139 Why Don't You Just Switch Off Your Television Set And Go And Do Something Less Boring Instead ?

First  watched  :  1973

A  programme  that  was  never  as  interesting  or  clever  as  its   smartarse  producer  Patrick  Dowling  intended  when  he  came  up  with  the  concept  in  1972. A  TV  show  that  told  you  not  to  watch  it  ! ; that'll  answer  all  those   fuddy-duddies  who  say  we're  turning  kids  into  couch  potatoes !  And  of  course  we  can  fill  a  gap  in  the  holiday  schedules  with  something  dirt  cheap  that  doesn't  require  any  professional  scriptwriters, presenters  etc.

"Something  Less  Boring "  usually  consisted  of  some  crafty  task  or  magic  trick  that   a   viewer  wrote  in  to  suggest  the  resident  gang  of  kids  might  like  to  do. Generally  it  would  engage    your  typical  kid  for  less  time  than  the   programme's  15  minute  running  time.

Despite  an  obvious  overlap  in  content  with  shows  such  as   Blue  Peter  and  later, Multi-Coloured  Swap  Shop , Why  Don't  You ... ( its  usual  abbreviation  )  lasted  a  staggering  42  series  before  its  termination  20  years  ago.  I  guess  the  low  budget  always  won  the  argument. It  has  some  cachet  from  once  being  produced  by  modern  day  Dr  Who  guru  Russell  Davies  and  among  its  young  presenters  was  one  Anthony  McPartlin  without  that  other  guy  glued  to  his  arse.