Happy Go Round/It’s Now – Nostalgia Central

1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 9 (Australia)
104 x 60 minute episodes

Debuting in February 1976, this Australian children’s television show was produced in the studios of QTQ-9 in Brisbane and originally hosted by Jacki MacDonald (an ocker version of Goldie Hawn in her Laugh-In days), whose deliberately cultivated scatterbrained presentation led to some shocking grammatical abuse and an overworking of expletives like “fantastic”.

Jacki was supported by a happy team of youngsters aged between 9 and 15 who sang and danced their way through a selection of popular and classic songs.

Inevitably, this occasionally led to the uncomfortable situation of a pigtailed 12-year-old singing “Each time your lips touch mine, it tastes like sparkling wine” . . .

Episodes also featured informative film clips and discussions of places of interest, Australian fauna, and other subjects designed to both inform and entertain young viewers.

There were also characters, including Oscar the Foof-Foof Bird, Fred the Basketweave Frog, Sea World Sam and the Unnamed Pink Thing.

QTQ-9 weather girl Kathy Davis took over as the new host when Jacki became a national TV star as part of the cast of Hey Hey It’s Saturday.

The show later underwent a name change to It’s Now With The Happy Go Round Team, which ran until 1979 with Kirri Adams and Simon Gallaher hosting.

Host
Jacki MacDonald (1)
Kathy Davis (2)
Kirri Adams (3)
Simon Gallaher (4)

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