Sooty: The Big Surprise

To say Sooty is an institution is understating the case – the simple yellow glove puppet with black ears has been a mainstay of children's TV in Britain for over 60 years.

Toby doesn't really know the TV series, but he thoroughly enjoyed the Sooty in Space stage show he went to see at the age of four. Sooty, Sweep and Soo have remained the key characters in this classic slapstick puppet show. Only sensible Soo can actually talk to the puppet master – who in this DVD is Matthew Corbett, who took over from his father Harry, Sooty's creator, in the mid 70s, after a stint in Rainbow.

Sooty's appeal is timeless; along with long-eared, grey-furred Sweep, he is a perennial mischief-maker, finding his way into situations that usually require Matthew to be bamboozled, flustered, angry or amused, or a combination of all four.

The Big Surprise contains 100 minutes of Sooty action, five 20 minute episodes including The Big Surprise, Hidden Talent, Sticky Situation, Little Cousin Scampi and Fanatical Fun. Dating from the late 80s and early 90s, each is entertainingly traditional, with events like the chaotic visit of Sooty's naughty little cousin Scampi, the gang practising their slightly wayward singing and the day Sweep got tangled up in Sellotape, stuck on some glue and immersed in papier mâché. Everything is happily resolved in the end, with a bit of a song and a dance, and the peril and naughtiness is tame and far removed from Horrid Henry levels of obnoxiousness.

Toby thought the programme was great fun, although he reckoned it was probably more suited to his little sister than him (not that I necessarily agree). Overall, though, it was the slapstick and general cheekiness of the puppets that was most appreciated.

You can buy a copy of Sooty - The Big Surprise [DVD] from Amazon by clicking this link.