Clangers swore like troopers: Classic children's TV series hid 'saucy' language behind whistling voices of the knitted characters, creator's son reveals

 The classic children's TV series The Clangers hid 'saucy' language behind the whistling voices of its knitted characters, the son of its creator has revealed.

A favourite of 1970s children in Britain, the innocent creatures would go on lovable adventures on a small planet and communicate in a 'swanee-whistle' language.

But the son of Oliver Postgate, the original creator and writer of the show, has now revealed that their speech - written by his father and turned into the Clanger's whistling sound by its voice actors - hid saucy language' and even swearing.

The classic children's TV series The Clangers hid 'saucy' language behind the whistling voices of its knitted characters, its creator's son has revealed.

The classic children's TV series The Clangers hid 'saucy' language behind the whistling voices of its knitted characters, its creator's son has revealed.

Mr Postgate created the 'voices' by writing a script for the programme's voice actors to interpret, and translate into the whistling notices.

Long-time fans of the show have often pondered the hidden meaning behind what the pink knitted mouse-like animals -among other creatures - say to each other.

'When my dad wrote the scripts out, they sometimes call each other "you rotten rodent" and things like that,' Dan Postgate told the Telegraph.

'He had to write them out so he knew what he was aiming at when they started whistling. There are a few saucy bits of language in there, I don’t want to give too much away,' Mr Postgate added.

He is now looking to publish his father's scripts for the first time under the title Clangers: The Complete Scripts 1969-1974 through crowdfunding publisher Unbound, the newspaper reported.

Mr Postgate said that he is still reading through and editing his father's scripts, saying that they include 'a bit of swearing', adding that while he didn't want to specify any words, 'they're alluded to'.

He likened the script's use of swear words to old James Bond books which would just use the first letter of certain words.

The characters' distinctive whistles were sometimes translated from swearing, Mr Postgate said, giving one specific example in the show when a rude word may have been used.

'I think if you look carefully when Major Clanger kicks the double-doors, in the double-doors episode… he gives them a kick and says something quite rude at that point,' he said. 

A favourite of 1970s children, the innocent creatures created by Oliver Postgate (pictured) would go on lovable adventures on a planet and communicate in a 'swanee-whistle' language

A favourite of 1970s children, the innocent creatures created by Oliver Postgate (pictured) would go on lovable adventures on a planet and communicate in a 'swanee-whistle' language

He also said that the characters The Soup Dragon 'was quite bad tempered,' telling the Telegraph that the only character not to have any translation was the Iron Chicken, who he says was more emotive.

In addition to the script, the new book will also feature kitting patterns, drawings, prose and other 'bits and bobs' Mr Postgate - who now works on a new version of The Clangers that started in 2015 - could collect of his father's old work.

So far, his crowdfunding appeal has raised 50 percent of its target.

The script, Mr Postgate says, will give new insight into his father's beloved television show, with the new words bringing the characters to life in a new way.

Dan Postgate - son of Oliver Postgate - has now revealed that their speech - written by his father and turned into the Clanger's whistling sound by its voice actors - hid saucy language' and even swearing

Dan Postgate - son of Oliver Postgate - has now revealed that their speech - written by his father and turned into the Clanger's whistling sound by its voice actors - hid saucy language' and even swearing 

The Clangers was created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, and was first broadcast by the BBC from 1969 to 1972. 

Postgate went on to create a number of other beloved children's television programmes, such as Bagpuss, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine.

The new series was started in 2015 after Dan Postgate joined with his father's fellow creator Peter Firmin, narrated by Monty Python's Michael Palin.

Postgate writes many of the new episodes and voices The Iron Chicken, The Soup Dragon and her son, Baby Soup Dragon.

He has also won a Bafta for the episode 'I am the Eggbot'.


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