Thursday I took a hike west along the QEW to interview the folks behind the revival of Tiny Talent Time. A staple of CHCH in Hamilton, the original kiddie show aired from 1957 to 1992–35 years. If you’re old enough to remember the theme song (“This is the end of our show…”), you may have been dragged onto the original series, along with your accordion, by your parents.
I remember a kid in my class back at Our Lady of Peace in Etobicoke played his accordion on Tiny Talent Time. Naturally, we beat him up at school the next day.
According to original host Bill Lawrence, only CBC’s Front Page Challenge ran longer as an entertainment show in Canadian television.
Hamilton’s own Scott Thompson at CHML naturally wanted to spend plenty of time talking Tiny Talent Time. New hosts Jason Agnew and Jaclyn Colville joined Lawrence at Thursday’s press scrum. The series premieres this Saturday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. Twelve episodes run this fall, and the good news is that a second 12-episode season had already been ordered.
Scott wonders why it has taken so long to revive the series and if people will watch a talent show where there are no grumpy judges or million-dollar prizes. I say yes–that’s exactly why they’ll watch this throw back to a kinder, gentler time. You can listen in here.
