the original standard of Tiswas, with its adult undertones, deteriorated. It was also the first time Tyne tees and UTV started to screen the series.

The new presenting team consisted of Midlands DJ Gordon Astley, former Darts frontman Den Hegarty and comic impressionist Fogwell Flax. Veteran Tiswas presenter Sally James stayed on and became the series' Music Editor, but decided to leave towards the series' end. This was likely to be a factor in Central Television's decision not to bring the programme back for a ninth series.

Semi-regulars were dwarf actor David Rappaport who played characters such as 'Green Nigel' (in a pastiche of BBC programme Blue Peter) and the Fonz-like 'Shades', Emil Wolk and puppeteer Trevor James with a giant parrot, presumably to fill the void left by BobCarolgees.

At the end of 1981, a restructure of ITV's broadcast franchises saw ATV win back the franchise for the Midlands on condition of changes in management, regional output and branding. Thus the first part of the series was produced by ATV and the second part by Central Independent Television.

The decision by TVS, the new ITV station in the south and south east of England, to drop the Central-produced half of the last series in favour of their own Saturday morning programme No. 73 saw fans of Tiswas picket outside their Southampton studios. The eighth series was broadcast on TVS upon the end of No. 73's first series.

During its ATV days the chairman of the station, Lew Grade, was said to have taken a personal dislike to the show