This week I’m exploring one of the most popular but slightly bizarre double acts in British television: Rod Hull and Emu. This fascinating journey reveals a television landscape dramatically affected by their brand of anarchic slapstick, showcasing how one man and his puppet could reshape what British families watched during their most important viewing times.
Rod Hull’s journey from electrician on the Isle of Sheppey to television stardom in Australia and back to Britain created a unique act that relied heavily on physical comedy and unpredictability. Meanwhile, Emu delivered comprehensive chaos that demonstrated television’s ability to surprise and delight in ways rarely seen today.
The act’s breakthrough moments included The Royal Variety Show in 1972 where Rod, Emu and Dickie Henderson rolled around on stage, and the attack on the Queen Mother’s flowers backstage. The contrast with traditional variety acts was stark and telling.
BBC gave them something truly special: Emu’s Broadcasting Company for teatime and Saturday viewing, featuring Billy Dainty in various characters, Barbara New as the ever-present tea lady, and spoofs of popular shows like The Onedin Line. This represented a golden age of children’s entertainment.
What strikes me most is the act’s commitment to controlled chaos: the infamous Parkinson attack, appearances on Johnny Carson, and later the pink windmill world with Grotbags the green witch. From Emu’s Broadcasting Company to Emu’s World and EMU TV, the act truly served its entertainment remit.
ITV’s Central Television offered continued success including Emu’s World, The All Live Pink Windmill Show, and various pantomime appearances – sophisticated viewing that trusted audiences to engage with anarchic content.
This snapshot of Rod Hull and Emu reminds us how television once brought families together around shared viewing experiences, creating cultural touchstones that defined generational memories. Children’s programming wasn’t just entertainment; it was a ritual that shaped how we spent our weekends and connected with each other.
Whether revisiting old memories or discovering these programmes for the first time, I hope this episode sparks curiosity about how television once served communities in ways that seem almost revolutionary by today’s standards.
Take care,
Oliver
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I used to love EBC, It was one of my favourite programmes. All those Scunge adverts, Scunge chocolates was my favourite. And Billy Dainty as Captain Percival ( I still play his tune, when I’m at the gym!) And of course, not forgetting Dr Emu ” Rubbish, Rubbish!” An absolute masterpiece of children’s telly! Rod Hull & Emu, really were my heroes, when I was little. I loved all that chaos! I don’t think Punk would have happened, without Emu!