Chock-A-Block | The BBC Show with a Giant Yellow Computer and a Yellow Car (and Chock-A-Blockages)

A giant yellow computer, a tiny electric car, and a presenter who "checks in"... sound familiar? 💻🚗 Created by Michael Cole and Nick Wilson, the show first aired on BBC1 from 21st May to 13th August 1981. It ran for one series of 13 episodes, each 15 minutes long, and was repeated regularly as part of the See-Saw strand until 1989. The show's star was Chock-A-Block itself – an enormous yellow mainframe computer that filled the entire studio. The presenter, playing a technician, would arrive in a miniature yellow electric car called the "Chockatruck", utter the catchphrase "Chock-A-Bloke (or Girl), checking in!", and then use the machine to explore a topic. The name came from the machine's ability to read data from physical coloured "blocks". There were two presenters who alternated episodes: Fred Harris ("Chock-A-Bloke") and Carol Leader ("Chock-A-Girl"). Harris went on to present the serious computing programme Micro Live. In most episodes, the computer would malfunction at least once – a "Chock-A-Blockage" – forcing the presenter to frantically press buttons. Subscribe to us at ‪@BigKidsTVPodcast‬ for regular retro uploads. #ChockABlock #80sKidsTV #BBC #SeeSaw #FredHarris #CarolLeader #BigKidsTV #RetroTV #ChildrensTV #1981 #Computers