This fantastic show Just about squeezes itself into the 80’s category. It ran from 1989-1993. Along with Blossom and the wonder years, This show kept me entertained for years and years. The only downfall was the character Screech! (awful annoying character) 

The fact that the show often incorporated dramatic elements into episodes by dealing with “real teen social issues”, such as drug use, drinking and driving, homelessness, financial issues, divorce, first love and love lost, graduating, college, sibling rivalry, taking responsibilities for one’s actions, being bullied, death, and environmental issues made it an educational show for teens to watch. 

All the series’ are available on Amazon for purchase click here 
I have also found these rather wonderful T shirts on Truffle shuffle 

The 30th of July 2006 was a sad day indeed. For this was the day Top of the Pops ended (TOTP for anyone who was brought up in the 80’s) 

TOTP was a beacon of entertainment in the 80’s, a glimmering half hour when the olds just left you to watch the telly instead of making you watch the news or Corrie! Thursday nights were all about sitting in front of the telly and having your head filled with Choonage. It was a must-see. When there were no DVDs, no videos, no internet, there was almost no other way of seeing what a band looked like (apart from seeing them live). 

In my heart I know that this amazing little programme no longer held the same relevance to teens as it did in the 80’s and 90’s. This is because the music landscape has changed and TOTP - like that aging rocker - now appears out of place. A singles chart show in an era where singles charts have lost their relevance. A 30-minute weekly showcase up against 24/7 music channels. Its sad but I suppose it had to go! 

I found this fabulously 80’s TOTP T shirt on Truffle shuffle. Stick it on with some skinny jeans and pretend you are in the audience!

Neighbours has been airing on BBC 1 since 1985 and it follows the daily lives of several families who live in the six houses at the end of Ramsay Street, a quiet cul-de-sac in the fictional, middle class suburb of Erinsborough (which I did not realise was fictional until now!…next they will be saying Walford does not exist!) In the late 1980s it regularly had a UK audience of over eighteen million and was watched by more people than the population of Australia

In the beginning, the show mainly focused on two families, the Robinsons and the Ramsays, neighbours in Ramsay Street. The loud and fiery Max Ramsay (Francis Bell), after whose grandfather the street is named, ruled his household with a iron fist, and had a turbulent relationship with wife Maria (Dasha Blahova) while clashing with his sensitive son Danny Ramsay (David Clencie). Max had more time for his athletic oldest child Shane Ramsay (Peter O’Brien), involved in competitive diving. Max acted as though he owned the entire street and sustained a feud and rivalry with his more thoughtful, business-owner neighbour Jim Robinson (see him looking dead evil in the OC)

Max’s sister Madge Mitchell moved into the Ramsay home in early 1986 and quickly became a key character in storylines. Madge’s daughter Charlene Mitchell (Kylie Minogue), an energetic tomboy, soon moved in, while Max moved away to Queensland. Max’s son Danny settled into his new job of bank teller moved away soon after, and Madge’s son Henry Mitchell (Craig McLachlan) moved in to the house after his release from prison. Charlene began a romance with neighbour Scott Robinson and their Romeo and Juliet-style romance storyline was one of the show’s most popular. Scott and Charlene’s close friends were Des’s latest lodger Mike Young (Guy Pearce), and the plain and studious Jane Harris (Annie Jones). Jane and her grandmother, the meddling Nell Mangel, had moved in to Ramsay Street in mid-1986. Mike and Jane later started a romance. Scott and Charlene’s wedding was a key event in the series. Meanwhile Madge took up with Harold Bishop and they later married. Platonic housemates Des and Daphne eventually fell in love, and later married. After leaving to care for her sick father, Daphne was badly injured in a car accident. She very briefly returned for her death scene in hospital where her final words were the whispered ‘I love you, Clarkey’. It was the first death of a main character

Neighbours has launched the Careers of some very famous stars

Kylie Minogue - Is an international pop pixie!
Jason Donovan - Had a stratospheric rise as a pop star and an equally large fall from grace!
Alan Dale (Jim) - Has found a niche playing evil bastards in the OC and Ugly Betty
Guy Pearce - Is a really really famous actor and recently played Andy Warhol in Factory girl
Craig McLachlan - Had a breif pop career with Hey Mona and starred in BUGS

Other very famous people are Natali Imbruglia (Beth) and Russell Crowe played Kenny Larkin in 1987!

Byker Grove was a British children’s drama television series which started in 1989. The show was broadcast at 5pm on children show CBBC on BBC One.

Byker Grove has tackled some controversial subjects such as drug addiction, child abuse, homelessness, teen pregnancy and abortion. In November 1994 Byker Grove became the first British children’s drama to breach the subject of coming out when one boy (Noddy Fishwick) kissed his close friend (Gary Hendrix) at the back of a cinema. The 2004 series saw the character of Bradley agonising over his sexuality and eventually coming out as gay to his girlfriend Sadie, after a romantic holiday together had failed to live up to their expectations.

The series frequently depicts life as unjust, with bad things happening to good people. One of the most shocking episodes is when P.J. is accidentally blinded in a paintball accident. It is one of many tragedies to befall Byker Grove characters through the years. Others include Gemma being electrocuted by a faulty electricity mains socket, Flora’s death from a brain tumour, Greg’s fall from the roof of the Grove which left him paralysed from the waist down, youth leader Geoff Keagen’s death in an accidental gas explosion, and the latest tragedy, Ben Carter being knocked down and fatally injured by a car driven by Craig on the Quayside.

This programme launched the careers of Ant and Dec and Donna Air! I remember one of the most traumatic episodes being that unbelievable moment where PJ is blinded during a paint-balling game!
It was a tragedy! And to this day I will not go paint-balling!  If you want to to buy the book that kicked it all off Click Here