Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin were the visionary duo behind some of Britain's most cherished children's television. Together, they created a string of iconic programmes under their company Smallfilms, including Bagpuss, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog, and of course, The Clangers. With Postgate's gentle narration and storytelling, and Firmin's handcrafted animation and design, their work shaped the childhoods of generations quietly revolutionary in both form and spirit.
The Clangers, first broadcast in 1969, was unlike anything else on television. Set on a distant, cratered planet, it introduced viewers to a family of pink, mouse-like creatures who communicated in melodic whistles and explored life's small wonders with warmth, curiosity, and kindness. The show's whimsical inventiveness, environmental themes, and deeply human values won it lifelong fans, and its original stop-motion artistry still inspires animators and storytellers today. Postgate and Firmin's work was always rooted in care for storytelling, for children, for craftsmanship, and for the world around them.
The Clangers was produced in their converted cowshed in Kent using handmade sets, found objects, and music composed by Vernon Elliott. There was nothing cynical or commercial in their vision; these were stories made with heart. In 2015, The Clangers was lovingly revived for the BBC by Peter Firmin and Oliver's son, Daniel Postgate, introducing the characters to an entirely new generation while preserving the essence of the original series.
