Information
about Hands Up Puppets work at the Children's Channel rebraded TCC.
1992 to 1996. This Page
is about the On Air Links and interstition. Some of which grew into short
Kids Comedy Sketches. Programmes Ratkan ZooRatkan on the RoadDroibee TimeIke and Webber have their own pages.
Nottingham
based
Hands
Up
Puppets
Created the Puppets and Partners
Marcus Clarke and Helena Smee
performed the main Puppet Character Presenters. Click
the
Logo
above
to
visit the Hands Up Puppets Website
This is The Children's Channel's on air and
interstitions vehicle 'The Ratkan' which was usually in space orbiting
the earth beaming down programmes.
Here we are in the Studio but the Ratkan Set
was also taken out on the Road from where we did 'Live' programmes.
This was Dave Taylor's first TV job and here he is, space suit donned,
stepping up
the ladder.
Dave is now a very busy TV Producer/Director.
Here I am
(Marcus Clarke) holding one of 'Hands Up Puppets' Android characters
'Void' which I performed, puppeteered and voiced. Here with Tommy Boyd
who's looking down holding his helmet having only just come on board.
Click below to see
a Video Clip
The normal presenter costume is a lot less
bulk than the baby like pink space suit affair used here for the
presenters arrival.
Tommy was one of the main 'Space Jock' presenters and brilliant he
was too.
He's a very funny, wonderfully talented and knowledgeable man and I
learnt a lot from working with Tommy Boyd.
Veed and Void the Androids
with Presenter
Mark Speight. One of the nicest and most genuine people I've worked
with.
This is Veed and Void (left) the two Android Puppet
Presenter characters created by us 'Hands Up Puppets.'
Other puppet presenter character creations I performed for the
Ratkan Series included, Aliens, Penguins, and Gherkins in varied
partnerships with other human presenters which included Mark Speight
who now presents CBBC's 'SMart' Art Show and 'Blue Peters' Konnie Huq
in their very first ever TV presenting roles.
In fact they both got the
job in the same Auditioning round. Both being 'interviewed' by the
Puppets. Copyright 1998 Marcus Clarke Puppeteer.
Right is a
Video clip of Outtakes.
Job Shop Comedy Sketches
Mark and Void become miners
