Top Banana
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Top Banana was another children’s TV show which aired really early on a Saturday morning, on ITV in the UK.
It was a gameshow set in a jungle, and you could get an easy question by asking for “a piece of cake” – the kicker being that you would have to answer while eating a piece of cake, with your mouth full. Classic.
Any losers would also be given a piece of cake by a girl called Peanut.
If you got to the top of the mountain at the end, and grabbed the golden banana (which was dangling on a string, presumably being pulled from your grasp by a crew member!) you would win a water pistol or something.
Top Banana was hosted by an Australian called Mike Brosnan, who is no relation of Piers (James Bond) Brosnan.
I used to love Top Banana.
The show only actually ran for 26 episodes in 1990, but it is a fixture in my hazy recollection of childhood days!
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i was on top banana,many years ago and have never got to see it,do you know where i can get some screen shots?
Hi Robert,
I’ve written to TV-am to ask about screen shots on your behalf, but if you would like to contact them yourself, you should e-mail: or ring the telephone enquiry line on (9am – 2pm).
Good luck and let us know if you’re successful.
Regards,
The Popular Nostalgia Team
This was the show where you had to spin a wheel and a voice would say “Top Banana”,right?
I’ve had it in my head for years that Pat Sharp hosted it,did Mike Brosnan look like him?
I was only 7 when it was on and I obviously haven’t seen it since then,so my memories of kids’ shows must be getting mixed up.
One final question,did the crowd used to sing “Top Banana,Top Banana,hey hey hey,goodbye” to the tune of the Bananarama song “Na na,hey hey,kiss him goodbye?”
Yes, that is the show!
No, it wasn’t Pat Sharp – though he does crop up in a lot of childhood TV memories.
I think I was 7 too when this show went out, but you’re right, they did sing that Top Banana song.
Cheers for the comment.
my brother wa on top banana in i think 1990 but i never got to see the showing that he was on. Do you know where i can get a copy. His name is daniel omuoreh and he went on the show with his school highwoods county primary school.
Thanks
I was on top banana 2, it was a rite laugh…. we won everything yeah….
I was on top banana when I was about 7. I was on with the my brownie group, we all had to dress as sailors. There were 2 other groups on there scouts and guides I think. I remember the scouts where dressed as tramps. It was great fun I have a copy of the video looking back now I am so embarased lol. I also still have the signed picture from Mike.
“pop-pop-pop-pop CORRRRRRRN!”
Haha I was on top Banana too.And we won.Dressed as clowns.
I would love to see the footage again.I went to old moat primary school.Those were the days.
i was also on top banana when i was 7 or 8 with my school fulwood and cadley county primary school
we were dressed as cheer leaders and it was fantastic i did tape it but my brother taped over it with
thunder cats back then. i have looked on you tube nothing i have applied to the school awaiting response. i would love to see this again and show my family now what i was like back then. how can we get to see this fantastic show again
i was on top banana i loved bein on the show ,i was playin in the band on the drums can anyone else remember that ? just wish i could find it somewhere need to see it again please someone help !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAH!! i used to love this!! and i am sure a girl would hang upside down and spray silly string at the contestents?? awww T.V ain’t what it used to be
Just thinking about top banana & found this site. I was on this show about 20 years ago!!!
I wrote to the show and got my class on it.. we dressed up as mad scientists… I had to ‘spin that nana’ & I got a rasberry on my 1st go so we lost… I dont think my class have ever forgiven me
Ah the fond fading memories of this, wasnt there an Elvis looking guy called Captain Sensible on a keyboard that did all the sound fx?
I also recall a weird 3 headed monster puppet of some kind and a puppet chimp (Chukie?). Then the competition where the kids could ‘go bananas’ for a hard question that allowed them to go further or ‘piece of cake’ for an easy one.
I loved the Captain N and Mario Bros cartoons they had on too.
The best bit was the end song with kids singing the na-na-na-nah tune with captain sensible’s ‘Top-Top-Top Banana’ voice sample and another cartoon style ‘na-na-nana-na’ school playground chant.
I’d love to get that!
Beats the Wack-a-Day theme!
Found a couple of clips!
no end theme though
I was also on the show! We went on with our brownie group and had to dress as hula-hula girls (so grass skirts/ flip flops/ bikinis/ swimsuits!!) I did the obstacle course and and lost my jelly shoe (very ’90′s!) in the swamp & had to kiss the monkey in the jungle, eat the cake & jump on the trampoline to catch the inflatable banana…I did win…but not the glamorous games conses & tv’s like they won on ‘Going Live’, no no! I won an inflatable banana, a bum bag(!) & top banana t-shirt (which I still have!) & I do have the footage on VHS! Great memories & good to hear everyone elses experiences & memories!
I was also on Top Banana on the new years day special haha with the Whiston Woodpeckers i had to sing a jason donovan song haha classic we lost badly though if i recall right , does anyone know where i can find the episode as ive been searching for years and no success , so if anyone can help would be much appreciated
Thanks