WHY Don't YOU?.... I can just hear the theme tune now,...I have so many fond memories of this show for many reasons. It was probably the best years of my life, as I was lucky enough to be selected as a presenter not just for one series but for a few years in the Liverpool Gang, 1985-1989. We were so well looked after, travelled everywhere, met amazing people,including lots of celebrities, stayed in posh hotels and best of all got time off school. The show was great fun and gave normal kids from mainstream schools a chance of a lifetime. I made some lifelong friends and some of the presenters came to my wedding, so Thank you to WDY? The Director Russell T.Davies is a genius along with producers Kirstie Fisher and Pam O'Brien.
9 Reviews
awful awful show
southlondonlion9 April 2008
This show made me feel physically sick, and totally detached from British society as a whole. It was programmes such as this and Blue Peter that pretended that there were/are no class divisions in Britain. They'd always say things like; "Go into your loft and you may find this.." or "Go into your back garden tonight and..." - what about us 'scummy' working class kids who never never had a "loft", and a "back garden" which was nothing more than a 1 meter square of balcony on the 14th floor of a council block? Public service broadcasting - yeah right! And on top of that, it was awfully depressing to see those stupid, middle class, up-their-own-backside kids mess about with bits of old plastic having 'fun'... do me a favour, and "why don't you" go and slit your wrists or do a coke overdose on "Mama and Papa's" money... you make me sick
Why Don't You was really funny
darrenforster9929 November 2008
I always remember Why Don't You and how funny it was. One of the best bits was with Ben and the Exploding Milk in the Caerdydd gang, and then he went and did a bit with the Liverpool gang. Does anyone know did he ever do anything more in acting after that or was Why Don't You the end of his career. It would be so funny to see him in a film now or something. I was one of the people that applied for the Why Don't You information pack, I don't know whether I've still got it, but I've still got the stickers that were included in the pack, I stuck them to my chest of drawers and they are still there (a little bit faded now). Some other kids channel like Discovery Kids should bring back this show, I think the best thing about it was it's regional diversity, the way they went from various regions in the UK, I think most of them seemed to be picked primarily for their accent 'cos you had the Liverpool gang, the Newcastle gang and the Caerdydd gang all with very strong regional accents which gave a great sense that the BBC were doing stuff regionally, and not just all from London.
Exploding milk
sharkey00027 June 2004
....Ah Ben's exploding milk, I remember that.... The guy was so popular he was brought back when the show reached Manchester I think...Anyway this was a good show :)...Catchy theme song, great ideas and which kid didn't want to be on this show? ...I know I used to dream of getting onto this show. Favourite childhood shows alongwith why don't you? Byker Grove, Number 73, Rentaghost, Thunderbirds, Knightmare, Hartbeat, The 8:15 from Manchester, Going Live, Blue Peter...The list goes on! :) Why don't you, switch off your t.v set, and do something less boring instead!?
Children's Television on a Shoestring!!
Jools-1028 December 2000
This programme gave children from all over Britain the chance to be on television. They would have children doing various things from hosting the show to cooking unfortunately things never went to plan. In fact one of my best friends hosted one but he won't let me see the videotape!!!
If It Wasn`t For These Pesky Middle Class Kids
Theo Robertson3 February 2003
Ah yes I remember this show from my childhood - THAT`S BECAUSE I DETESTED THE CHILD PRESENTERS ON IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Contrary to what other reviewers have said about WDY? it most certainly does NOT give children all over the United Kingdom the chance to host the show because it`s obvious that the kids were either members of a prestigous stage school or at the very least middle class kids who would spend their time at school grassing up their class mates . You know the type I`m talking about: " Miss ! Miss ! ( Insert your own name here ) swore Miss . Miss ! Miss ! ( Insert your own name here )is chewing gum Miss " . Children from council estates - The projects I believe Americans call them - were obviously excluded from this show which meant I had no empathy for it . Let me elaborate , The full title is actually WHY DON`T YOU TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION AND DO SOMETHING LESS BORING INSTEAD ( And let`s ignore the gut wrenching hypocrisy of the title ) so let`s see what`s the only thing more interesting to a child living in a run down council estate than watching television ? Let`s see now , football ? possibly , setting fire to the local primary school ? Good call . But no , the children on WDY? seem to think making things out of sticky back plastic and old egg boxes is great fun . What sort of people did they grow up to be for crying out loud ?????????
Contrary to what other reviewers have said about WDY? it most certainly does NOT give children all over the United Kingdom the chance to host the show because it`s obvious that the kids were either members of a prestigous stage school or at the very least middle class kids who would spend their time at school grassing up their class mates . You know the type I`m talking about: " Miss ! Miss ! ( Insert your own name here ) swore Miss . Miss ! Miss ! ( Insert your own name here )is chewing gum Miss " . Children from council estates - The projects I believe Americans call them - were obviously excluded from this show which meant I had no empathy for it . Let me elaborate , The full title is actually WHY DON`T YOU TURN OFF YOUR TELEVISION AND DO SOMETHING LESS BORING INSTEAD ( And let`s ignore the gut wrenching hypocrisy of the title ) so let`s see what`s the only thing more interesting to a child living in a run down council estate than watching television ? Let`s see now , football ? possibly , setting fire to the local primary school ? Good call . But no , the children on WDY? seem to think making things out of sticky back plastic and old egg boxes is great fun . What sort of people did they grow up to be for crying out loud ?????????
On the contrary...
shiny-pebble4 December 2005
I thought this program was quite fun. I remember watching it, being quite young but enjoying it. Although having said that, some of the things they suggested you do were ridiculous.
I have a very vivid memory of watching them get a coat hanger, snip it up with pliers and turn it into a V shape... now obviously that makes a very good object to stick in the back of your pony tail doesn't it?
I was stupid enough to try it (the one and only time I ever did bother copying anything from the show) and I was stuck with a a piece of metal tangled up in the back of my head... shh memories.
I do quite miss the show though. I don't remember much of the presenters but looking back they were pretty middle class.
I have a very vivid memory of watching them get a coat hanger, snip it up with pliers and turn it into a V shape... now obviously that makes a very good object to stick in the back of your pony tail doesn't it?
I was stupid enough to try it (the one and only time I ever did bother copying anything from the show) and I was stuck with a a piece of metal tangled up in the back of my head... shh memories.
I do quite miss the show though. I don't remember much of the presenters but looking back they were pretty middle class.
Classic TV show !
jonread25 September 2001
An excellent 80s tv show. Although with a tinge of hypocrisy, "Why dont you turn the tv set off and do something else instead ?" (to quote the full title) Hmmm, considering this is a TV show itself. Anyway, I loved this show. My fave era was the mad Ben one, he ended up in a TV set by the end of his period and was wheeled about, mad and crazy stuff. I think this show made more things then Blue Peter, in fact I was sure there was a home made bomb put together once with sticky back plastic and loo rolls, ahem, well, maybe not then.
my name is Francis Lloyd ...
triumph-tsx2 January 2006
...and i play rukka. This was one of first appearances of someone who was not white on a kids TV programme in the 1970s and to me this was important as i could see other children joining in the fun of the native population. Francis, a fellow of Afro-Caribbean descent, walked around tapping a beat out on various inanimate objects before showing his purpose was in perfecting his rukka (a sort of drum) playing. This he did at a concert complete with flashing disco lights with his friends of all races dancing away happily to his rukka. A tubby but tall boy, dressed if i remember in a shirt, blue jumper and black trousers, Francis was a mould breaker. I hope you are well and where are you and what are you doing?
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