programme produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV between 2 November 1989 and 27 August 1998.

Synopsis

The series centred on Marjorie Dawe and the two Riddlers (small humanoid creatures, portrayed by puppets, whose main aim in life was to "riddle things out") named Mossop (voiced by Richard Robinson) and Tiddler (female, but voiced by Mike Gallant), who inhabited her garden at Riddleton End. It would later be revealed that Tiddler was an orphan and had no other next of kin, so Mossop adopted Tiddler as an infant. Tiddler was not the latter's real name, but a title given to young apprentice Riddlers: once they achieved full Riddler status there would be a special (graduation type) ceremony, at which they would be given their 'real' name. Tiddler's training included being told twelve stories by a Riddlestone, usually one of 'Eesup's Foibles' (Yorkshire dialect for Aesop's Fables) – she would then have to 'riddle out' the moral of the story.

When Tiddler had achieved full Riddler status (by getting the morals of twelve stories correctly) she chose to be called Tiddlup at the ceremony. Marjorie wanted to go to the ceremony but was told by Mossop that only Riddlers and Tiddlers could go as it was a Riddler law. In order to go, she became a Riddler and started to study as a Riddler.

Other characters featured in the show included Marjorie's neighbour, Mr. Montgomery Grimley (a gardener and odd-job man), and several other Riddler characters – including another Tiddler known as Middler, Mossop's brother Glossop, and Eesup, a story-teller. Marjorie's sister Monica was also featured as a recurring character. Many of the plots featured in the series revolved around the male characters making mistakes which would then be solved by the female ones.

Series cast

• Marjorie Dawe: Victoria Williams
• Mr. Montgomery Grimley: Peter Llewellyn Jones
• Monica: Sally Sheridan
• Mossop/Middler: Richard Robinson
• Tiddlup/Glossop/Eesup/McEyup: Mike Gallant

Production

Total of episodes were produced and broadcast during the series' nine-year run. For much of its run, The Riddlers was produced by Ian Fell and directed by Chris Ryder (later a series producer). Later series were directed by Ann Ayoub. The executive producer was Chris Jelley.

All episodes were written by Rick Vanes (whose previous work for YTV included Puddle Lane, The Raggy Dolls and Mooncat). Eesup's Foibles stories were written by Shirley Isherwood. Neil Innes provided the music and songs featured. Puppeteer for Middler and Mossop, Richard Robinson, created the puppets and provided illustrations for the Eesup's Foibles stories. David Baker was assistant puppeteer series 1 through 6 and Garry Rutter for the show's last three years. Garry Rutter would later work on MacDonalds Farm puppeteering Baa Baa and The Fimbles Doing animatronic work.

Many of the programmes were recorded in Yorkshire Television's studios on Kirkstall Road, Leeds, although some later episodes were filmed on location. Five VHS releases were issued by Video Collection International, two DVDs were issued by Kids Club (VCI) and several tie-in books were published.

An episode from the fifth series was broadcast on the CITV channel on 6 January 2013, as part of a weekend of archive programmes to celebrate CITV's 30th anniversary.

Transmission guide

Series 1 (1989-1990)

1. Moving In – 2 November 1989
2. A Present for Marjorie – 9 November 1989
3. The Wedding Hat – 16 November 1989
4. The House Warming Party – 23 November 1989
5. The Riddling Tree – 30 November 1989
6. The Potted Plants – 7 December 1989
7. Sleepy Heads – 14 December 1989
8. Riddling Boots – 21 December 1989
9. Fishing – 11 January 1990
10. The Fairy – 18 January 1990
11. Decisions, Decision – 25 January 1990
12. Missing the Bus – 1 February 1990
13. Gone Camping – 8 February 1990
14. Mossop the Strongman – 15 February 1990
15. The Flittering – 22 February 1990
16. Bothersome Birds – 1 March 1990
17. Grimley's Tuba – 8 March 1990
18. In Search of the Lost Nuts – 15 March 1990
19. Tiddler's Beads – 22 March 1990
20. Postie the Prisoner – 29 March 1990
21. Robin's Nest – 5 April 1990
22. House Hunting – 12 April 1990
23. Mossop Shows the Way – 19 April 1990
24. Peace and Quiet – 26 April 1990
25. That's Torn It – 3 May 1990
26. Tiddler's Time Magic – 10 May 1990

Series 2 (1990-1991)

1. Mossop Needs A Haircut – 15 November 1990
2. Rat in the Garden – 22 November 1990
3. Middler – 29 November 1990
4. A Present from Middler – 6 December 1990
5. Tiddler at Bedtime – 13 December 1990
6. The Siege of Riddleton End – 20 December 1990
7. In the Soup – 10 January 1991
8. Tiddletricks Day – 17 January 1991
9. The Singing Tree – 24 January 1991
10. Grooming Grimley – 31 January 1991
11. Daft as Brushes – 7 February 1991
12. Mossop Builds a Car – 14 February 1991
13. Cat on the Run – 21 February 1991
14. Wet Paint – 28 February 1991
15. Spring Time for Middler – 7 March 1991
16. A Question of Balance – 14 March 1991
17. Mossop the Artist – 21 March 1991
18. Middler the Invisible – 28 March 1991
19. The Mystery of the Shrinking Tiddler – 4 April 1991
20. Mossop Loses His Voice – 11 April 1991
21. The Flood – 18 April 1991
22. Red Herring – 25 April 1991
23. Stop, Look and Listen – 2 May 1991
24. The Lightning Machines – 9 May 1991
25. Holiday Plans – 16 May 1991
26. Tiddler's Test – 23 May 1991

Series 3 (1991-1992)

1. Stones from the Sky – 12 December 1991
2. Lights Out – 19 December 1991
3. Treasure of Riddleton End – 9 January 1992
4. Mossop the Hero – 16 January 1992
5. Mossop and Grimley – Builders – 23 January 1992
6. Middler's Invisible Horse – 30 January 1992
7. A Brush with Mossop – 6 February 1992
8. The Riddlestone Necklace – 13 February 1992
9. The Search for a Riddling Tree – 20 February 1992
10. Top Hat and Tails – 27 February 1992
11. The Honorary Riddler – 5 March 1992
12. A Riddler at Last – 12 March 1992
13. Mossop's Magic Cleaner – 19 March 1992
14. Tiddlup Doesn't Live Here Anymore – 26 March 1992
15. Mossop the Thinker – 2 April 1992
16. Learning to Teach – 9 April 1992
17. Counting on Mossop – 16 April 1992
18. Skate Expectations – 23 April 1992
19. The Speeding Detective – 30 April 1992
20. The Magnificent Handcart – 7 May 1992
21. Spider, Spider – 14 May 1992
22. Heavy Reading – 21 May 1992
23. Cold Comfort Cottage – 28 May 1992
24. That's Hen-Tertainment – 4 June 1992

Series 4 (1992-1993)

1. Water Music – 26 November 1992
2. Belt and Races – 3 December 1992
3. Worrying Developments – 10 December 1992
4. Edgar Saves the Day – 17 December 1992
5. Water Water Anywhere? – 7 January 1993
6. Not Wanted on Voyage – 14 January 1993
7. Camp Sights – 21 January 1993
8. Beside the Seaside – 28 January 1993
9. Tickets to Ride – 4 February 1993
10. A Head for Heights – 11 February 1993
11. Fish and Ships – 18 February 1993
12. A Room for the Knight – 25 February 1993
13. Getting in Shape – 11 March 1993
14. Mossop on His Metal – 1 April 1993
15. Mossop The Genius – 8 April 1993
16. Too Big For His Boots – 15 April 1993
17. A Few Hiccups – 22 April 1993
18. The Nee Mossy Boots – 29 April 1993
19. The Riddlers on the Road – 6 May 1993
20. Doing Things Day – 13 May 1993

Series 5 (1993-1994)

1. Relatively Speaking – 7 September 1993
2. The Tooth Will Out – 16 September 1993
3. Lucks And Ducks – 28 September 1993
4. A Whale of a Time – 30 September 1993
5. A Hat For Middler - 19 October 1993

Series 7 (1995-1996)

= UK VHS releases