Magpie was ITV's answer to Blue Peter, if you don't know what Blue Peter is...well where have you been the last 50 years?

Magpie (and Blue Peter) were what was/is generally termed magazine programmes, that is to say much like a magazine, it had lots of different things to see and do within it, they had interviews, demonstrations, things to make, mini documentaries about things the presenters did that week, plus lots of other things, one way Magpie did differ though is, unlike BP they did not (as far as I remember) have any regular pets, although they did have a mascot, a Magpie of course, called Murgatroyd.

Magpie began broadcasting in 1968.  Shown initially once a week for the first year, by the time Look-in had hit the shops, this had increased to two days.

Amongst a few memorable things was the theme, played by Spencer Davis Group, under the pseudonym 'The Murgatroyd Band', it was called 'One for Sorrow' and was based on an old nursery rhyme:

One for sorrow, Two for joy,
Three for a girl and four for a boy
Five for silver, six for Gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told...
Ma-a-a-ag-pie...
Eights a wish and nine a kiss,
Ten is a bird you must not miss,
Eights a wish and nine a kiss,
Ten is a bird you must not miss...
Ma-a-a-ag-pie, Ma-a-a-ag-pie

Magpie was also memorable for it's appeals, unlike BP though Magpie asked for cash donations, but they did gets lots.  One of the things I used to like was when they made a red sticker stripe that used to get longer as the money kept coming in, and used to wind it's way around the Teddington Lock studios.

There were a few presenters over the years, Pete Brady, Susan Stranks and Tony Bastable (left) were first.  When Pete and Tony left in 1972 they were replaced by Doug Rae and Mick Robertson, Susan left 2 years later to be replaced by Jenny Hanley and finally Doug left in 1977 to be replaced by Tommy Boyd, this line up lasted until 1980, when unable to compete with BP's viewing figures, the programme was axed.

Look-in had a two page spread on the week the programme finished, called 'Bye Bye Magpie' (which can also be seen in the new book) it featured a lot of pics of some of the highlights of an eventful decade or so, and Look-in played a major part in it's early success, so it was fitting that Look-in should honour the programme.

The feature was basically an extension of the series, with extra news and pics of stuff the presenters got up to, it also incorporated features within features, such as 'The Magpie ABC of football' (left).

Although my heart was firmly with BP, I did watch on a Tuesday, but on Thursday when they clashed, I was a BP boy, Magpie started at a slightly earlier time though, so I did get to see some of it.  I did enjoy Magpie a lot, but never felt the same way about the feature really, but it was ok and had things of interest from time to time.

Click MORE to see a full Magpie feature.

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