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 Lancelot Grimley (a gardener and odd-job man); Postie, a hedgehog who delivered letters to the Riddlers; 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 Miss Marjorie Dawe: Victoria Williams Mr. Montgomery Grimley: Peter Llewellyn Jones Monica Dawe: Sally Sheridan Mossop/Middler: Richard Robinson Tiddlup/Postie/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 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)
Series 2 (1990-1991)
Series 3 (1991-1992)
Series 4 (1992-1993) Water Music - 26 November 1992 Belt and Braces - 3 December 1992 Worrying Developments - 10 December 1992 Edgar Saves the Day - 17 December 1992 Water, Water Anywhere? - 7 January 1993 Not Wanted on Voyage - 14 January 1993 Camp Sights - 21 January 1993 Beside the Seaside - 28 January 1993 Tickets To Ride - 4 February 1993 A Head for Heights - 11 February 1993 Fish & Ships - 18 February 1993 A Room for the Knight - 25 February 1993 A Ticklish Problem - 4 March 1993 Getting in Shape - 11 March 1993 Return To Lender - 18 March 1993 The Riddler Christmas - 25 March 1993 Mossop on His Metal - 1 April 1993 Mossop the Genius - 8 April 1993 Too Big for His Boots - 15 April 1993 A Few Hiccups - 22 April 1993 The New Mossy Boots - 29 April 1993 Special Delivery - 6 May 1993 Doing Things Day - 13 May 1993
Series 5 (1993-1994) Relatively Speaking – 7 September 1993 Squeamish - 9 September 1993 A Miner Problem - 14 September 1993 The Tooth Will Out – 16 September 1993 Back To School - 21 September 1993 Legend of the Vampire Hedgehog - 23 September 1993 Lucks and Ducks – 28 September 1993 A Whale of a Time – 30 September 1993 A Shady Character - 5 October 1993 A Complete Washout - 7 October 1993 The Wrong Lines - 12 October 1993 Not So Smart - 14 October 1993 A Hat For Middler - 19 October 1993 All the Fun of the Festival - 21 October 1993 Middler the Plotter - 26 October 1993 Daring in the Diary - 28 October 1993 Feeding Time - 2 November 1993 The Stowaway - 4 November 1993 The Isle Of Riddlers - 9 November 1993 The Rocket - 11 November 1993 The Missing Tickets - 16 November 1993 Vikings And Black Dogs - 18 November 1993 Three Legs, Four Horns, Seven Kingdoms - 23 November 1993 Fairies and Tales - 25 November 1993 Who’s Been Sleeping In My Cellar - 2 December 1993 Oh Brother - 7 December 1993 A Job at the Circus - 9 December 1993 Roll Up, Fall Down - 14 December 1993 Glossop Moves In - 16 December 1993 The Unwelcome Guest - 4 January 1994
Series 6 (1994-1995) All Fall Down - 8 September 1994 Home and Wahey! - 15 September 1994 In Branches Everywhere - 22 September 1994 Trouble In Store - 29 September 1994 The Super Well - 6 October 1994 A Caravan For Middler - 13 October 1994 Flight To Holy Island - 20 October 1994 On Hadrian’s Wall - 27 October 1994 Dipping And Tripping - 3 November 1994 Tiddlup At The Wicket - 10 November 1994 A Face From The Past - 17 November 1994 Job Hunting - 24 November 1994 Last With The News - 1 December 1994 The Riddleton Circus - 8 December 1994 Punch And Judy - 15 December 1994 Oh, Baby! - 12 January 1995 Hush A Bye Mossop - 19 January 1995 Mossop Steps Out - 26 January 1995 A Tiddler At Play School - 2 February 1995 Mossop Returns - 9 February 1995
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