The Riddlers

Synopsis

The series centred on Marjorie Dawe and the two Riddlers (small humanoid creatures, portrayed by puppets, whose main aim in life was to "riddle things out") named Mossop (voiced by Richard Robinson) and Tiddler (female, but voiced by Mike Gallant), who inhabited her garden at Riddleton End. It would later be revealed that Tiddler was an orphan and had no other next of kin, so Mossop adopted Tiddler as an infant. Tiddler was not the latter's real name, but a title given to young apprentice Riddlers: once they achieved full Riddler status there would be a special (graduation type) ceremony, at which they would be given their 'real' name. Tiddler's training included being told twelve stories by a Riddlestone, usually one of 'Eesup's Foibles' (Yorkshire dialect for Aesop's Fables) – she would then have to 'riddle out' the moral of the story.
When Tiddler had achieved full Riddler status (by getting the morals of twelve stories correctly) she chose to be called Tiddlup at the ceremony. Marjorie wanted to go to the ceremony but was told by Mossop that only Riddlers and Tiddlers could go as it was a Riddler law. In order to go, she became a Riddler and started to study as a Riddler.
Other characters featured in the show included Marjorie's neighbour, Mr. Montgomery Lancelot Grimley (a gardener and odd-job man); Postie, a hedgehog who delivered letters to the Riddlers; and several other Riddler characters, including another Tiddler known as Middler, Mossop's brother Glossop, and Eesup, a story-teller. Marjorie's sister Monica was also featured as a recurring character. Many of the plots featured in the series revolved around the male characters making mistakes which would then be solved by the female ones.

Series cast

Miss Marjorie Dawe: Victoria Williams
Mr. Montgomery Grimley: Peter Llewellyn-Jones
Monica Dawe: Sally Sheridan
Mossop/Middler: Richard Robinson
Tiddlup/Postie/Glossop/Eesup/McEyup: Mike Gallant

Production

224 episodes were produced and broadcast during the series' nine-year run. For much of its run, The Riddlers was produced by Ian Fell and directed by Chris Ryder (later a series producer). Later series were directed by Ann Ayoub. The executive producer was Chris Jelley.
All episodes were written by Rick Vanes (whose previous work for YTV included Puddle Lane and Mooncat). Eesup's Foibles stories were written by Shirley Isherwood. Neil Innes provided the music and songs featured. Puppeteer for Middler and Mossop, Richard Robinson, created the puppets and provided illustrations for the Eesup's Foibles stories. David Baker was assistant puppeteer series 1 through 6 and Garry Rutter for the show's last three years.
Garry Rutter would later work on MacDonalds Farm puppeteering Baa Baa and The Fimbles Doing animatronic work.
Many of the programmes were recorded in Yorkshire Television's studios on Kirkstall Road, Leeds, although some later episodes were filmed on location. Five VHS releases were issued by Video Collection International, two DVDs were issued by Kids Club (VCI) and several tie-in books were published.
An episode from the fifth series was broadcast on the CITV channel on 6 January 2013, as part of a weekend of archive programmes to celebrate CITV's 30th anniversary.

Series 4 (1992-1993)

Water Music - 26 November 1992
Belt and Braces - 3 December 1992
Worrying Developments - 10 December 1992
Edgar Saves the Day - 17 December 1992
Water, Water Anywhere? - 7 January 1993
Not Wanted on Voyage - 14 January 1993
Camp Sights - 21 January 1993
Beside the Seaside - 28 January 1993
Tickets to Ride - 4 February 1993
A Head for Heights - 11 February 1993
Fish & Ships - 18 February 1993
A Room for the Knight - 25 February 1993
A Ticklish Problem - 4 March 1993
Getting in Shape - 11 March 1993
Return to Lender - 18 March 1993
The Riddler Christmas - 25 March 1993
Mossop on His Metal - 1 April 1993
Mossop the Genius - 8 April 1993
Too Big for His Boots - 15 April 1993
A Few Hiccups - 22 April 1993
The New Mossy Boots - 29 April 1993
Special Delivery - 6 May 1993
Doing Things Day - 13 May 1993

Series 5 (1993-1994)

Relatively Speaking – 7 September 1993
Squeamish - 9 September 1993
A Miner Problem - 14 September 1993
The Tooth Will Out – 16 September 1993
Back to School - 21 September 1993
Legend of the Vampire Hedgehog - 23 September 1993
Lucks and Ducks – 28 September 1993
A Whale of a Time – 30 September 1993
A Shady Character - 5 October 1993
A Complete Washout - 7 October 1993
The Wrong Lines - 12 October 1993
Not So Smart - 14 October 1993
A Hat for Middler - 19 October 1993
All the Fun of the Festival - 21 October 1993
Middler the Plotter - 26 October 1993
Daring in the Diary - 28 October 1993
Feeding Time - 2 November 1993
The Stowaway - 4 November 1993
The Isle of Riddlers - 9 November 1993
The Rocket - 11 November 1993
The Missing Tickets - 16 November 1993
Vikings and Black Dogs - 18 November 1993
Three Legs, Four Horns, Seven Kingdoms - 23 November 1993
Fairies and Tales - 25 November 1993
Who's Been Sleeping in My Cellar - 2 December 1993
Oh Brother - 7 December 1993
A Job at the Circus - 9 December 1993
Roll Up, Fall Down - 14 December 1993
Glossop Moves In - 16 December 1993
The Unwelcome Guest - 4 January 1994

Series 6 (1994-1995)

All Fall Down - 8 September 1994
Home and Wahey! - 15 September 1994
In Branches Everywhere - 22 September 1994
Trouble in Store - 29 September 1994
The Super Well - 6 October 1994
A Caravan for Middler - 13 October 1994
Flight to Holy Island - 20 October 1994
On Hadrian's Wall - 27 October 1994
Dipping and Tripping - 3 November 1994
Tiddlup at the Wicket - 10 November 1994
A Face from the Past - 17 November 1994
Job Hunting - 24 November 1994
Last with the News - 1 December 1994
The Riddleton Circus - 8 December 1994
Punch and Judy - 15 December 1994
Oh, Baby! - 12 January 1995
Hush a Bye Mossop - 19 January 1995
Mossop Steps Out - 26 January 1995
A Tiddler at Play School - 2 February 1995
Mossop Returns - 9 February 1995

Series 7 (1995-1996)

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - 7 September 1995
Just for Kicks - 14 September 1995
A Test for Middler - 21 September 1995
Trick Cycling - 28 September 1995
Where on Earth? - 5 October 1995
French Lessons - 12 October 1995
Bon Appetit - 19 October 1995
Alarms and Excursions - 26 October 1995
Eesup - 2 November 1995
Let Loose in the Library - 9 November 1995
A Tiddler's Best Friend - 16 November 1995
It's a Dog's Life - 23 November 1995
Dog Tired - 30 November 1995
The Phantom Piper - 7 December 1995
Loch Ness Mess - 14 December 1995
Cabers and Kilts - 4 January 1996
Highland Fun and Games - 11 January 1996
A Little Bit of Dirt - 18 January 1996
At the Hospital - 25 January 1996
Mossop the Invalid - 1 February 1996
Thanks a Lot - 8 February 1996
Flea Market - 15 February 1996
Mossop the Conkeror - 22 February 1996
Grimley the Golfer - 29 February 1996
Listen to the Band - 7 March 1996

Series 8 (1996-1997)

Vote for Mossop - 12 September 1996
The Chief Riddler - 19 September 1996
Statue There? - 26 September 1996
Your Place or Mine - 3 October 1996
Well Dressed Wells - 10 October 1996
Light Fantastic - 17 October 1996
Middler's Mansion - 24 October 1996
The Tiddlers' Holiday Camp - 31 October 1996
Tickling Trout - 7 November 1996
Daylight Snobbery - 14 November 1996
Rootin' Tootin' Cowboys - 21 November 1996
Under the Greenwood Tree - 28 November 1996
A-Hunting We Will Go - 5 December 1996
Eesup Junior - 12 December 1996
Not a Leg to Stand On - 19 December 1996
Chairs and Stairs - 9 January 1997
Mossop Calling - 16 January 1997
Middler's Taxi Service - 23 January 1997
Lollipop Middler - 30 January 1997
Clothes for Your Nose - 6 February 1997
Highly Alarming - 13 February 1997
A Word in the Hand... - 20 February 1997
Leisure Hunt - 27 February 1997
Stereo-oh! - 6 March 1997
Playing Chopsticks - 13 March 1997

Series 9 (1997-1998)

Ideal Home - 9 September 1997
Dumb Waiter - 16 September 1997
That Sinking Feeling - 23 September 1997
All Stuck Up - 30 September 1997
All at Sea - 7 October 1997
Castaways - 14 October 1997
On the Line - 21 October 1997
Cycling Proficiency - 28 October 1997
Middler's Cafe - 4 November 1997
Metal Detector - 11 November 1997
The Time Machine - 18 November 1997
Mystery in History - 25 November 1997
Back to the Stone Age - 2 December 1997
Blow Up - 16 December 1997
Spooks of Riddleton End - 18 June 1998
Mossop's Art Gallery - 25 June 1998
Good Sports - 2 July 1998
Hoe, Hoe, Hoe - 9 July 1998
Riddler Scouts - 16 July 1998
Tall and Small and Basketball - 23 July 1998
Creepy Crawlies - 30 July 1998
Fashion Victims - 6 August 1998
Little Red Riding Hood - 13 August 1998
That's Rich - 20 August 1998
Good Morning, Mr. Magpie - 27 August 1998