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It’s been 75 years since a much loved kids TV character made his television debut on 11 July 1950 – hailing the start of puppetry as a popular medium on kids’ TV. The Mirror track down the real life inspiration – and antiques expert

With his blue and white striped romper suit and odd little hat, Andy Pandy is familiar to generations of youngsters. Together with friends Looby Loo and Teddy, the baby clown puppet was arguably the first real ‘star’ of children’s television.

Now, 75 years since he first appeared on our screens – visible strings and all – the marionette holds a very special place in tv history. And the man who was the inspiration behind Andy Pandy couldn’t be more proud.

Paul Atterbury is an antiques expert and for the last 30 years has been a familiar face on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow. At the age of five he became the model for Andy Pandy after his mum, Audrey Atterbury, began working as a puppeteer on the show.

“She came to puppetry by chance after meeting with Freda Lingstrom, first Head of BBC Children’s TV who lived near us in Kent,” Paul tells The Mirror.

“She was trained by other puppeteers then launched her career with Andy Pandy. She was a natural, very talented, and it became a major part of her life – and mine.”

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It was only years later that his mum revealed he had been the model for the show’s main character. “Andy Pandy was created by a local craftsman, Kim Allen, who must have seen the 5 year old me as a convenient model – there are certainly likenesses. I am very proud of the connection and it’s a chapter of my life full of great memories.”

Paul recalls going to watch the programmes – then all broadcast live – at Alexandra Palace in London. “It was very exciting for a small child. I think my mother thought it the highlight of her working life; it was fun and friendly, though I don’t think she ever realised how talented she was.”

Paul retains another very personal link to the programme, being the proud owner of Andy Pandy’s friend, Teddy – or at least one of them! “My Teddy is one of the reserves, he never performed, but he was played with by my children when they were small. Now he lives in a comfortable retirement in my treasure cabinet.”

As iconic as Andy Pandy is today, when he first wobbled onto our screens on July 11 1950, his arrival was an experiment to try to provide tailor-made programmes for the very young. After a break during the war, children’s TV had resumed, but was limited to just an hour a week – a slot taken by Muffin the Mule.

Freda and her close friend Maria Bird knew they could do more. Having both lost a fiance to war, the pair met in the 1940s at the BBC and formed their own production company, Westerham Arts, to make Andy Pandy.

Freda wrote the scripts, while Maria penned the music and performed the narration.Toys ‘coming to life’ and interacting with the viewer through the screen are nothing new to us today, but in 1950 their ideas were innovative.

“In terms of concept, Andy Pandy was revolutionary,” says Tim Worthington, a TV expert and author of The Golden Age of Children’s TV.

“Andy Pandy might look very simple, but the episodes were carefully designed and planned. A huge amount of thought went into a concerted effort to reach, entertain and educate children who, don’t forget, were living in the aftermath of six years of war.”

The decision to make the central character a child and, therefore, relatable to a young audience, was also fresh.

With Audrey Atterbury operating Andy and songs sung by Janet Ferber – every programme ended with the tune Time to go Home – viewers loved it.

“These women were pioneers of their day,” explains Tim, who is also a broadcaster and presents a podcast, Looks Unfamiliar.

“Don’t forget, there wasn’t a lot of tv around then, so everyone consumed the same thing and what you saw was unifying. There’s a reason, for instance, that episodes of Steptoe and Son attracted twenty million viewers.

“Andy Pandy was a weekly ritual for children and their parents.”

The Flower Pot Men, Rag Tag and Bobtail and The Woodentops followed as a result of the success of Andy Pandy – all under the Watch With Mother banner – with Freda creating the first daily scheduling of programming for the very young.

But change was in the air.

Joy Whitby, now almost 95, started at the BBC as a studio manager and went on to become one of the biggest names in children’s television, creating and producing Play School and Jackanory, as well as a slew of other programmes for LWT and Yorkshire TV – including Catweazle and The Book Tower.

But in 1955 she was asked to produce a document examining all the Watch With Mother output.

“I remember Freda was a fairly fierce woman, so I’m not sure how she took to me writing this report,” says Joy, who lives in London and is grandmother of eight and great-gran of two.

“What she had done with Andy Pandy was groundbreaking, but nothing had moved on; there was no new thinking. I thought there should be a different approach to children’s television, with presenters talking to viewers as if they were in a one on one situation.

“I wanted it to be less formal.”

Joy also advocated bringing in a team of presenters to programmes such as Blue Peter, as well as introducing diverse faces including Paul Danquah, thought to have been the first black presenter of a children’s programme in the UK, when he worked on Play School.

What both she and Andy Pandy’s makers had in common, though, was a skill for storytelling. It was a skill Joy honed when, before she arrived at the BBC and as a young secretary at a London clinic which treated ‘delinquency’, she entertained the children whose parents were being seen.

Little wonder she looks back on her time as the creator of Jackanory with fondness, her favourite ‘celebrity reader’ being Margaret Rutherford.

“She was an eccentric lady,” says Joy.

“She came to the recording in her wrinkled stockings and buttoned shoes. As she read she inadvertently turned over two pages of the Beatrix Potter book, so she stopped and said: ‘oh dear’.

“We didn’t cut that out, though. I thought it important that children see adults make mistakes too.”

Despite the new telly kids on the block, Andy Pandy episodes were repeated until 1969 and the following year more were made in colour.

In 2002 Andy got a reboot as a stop motion animation and was given a voice, courtesy of actor Tom Conti. Today, episodes and excerpts can be found across social media, with lively fan site discussions about the programme – testament to the long nostalgic shadow Andy and his pals still cast.

“These shows were made seventy five years ago and they’re still in a showable form – I think that’s incredible,” says Tim, who lives in Merseyside.

“They’re a window into our past and we shouldn’t discard that.”

Although she doesn’t watch children’s TV now, Joy says she would love to see a channel dedicated to the classics.

“All children love stories, especially when they are being told to them. Imagination is the key to everything.

Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is paving the way for mental health awareness after her guitarist revealed that the singer paid for therapy for the entire crew on tour.

The 22-year-old’s ‘Guts World Tour’ ran from February 2024 up until the final show in Manchester at the start of July 2025. In total, she performed 102 shows across several continents: a tall order for both her and her crew. But Rodrigo’s guitarist Daisy Spencer has revealed that their mental health was a huge priority to the singer.

Speaking to The Stage Left podcast, she revealed that professional therapy was on offer throughout the tour for all band and crew members. She said: “Olivia and our tour manager, Marty Hom, made accessible and free therapy for all of the touring personnel.”

She added: “I have never had anything like that. And that reignited the importance of therapy to me because I had just kind of fallen off for so long.”

The ‘Vampire’ singer is not the only star advocating for mental health, either. Lewis Capaldi recently teamed up with the online therapy platform BetterHelp to give his fans 734,000 hours of free online therapy – a reference to the 734 days the artist took to focus on his mental health after he experienced difficulties during a 2023 Glastonbury Festival set.

Positivity and success coach Casey Paul believes celebrities being vocal about mental health can have a “massive” impact. She says: “When leaders speak openly about mental health, it gives everyone else permission to do the same and breaks the stigma that can often be attached to it. Instead of mental health being seen as a private issue, or a weakness it becomes part of normal culture – something human, and worth supporting.”

Of course, while touring can be a particularly stressful environment, therapy can be beneficial in a wide range of workplaces. Lauren Baird is a psychotherapist at Inner Glow Therapy who has witnessed many people coming in with burnout. She reveals: “So many people come to therapy struggling with their mental health, but terrified to say anything at work, scared they’ll be seen as weak, unprofessional, or just not good enough.

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“That kind of stigma has been around for years, especially when it comes to things like anxiety, depression or burnout. You’d never question someone taking time off for a physical illness, but when it comes to emotional health, there’s still this fear it’ll be judged as a character flaw.”

However, she says that she has been seeing a definite shift in attitudes. She says: “More workplaces are starting to include therapy as part of their wellbeing offering — and culturally, we’re beginning to understand that emotional regulation and resilience are just as important as physical health.”

Plus, she points out that it’s also beneficial for the employer too. She says: “We also know from research that emotionally supportive workplaces have more productive teams and fewer cases of long-term sickness.”

According to the Mental Health Foundation, poor mental wellbeing costs British employers an estimated £42 billion to £45 billion per year, through working while sick, sickness absence and staff turnover. Meanwhile, in 2022 and 2023 were an estimated 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety.

Amazon’s Prime Day 2022 is now in full swing, with shoppers snapping up huge savings on everything from Apple Airpods to the ASUS Rog Ally, but the biggest discount of the lot is on the Echo Pop speaker.

The largest Amazon sale of the year has kicked off with a bang, offering massive savings on a wide range of home and personal tech upgrades for those keen to bag a bargain. Shoppers are already seizing fantastic deals for Amazon Prime Day, which lasts until 11.59pm on July 11, on everything from Apple Airpods to the ASUS Rog Ally, now at 23% off its RRP.

However, amidst the discounted power banks and air fryers, the most substantial savings on electronics are typically found on Amazon’s own devices. This year’s Prime Day has already seen significant price slashes on Kindles (39%), tablets (43%) and Ring doorbells (50%), but some of the biggest deals are on Alexa devices.

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Alexa smart home devices have become a household essential in millions of homes since the Echo was first launched in time for Black Friday 2014. Amazon boasts that the technology has acquired ‘tens of thousands’ of skills over the years, from playing music, audiobooks and podcasts to controlling compatible smart home devices like plugs or lights, all achievable hands-free with Alexa voice control. Alexa can also set timers, check the weather, place Amazon orders, answer queries and more.

While Alexa is a firm favourite in many UK households, there are several other big-name alternatives available for British shoppers. Google Nest devices come with Google Assistant, while Apple Homepods are powered by Siri and sync seamlessly with other Apple devices, reports Kent Live. Although the specifications vary and Apple inevitably integrates better with iPhones and iPads, both devices have a higher price tag, especially considering that the Google Nest requires a home hub to connect relevant devices.

In contrast, one of the smallest and most versatile speakers in Amazon’s smart range, the Echo Pop, usually retails at £44.99 but has been slashed to £19.99 for Prime Day. While the 53% discount is already substantial, savvy shoppers have discovered a way to snag one for less than £6, equating to an 88% saving on the usual price.

Bargain seekers who register with money-saving website TopCashback can bag a free £15 new member sign-up bonus payable on their first purchase through a qualifying website, along with a percentage back on every qualifying spend. For those using the sign-up link to buy an Echo Pop, after cashback, the high-tech speaker will effectively cost £5.55, making it even cheaper than Black Friday deals.

The popular Wi-Fi and Bluetooth smart speaker is available in four different colours and boasts a speaker that delivers full sound, perfect for smaller spaces. The Echo Pop now has more than 19,000 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.7 out of five stars.

82% of all customers awarded the device a 5 star rating, with buyers commending the Pop’s design and audio quality, alongside its straightforward setup process. One purchaser commented: “So many uses. Super handy. Great sound quality.”

They continued: “Looks nice and neat. Great volume for a cheaper smaller model. I haven’t noticed any difference in sound quality than our more expensive Alexa. Is perfect for so many uses. Door bell, listening to the radio/ music/ audio books, we have them set up with routines so they play at certain times of day to tell the time, weather, flash news briefing and radio for the morning, then nice chilled music in the evening to unwind. Brilliant, no issues.”

Another buyer noted: “The device is fully functional and very easy to use. Alexa is responsive to voice commands, and the speaker quality is decent for everyday use. My main concern is that it has to be plugged in at all times to work, which limits portability. However, this does eliminate any worry about battery life. Overall, it’s a great device for the price and offers good value for money.”

A four-star customer remarked: “I’ve been using the Echo Pop for a few weeks now, and it’s exceeded my expectations for such a small and affordable smart speaker! It’s compact, looks great in charcoal, and does a fantastic job as both a Bluetooth speaker and a smart device with Alexa built in. There are a few areas for improvement, but overall, it’s a solid addition to my home setup.”

However, they noted: “While the sound quality is good, the bass is limited due to its compact size. It’s fine for casual music listening and spoken audio, but if you’re a bass lover or want rich, deep sound, you might find it lacking compared to larger speakers in the Echo line.”

“This speaker does a great job in small or medium rooms, but it struggles a bit in larger spaces. It doesn’t quite have the power to fill a big room, so it’s best suited for personal or smaller spaces.”

The Echo Pop isn’t the only Alexa gadget on offer in the sale. The Echo Spot alarm clock has been slashed to £49.99, offering a 38% discount. Meanwhile, the Echo Show 8 has had a price cut of 40%, now going for £89.99.

Here’s how you can snag an Echo Pop speaker for £5.55:

– Sign up as a new member of TopCashback using this link.

– Look for Amazon on TopCashback and click ‘Get Cashback Now’.

– Proceed to shop and check out as normal.

Pop Idol legend Gareth Gates has stripped off for a saucy new career move as he joins a Boybands in the Buff, a cheeky new stage show that is set to tour the country

Pop Idol legend Gareth Gates strips off for saucy new boyband stage show and turned up the heat with his cheekiest career move yet – baring (almost) all for his latest gig.

The Pop Idol star, now 40, showed off his ripped physique in a steamy poster for Boybands in the Buff, a naughty new stage show set to tour the UK next year.

Gareth, who shot to fame on the ITV talent show back in 2002, will join a cast of “ripped and ridiculously talented performers” for what’s being billed as “the ultimate throwback concert.”

Promoters tease fans can expect a night where there’s “so much going on, and coming off”.

They promise: “With nothing but harmonies, dance moves, and a whole lot of skin, the boys belt out the biggest hits of the 90s and 00s, from Backstreet Boys to NSYNC, Blue to Take That, in a show that’s as nostalgic as it is naughty.”

In an Instagram post, Gareth told fans “I cannot wait to join the cast of Boyband in the Buff! Touring the whole of the UK throughout 2026, click the link in my bio for the tour list. But be quick… the closer you are to the front, the better view you’ll have – More dates to be announced soon.”

The show is set to visit more than 25 locations, including Felixstowe, Tunbridge Wells, Stevenage, Aldershot, Clacton-on-Sea and Worcester.

Gareth became a household name when he came runner-up to Will Young in the first series of Pop Idol.

Supermodel, Kate Moss, made sure all eyes were on her as she frolicked in the sea on the Spanish party island of Ibiza, wearing a tiny leopard print bikini

Kate Moss looks sensational in new snaps in which she sizzles in a leopard print bikini in Ibiza. The iconic supermodel is holidaying on the Spanish party island with her daughter, Lila, as they make the most of the Balearic isle’s beauty.

Seen larking about in the sea, wearing the striking bikini, with her hair slicked back into a bun and a pair of designer sunglasses, Kate, 51, looked like she was having a whale of a time as she splashed around in the water with a male companion.

The fashion icon was also seen sunbathing topless as she relaxed with a cigarette in her hand. Kate was joined on holiday by her daughter, Lila, who is following in her mum’s footsteps with a string of big name fashion shoots under her belt.

The 22-year-old also cut a striking figure, sporting a black bikini with her hair loose around her shoulders as she soaked up the sun with her mum.

Lila’s father is Dazed & Confused editor Jefferson Hack, with whom Kate was in a relationship with in the early Noughties.

The model, who is diabetic, recently launched her latest career move after fronting a new campaign for Barbie – with Mattel launched its first ever ‘diabetic doll’.

Lila, posed for the project, holding The ‘diabetic’ doll, which features a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump – which Lila has spoken about using in the past.

As she lay on the beach in Ibiza, mum, Kate, who enjoys all the island has to offer every year and who split up with her boyfriend, Nikolai Von Bismarck in December, didn’t seem to let news of her wellness brand going into liquidation affect her, which was reported last week.

The Croydon-born star’s premium skincare and wellness business has officially filed to end all operations. Cosmoss has entered into liquidation proceedings, less than three years after launching.

According to the most recent company filings, liquidators were appointed on June 24, 2025 and filed to close its operations on June 25. As reported by Business of Fashion, the company last filed accounts in 2023 with the UK’s Companies House; it has never disclosed its revenue. The company also faced compulsory strike-off because of “overdue” accounts.

Speculation about the operation’s future began to emerge when heavily reduced products began popping up on discount sites. The company also went relatively quiet, not posting on social media for several months.

The recent filing declared that Cosmoss owed $4 million (£2.9m) to creditors, the majority of which was owed to Moss’ personal talent agency, Kate Moss Agency. Moss is also the majority shareholder of the company, alongside the incubator Warsaw Labs and other individual partners.

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One of Kate Middleton’s go-to handbag brands, Aspinal of London, has launched a huge summer sale that sees its work-appropriate tote bag slashed from £425 to £170

A stylish and practical handbag is a staple in all of Kate Middleton ’s outfits, whether she’s off duty or attending a formal Royal function, and one of her favourite brands to carry is Aspinal of London. One of her most-carried bags is the Aspinal of London Midi Mayfair Bag, which retails for £625.

The brand is known for its luxury handbags which often come with a higher price point to reflect the quality, which is why when it announced its summer sale, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on a bargain or two. One that immediately caught our eye was the Regent Tote, which has been reduced from £425 to £170, marking a huge £255 discount.

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The bag is the perfect investment piece for your wardrobe thanks to its timeless, classic design. It has a simple rectangular silhouette with two top straps that can be easily carried over your shoulder, on your elbow or in your hand.

Its large, roomy size also means this is the perfect bag to take with you to the office, or if you want to carry something a little more sophisticated than a standard tote bag while running errands. It’s been designed to comfortably fit a 14 inch laptop inside, and has a spacious interior that still gives you plenty of room for other items.

The Regent Tote is made from full-grain leather which looks luxurious and elegant, not to mention makes it hard wearing and durable enough to be toted around constantly so you can get plenty of wear out of it. You can choose from either black or burgundy colourways – both are on sale for the same price – not to mention if you want to pay a little extra, you can get personalisation done to make it truly unique.

Other brands have also launched summer sales, offering great savings. In the Amazon Prime Day sale, the Radley London Henrietta Place Tote Bag has been reduced from £259 to £79, saving you £180. Kate Spade has also reduced the price of its Do It All Large Tote from £295 to £149, saving you 49% on three of its five colourways.

However neither offer as big a saving as the Aspinal of London Regent Tote , which will save you £225. And considering Princess Kate is such a huge fan of the brand, we think this is the perfect opportunity to get your hands on a Royal-approved accessory without breaking the bank.