A petition has been launched to get the BBC to reconsider Crewe Chronicle launches online petition to appeal for return of Our Zoo - Crewe Chronicle
And best of luck with this petition, I sincerely hope it makes the B.B.C. have a change of heart and commission a second series, the first series was very popular and well received by the viewers, and if it boosted attendances at Chester Zoo that is an extra bonus. The suspicious side of me however wonders if the B.B.C.s decision not to go ahead with a second series may have something to do with another petition, i.e. one started by a well known animal welfare interest group who were very opposed to the animals being used in these programmes, supplied by people not only for what they are but who they are, their crime? taking animals that live in good conditions, transport them in a humane and safe fashion to the location, film the animals on set supervised at all times by a senior vet, and afterwards simply return the animals back to where they came from, WOW, the animal crime of the year!
Just be careful what you wish for (petition wise that is) look what has happened to Ripper Street (much higher viewing figures than my zoo) the new series after being re commissioned after a successful petition to the BBC is now being played on Amazon only and I have not heard of any plans to bring it back to the BBC either.
Regards Ripper street, it will be on the bbc after it's been on Amazon, it was part of the deal, the only difference is that Amazon have longer episodes, they will be cut for the bbc
I was on the understanding that the BBC have now said they will not be showing Ripper Street and have shelved it with no date for showing (no reason given) hope I'm wrong as I loved that programme.
I hope this doesn't exasperate too many of the Chester ZooChatters, but I have to tell you that I picked up a copy of 'Our Zoo' in my local branch of The Works (high street seller of remaindered books) for a fiver. Also available online Our Zoo by June Mottershead | Books - New In! at The Works Alan
I'm very relieved to say I went online last night to order myself the book for Christmas and was surprised and highly delighted to find it for £4.99 via The Works (I had had a look in the Bridlington store, but did not expect it to be remaindered yet - perhaps luckily in this instance we do not have any other book store). I have elected to collect it from the Bridlington store, so no carriage charge either although I think there was a free carriage offer anyway but it involved typing in a code.
Not surprised the book has sunk so low in price in record time..it`s awful,however, one or two of the photographs in it are well worth owning at that price.As for the television series "Our Zoo" it was toe-curlingly terrible and shed viewers like autumn leaves after the baking programme,or so im informed.Good pro-zoo publicity I suppose,but as a piece of drama shockingly poor,even amateurish.
So "you were informed" that this series was "toe curlingly terrible", did you may I ask watch all episodes yourself or just took the word of others who may have watched it?. The drama was "shockingly poor", very well if someone as knowledgeable as yourself says so then if coarse yes it must be, good heavens yes. The acting was "amateurish" well it must have been when it had the likes of Anne Reid and Celia Imrey in the cast, virtual unknowns, despicable.
I think 'Our Zoo' was intended to be family entertainment rather than drama. June Williams received one of Radio 4's greatest honours today when she was interviewed on 'Woman's Hour'. It was thoroughly nice I don't suppose she'll ever get onto 'Today' but 'Desert Island Discs' might be possible . Alan
Yes it was meant to be family entertainment, for some reason it went out at 9pm on a mid week evening when a lot of children would not have been able to watch it, I cannot see any reason why it did not go out earlier and more youngsters could have watched it, problem with the schedules I would suggest, not only my opinion but also readers of The Radio Rimes according to their letters page. Sunday Evening 8pm I would have thought to be more appropriate, bring back Bill Cotton, a man who understood show business!
If you read Tim's post as I do: ...he's saying that he was informed that the viewing figures fell, not that the programme was poor, about which his comments appear to be based on personal opinion.
Okay,back in the frozen north now after a few days away(I will never be the kind of person who wants to do emails etc "on the hoof" as-it-were)so therefore a chance to clarify.To Parrotsandrew - firstly I hate anything conducted purely on on-line but I suppose ,if it helps the zoo then yes,i would be in favour of another series as far as a petition goes,after all, I am a Life Member who first went to Chester Zoo in 1964.Shavington Zoo and SMR read me quite accurately.I didn't say the acting was amateurish,but as a piece of drama it was predictable and inane, even allowing for artistic license in the portrayal of a zoo of the period or the factual element which will have been commented on enough on this chatroom.And yes,SMR ,I did watch every episode,as Chairman of the Independent Zoo Enthusiasts Society it was almost my duty unfortunately. With regards to viewing figures they dropped markedly after the first episode,believe me,there would be no need for a petition had the reverse been true!And to take the point of one or two others... if this had officially been a children`s programme,shown earler in the evening, I would have far less complaint ,because this would have been just about the right level for this particular "drama".
I must say that we loved 'Our Zoo'. I do wonder though why the BBC had it on so late. We recorded each episode and watched as a family program with our daughter age six, on another evening. There was nothing really inappropriate for young animal enthusiasts but it was on just a tad late for family viewing. There hasn't been a family drama like this for some time that we have all enjoyed. Sad to hear it won't be coming back.
the viewing figures for the programme were as follows, ep1 5.17 ep2 5.31 ep3 5.21 ep4 4.81 ep5 5.56 ep6 5.66 considering the time slot and its rival programme on itv was the established and popular Scott and Bailey, those figures certainly hold their own. Regardless of the figures of the baking programme, which were record breaking and peak time Saturday night figures, it's not really accurate to use the two sets of figures as a reason not to re-new our zoo. As for the programme, given the story and the source (the memories of an elderly lady from over 80 years previous and through the eyes of a very young child) it was as good and as interesting as it could be, same goes for the book, they are both designed to be easy viewing and easy reading and in opinion they both achieved that....... those that want more, buy the zoo news from the library for a fiver and sit and troll through 80 years of pdf files, believe me it's interesting for nostalgic history and news, but certainly much harder work....much, much harder..... and I didn't want that from either the book or the programme.
Well we are all different I suppose.. but Im rather tired of these "wasnt it all a laugh when Bobby the monkey ate the vet`s cigarettes"-type books and any television programmes based on the same..Ive seen/read rather too many of them and spent too much of my life trying to get folks to take zoos seriously to forgive such lightweight "entertainment".At least in this book June Mottershead has tempered her views towards her dad`s philandery (vis a vis her previous book) but overall £4.99 is about right for the current one.Television is dominated by frivolous,inconsequential nonsense..there are channels full of nothing else,so when it came to one of my favourite places and a lifelong love, I was dissapointed,to say the least ,to find "Our Zoo" to be so poorly written and predictable(not to mention inaccurate).
