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Gus Honeybun was so identified with regional television in the south-west that when TSW's managing director Harry Turner presented the station's ITV franchise renewal in 1991 he took Gus with him. [1] However, Gus's Magic Birthdays series and his career at the station were ended at the start of 1993, when Westcountry Television took over from TSW after winning the franchise. Augustus Jeremiah Honeybun, or Gus Honeybun for short, was the station mascot for Westward Television and then Television South West (TSW) from 1961 until 1992. What this meant was we were treated to a litany of different programmes which, aside from the one or two that made it to the network, were exclusively for us. Gus Honeybun was the station mascot for Westward Television, and later Television South West, from 1961 to December 1992. [1] A puppet rabbit, and star of Gus Honeybun's Magic Birthdays, he achieved a longevity for a TV puppet second only to the Sooty characters. [2] But Dr Butler explains he was also iconic in other ways: "Gus became a means of LGBT people in Plymouth being able to communicate with each other.
Gus Honeybun Programme, The – Nostalgia Central Gus Honeybun Programme, The – Nostalgia Central
The show was presented by Liverpudlian comedian, Tom O’Connor, and also starred Hot Gossip and made Strictly judge Arlene Philllips into a household name. It was a place to meet each other, it became a safe space. Cruising is one of those uncomfortable elements of gay life and gay culture, if you tell people something is shameful and secretive, people have to respond to that. It's important to highlight our city's LGBT+ heritage and history - the people and places that have made Plymouth what it is.This was done knowingly for celebrations such as promotion, childbirth etc, not so willingly as a Kangaroo court martial punishment for some misdemeanour, real or imaginary or at various times by ingenious booby traps by connecting the trapdoor to everyday objects using very fine fishing line. If you opened the trap door, you paid for the round. Plymouth is steeped with rich history, with long-forgotten moments hiding in streets and buildings, lost in time. The couple’s daughter Karen was born in 1961 and their son Guy in 1967. As a family they often accompanied Roger to fete openings and various other events which was “great fun for all” they say. Slightly further down towards the Barbican is a place called the Lion's Den. In the past this was a place for "male bathing" which Dr Butler says was a place for men to meet each other.
Gus - PressReader ‘Secret messages’ from bunny-hopping icon Gus - PressReader
If you were a child growing up in the Plymouth area from the 1960s until the early 1990s, there’s a chance you might have asked this infamous puppet to help celebrate your birthday. It also prohibited councils from funding educational materials and projects which were seen to 'promote homosexuality'. He would appear with a presenter who read out a series of birthday cards sent in by the public on behalf of their children. Gus would give a bunny hop for each year of the child’s life. His repertoire was also expanded to include winks, head stands, ear waggles and hitting a ‘magic button’ which changed the image on the screen behind him. The callous murder of Terry Sweet and brutal beating of Bernard ‘Bernie’ Hawken was carried out by three teenage thugs in Plymouth’s Central Park on November 6, 1995. For a lot of the other ITV regions, success meant getting big programmes made and broadcast across the network. Due to its small size and dedication to local programmes, Westward and TSW made a point of focusing mainly on their area.I must admit, because I'm old enough I had my birthday read out a couple of times. A few people I've interviewed have said 'oh yes that was quite useful as a code for what was going on'. This was repealed in 2003, and Prime Minister David Cameron openly apologised for the legislation in 2009. Quote from: Proactive on February 14, 2023, 11:42:11 PMPretty sure I had my birthday announced on his show when I was about 5. They married on July 31, 1959 in Chapel Street Methodist Church, Penzance, and the reception was held at The Hotel Royale. They honeymooned at Maenporth Cove near Falmouth. Paul moved to Plymouth from London in the late 1980s to become the Head of Features at Television South West (TSW) before becoming their Director of Programmes, the most senior commissioning position in the old ITV franchise system.
Gus Honeybun: I need to know more. Gus Honeybun: I need to know more.
Invite Gus Honeybun and Judi Spiers to your home for coffee and cake with month-long Hospiscare Coffee Morning extravaganzaThe character was devised to fill unsold advertising slots during children's TV broadcasts. Several ITV franchise stations had at one time had a regional birthdays slot (often following Children's ITV or the predecessor children's television slot) with a continuity announcer and puppet announcing children's birthdays. With Gus, the announcer would read out a birthday card and the puppet would give a jump, known as a bunny hop, for each year of the child's life. Alternatives to bunny hops were ear waggles, head stands, winks and later "putting out the lights" and a colour-distorting "magic button". Gus appeared with virtually every Westward/TSW presenter, including the late Ian Stirling, Fern Britton, Judi Spiers, David Fitzgerald, Ruth Langsford and Sally Meen. The character was given the full name Augustus Jeremiah Honeybun by some continuity announcers, and was said to have been found under a gorse bush on Dartmoor in 1961 by the founders of Westward Television.
Rabbit presenter Gus Honeybun turns 50 | Falmouth Packet
When I left was when the boss presented me with Gus and said I should be the keeper of him. It was an absolute honour, and Gus has been with me in Devon ever since.” But of course Ian Stirling was one of them; he was an absolute dear, and very funny, and I really enjoyed the times when he was on, but I had absolutely no idea that he was sending coded messages out to the gay locals! That was extraordinary and I'm still laughing about it." The show changed title a number of times and was known variously as The Gus Honeybun Show, The Gus Honeybun Programme, Gus Honeybun’s Playtime and Gus Honeybun’s Birthdays.Vivianne, meanwhile, taught part—time at Efford Secondary Modern School and Burrington Secondary Modern school. I've been to Jersey several times in the past, but Oscar Puffin also remains unfamiliar to me. However this was clearly a momentous meeting and I feel like I've missed out culturally in a sense.
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