Turn On To T-Bag Episode 10: Turn On To T-Bag

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Episode 1Sparkes
Episode 2Gangsters
Episode 3Yeti
Episode 4Bubble Boy
Episode 5Pyramids
Episode 6Scrimp
Episode 7The Two Musketeers
Episode 8The African Queen
Episode 9Doc Leaf
Episode 10Turn On To T-Bag

UK Air Date08/03/1988, 4.20pm
Repeat Screening11/09/1990, 4.00pm
Copyright YearMCMLXXXVIII (1988)
VTR Date17/11/1987
Fremantle Archive Ref37939 (series ref)
Consecutive Episode Number40
IMDB LinkEpisode page

T. Bag (Tallulah Bag)Elizabeth Estensen
T. ShirtJohn Hasler
Holly Anna JonesDiana Barrand
Professor SparkesKen Jones

Make UpShiela Mann
Costume DesignerRaymond Childe
Graphic DesignerAlex Forbes
Stage ManagerBobby Webber
Production AssistantBarbara Mitchell
Written ByLee Pressman
Grant Cathro
DesignerJohn Plant
Executive ProducerCharles Warren
Producer/DirectorLeon Thau

T-Bag gets the booster from Professor Sparkes but she has to wait while it builds up power. Holly and T-Shirt arrive back and give the crystals back to Professor Sparkes who gives them to T-Bag as he is still under her spell. T-Shirt goes to get them back but he brings what he thinks are the crystals but it is the light bulbs which Holly gave Professor Sparkes. Holly tells him that the crystals are in his teddy bear which T-Bag has. Will T-Shirt get his teddy back and will T-Bag start transmitting High TV? Can the children stop T-Bag in time?
The High-T Website synopsis
T-Shirt and Holly arrive back at the space lab of Professor Sparkes with the crystals. Once the jammer is completed, T-Bag’s ambitions will be thwarted. They do not realise that the professor is still under T-Bag’s spell and when he, her guinea pig and the jammer go missing, Holly and T-Shirt think all is lost. Can T-Bag be stopped from taking over the TV world? Watch this week’s final episode to find out.
TV Times listing
T-Shirt and Holly arrive back at the space lab of Professor Sparkes with the crystals.
Lookin listing

The Crystals

The Jammer

High-TV Transmits

Thomas

For more images see the Image Galleries

If you would like to contribute your favourite/funniest etc quotes from this episode please contact me.

Professor Sparkes, you're a hero

Professor Sparkes: Gilbert, you bad, bad boy, now stop these silly games this minute or Daddy will blow his top. Now I shall count up to three. One, Two, Three.
(Holly and T-Shirt arrive back at the lab).
T-Shirt: Professor Sparkes, we're back. Cor you wouldn't believe all the adventures we've had.
Professor Sparkes: Oh yes.
T-Shirt: We've been in Pyramids...
Professor Sparkes: Yes, yes.
T-Shirt: ... and met gangsters...
Professor Sparkes: Yes, yes.
T-Shirt: ... and been down chimneys...
Professor Sparkes: Oh yes.
T-Shirt: ... and even seen the Yeti.
Professor Sparkes: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
T-Shirt: And cor, it was amazing, wasn't it Holly?
Holly: Oh yes, certainly was.
T-Shirt: Fantastic.
Professor Sparkes: Yes.
Holly: What about you Professor Sparkes?
Professor Sparkes: Me?
Holly: Yes, what have you been up to all this while?
Professor Sparkes: Oh well, never mind about me, did you get all my crystals back? That's what I want to know.
T-Shirt: Sure did, every last one, it wasn't easy though.
Professor Sparkes: Well no-one said it was going to be easy, did they? Just give them back and double quick.
T-Shirt: Righty-o.
Holly: Hang on a minute, what about that booster machine you were supposed to build for T-Bag, where is it?
Professor Sparkes: Oh that, er.
Holly: Did you finish it?
Professor Sparkes: Well, well, no, no, I didn't actually, I, I refused to make it.
Holly: Oh great, you won't be needing the crystals then, will you?
Professor Sparkes: Wha... What?
Holly: If T-Bag hasn't got a booster machine, she can't begin transmitting can she?
Professor Sparkes: Arh.
Holly: And if T-Bag can't begin transmitting then you don't need your jamming device to stop her, do you Professor?
Professor Sparkes: Yeah, well no, err...
Holly: And if you don't need your jamming device, then you won't be needing the crystals will you?
Professor Sparkes: Well, er, no, no, yeah, I mean, look, erm, just hand them over, they're mine.
T-Shirt: Yeah, come on Holly.
Professor Sparkes: I mean, you never know, I mean, she might get it all going somehow, you never know, booster or no booster, you just never know. So we've got to be sure so, erm, give me the crystals.
T-Shirt: He's right Holly.
Holly (whispered): Come here.
T-Shirt: What?
Holly (whispered): Come here.
T-Shirt: Excuse me a minute. What is it?
Holly (whispered): He's still under T-Bag's spell.
T-Shirt (whispered): No.
Holly (whispered): Yes, look, there's something not quite right.
T-Shirt: The Professor, under T-Bag's spell?
Professor Sparkes: What, spell, me? (Laughs) No, no, I came to senses soon enough. I sent that old baggage off with a flea in her ear. She won't bother me again.
T-Shirt: See? Give him back his crystals.
Holly: Alright.
Professor Sparkes: Er, champion.
T-Shirt: I knew you'd stand up to T-Bag Professor Sparkes, you're a hero. Saved the day you have. I'd have loved to have seen Bin-Bag's face when you told her you wouldn't make her stupid booster, she must have hit the roof.
Professor Sparkes: Er, she did, you're quite right.
T-Shirt: Well, that's that, no more High-TV. I told her it would never work and I was right.
Professor Sparkes: Yurr-uh, where are those crystals?
Holly: Here, all present and correct. Nine crystals returned to their rightful owner with my compliments.
Professor Sparkes: Thank you. Your Majesty, I've got them.

Added: 17/02/2014

The jinx strikes again

T-Bag: This is it T-Shirt, the moment of truth. Stand by. T-Shirt, T-Shirt. Gone again, I don't believe it, I'll wring his neck.
(T-Shirt appears).
T-Shirt: Oh hello.
T-Bag: Where have you been?
T-Shirt: I had to pop out.
T-Bag: Where?
T-Shirt: Erm, er...
T-Bag: You're up to something.
T-Shirt: No I'm not.
T-Bag: What are you up to?
T-Shirt: I erm, er...
T-Bag: Oh I've had enough of this. I'm going to take your magic powers away from you and then you'll stay put.
T-Shirt: No.
T-Bag: Yes, don't fight me boy.
(The booster starts to beep).
T-Bag: It's ready, it's ready. What are you doing?
T-Shirt: I just wanted to put Ted back in my...
T-Bag: Ted, Ted, I hate this blasted thing. Stand by.
T-Shirt: But Ted.
T-Bag: Five, four, three, two, one...
T-Shirt: Ted.
(The booster explodes with sparks).
T-Bag: What happened? What happened? What have you done?
T-Shirt: I don't know, I never touched it.
T-Bag: The jinx, the jinx strikes again.
T-Shirt: I'm telling you I never touched it.
T-Bag: Get out, go on, get out of here, get out of my life and take your blasted bear with you.
(T-Shirt disappears).
T-Bag: This is a job for Professor Brightspark.

Added: 04/04/2015

High-TV takes to the air

T-Bag: At last, the great moment has arrived.
(T-Shirt & Holly arrive).
T-Bag: Hello my dears, you're just in time.
Holly: Professor.
T-Shirt: Quick.
Holly: Where's the jammer?
T-Shirt: Give us the jammer.
Holly: Hurry.
Professor Sparkes: Oh dear.
T-Bag: Were you looking for something children? That perhaps.
(The children see the jammer smashed over the floor).
Holly: Oh no.
T-Bag: Oh yes. Your precious jamming device, without it those crystals are nothing but a bunch of useless sparkling stones.
Holly: Oh I hate you T-Bag.
T-Shirt: And I hate you too.
Professor Sparkes: Yeah so do I and so does Gilbert.
T-Bag: Oh shut up, I'm going on the air and there's nothing anyone can do to stop me.
Holly: Professor.
Professor Sparkes: Yeah well, she's right, so help me, she's right.
T-Bag: One more minute to go, one more minute and then. Yes, yes, yes. My whole life has been leading up to this one magnificent moment. My time has come along...
T-Shirt (in thought): Just a minute, she never did take my magic away, I wonder, I've just got to try.
T-Bag: ... all my trials and tribulations, my ups and downs, my worries and heartaches have all been just for this, I've travelled life's long highway, pitted and potholed though it was. (T-Shirt blinks and fixes the jammer) Step by agonising step, just to reach this final glorious destination. I, yes, even when the path ahead seemed grey and gloomy, I knew those winds of genius would come and blow away those clouds of doubt and I was right, blow wind and crack your cheeks. Ha, ha, ha, ha. This is it, this is it, the end of civilisation as they know it. (Holly puts the crystals onto the jammer) Fifteen seconds more and High-TV takes to the air, the T. Set will be revenged and I, The High-T, will reign supreme. (T-Bag uses her magic and has changed into her black dress) Ten, nine, eight, seven....
T-Shirt: Right T-Bag, take this.
(T-Shirt flips the switch on the jammer several times but nothing happens).
T-Bag:... six, five, four, three, two, one. Hello everybody, and welcome to High-TV, and now, without further ado, here is a little message from me to you!
T-Shirt: Stupid thing.
(T-Shirt hits the jammer and it starts to work).
T-Bag: What the?
(Darkness descends on the room with flashes of mysterious multicoloured light. The heavenly choir song begins. The High-TV set up is struck by green pulses of light which sparks and explodes alongside the T-Plant, T-Bag is trapped in a beam of bright green light)
T-Bag: Oh, you monstrous, monstrous people! You've ruined everything! Everythiiiiiiiing!
(T-Bag is destroyed and disappears, the room returns to normal).
T-Shirt: Wow, that's finished her off. (T-Shirt looks and sees the professor has disappeared) Professor? (He then notices that Holly has disappeared) Holly?
(T-Shirt wanders around the T-Room, puts down the jammer, stops still and imagines that he is hitting the TV. He then finds himself back in the curiosity shop).

Added: 17/02/2014

Sparks in Space

(Back in the curiosity shop, Thomas is watching the TV).
Holly (on TV): So before we join Sparks in Space...
Thomas: That usually does the trick.
Holly (on TV):... let's say hello to the stars of the show, Professor Sparkes and Gilbert, hello.
Professor Sparkes (on TV): Hello to you, say hello to the girls and boys Gilbert, go on (laughs).
Holly (on TV): We're all looking forward to your new series Professor, I expect you've got allsorts of weird and wonderful surprises in store for us.
Professor Sparkes (on TV): Arh well, now that would be telling.
Holly (on TV): Well one thing's for sure, you never know what's going to happen when you tune into this show.
Thomas: You can say that again.

Added: 17/02/2014

"This Is It"
Towards the end of the episode just before T-Bag takes to the air she starts her speach and when the camera focuses on Holly and T-Shirt when T-Shirt nods to Holly to start putting the crystals on the jammer you can just hear Elizabeth Estensen whisper the line 'This is it' before repeating it again at normal volume.

"The Switched Switch"
Near the end of the episode when T. Shirt fixes the jammer with his magic, Holly then puts the crystals on the jammer and gives it to T. Shirt. T. Shirt flips the switch upwards to turn on the jammer but it doesn't work. T. Shirt then flips the switch back and forth several times but stops in the downwards 'off' position. Then when he bangs it the jammer starts to work (even though it is in the 'off' position!)

For more mistakes from other episodes, please see the Nitpicker's Guide

  • Gilbert, Professor Spark's Guinea Pig was Lee Pressman's Guinea Pig. Gilbert is credited 'as Himself' on the credits (Gilbert is also credited in episodes 1, 8 and 9).
  • Ken Jones who plays Professor Sparkes introduced the very first episode of 'Wonders In Letterland' on Children's ITV back in 1985!
  • Ken Jones, who played Professor Sparkes, sadly passed away on 13th February 2014, aged 83.
  • The phrase ‘blow wind and crack your cheeks’ said by T-Bag during her speech before High-TV takes to the air is a line from Shakespeare's King Lear in Act III, Scene II.

  • Gilbert, Professor Spark's Guinea Pig, appears in four episodes over the series.
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 1: Sparkes)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 8: The African Queen)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 9: Doc Leaf)
  • This is one of three episodes which has their episode title taken from the series title.
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 10: The Pearls Of Wisdom)
    (T. Bag and The Rings of Olympus, Episode 1: The Rings Of Olympus)
  • The phrase ‘blow wind and crack your cheeks’ said by T-Bag during her speech before High-TV takes to the air was also said by Herr Krimper during T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set.
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 5: Hazel Knutt's Muesli Bar)
  • T-Bag often refers to herself as ‘The High-T’ as she does during this episode. This is mostly spoken by Tallulah Bag but is said once by Tabatha Bag.
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 5: Debbie In The Land Of P)
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 10: Back To Square One)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 1: The Town Clock)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 3: Ben And Bunty Badshot)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 9: Charlie Chuckles)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 10: The Magic Garden)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 1: The Stone Circle)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 3: Lost In Space)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 4: Turkish Delight)
    (T. Bag's Christmas Carol)
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 1: Any Old Port)
  • After returning to see Professor Sparkes T-Shirt tells him about their adventures, 'We've been in Pyramids, and met gangsters, and been down chimneys and even seen the Yeti' referring to episodes five, two, six and three.
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 2: Gangsters)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 3: Yeti)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 5: Pyramids)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 6: Scrimp)
  • After returning to see Professor Sparkes T-Shirt tells him about their adventures, similarly T-Shirt and Sally tell Captain Cockle about their adventures in T. Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom.
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 10: The Pearls Of Wisdom)
  • Holly and Professor Sparkes come up with ideas to get the crystals back that they decide won't work much like T-Shirt and Sally do in the finale of T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom.
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 10: The Pearls Of Wisdom)
  • T-Bag is referred to as 'Bin Bag' in this episode, this happens numerous times throughout the series, in this episode it is T-Shirt who says 'I'd have loved to have seen Bin-Bag's face when you told her you wouldn't make her stupid booster'.
    (T-Bag Bounces Back, Episode 10: Happy Ending)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 8: The African Queen)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 9: Doc Leaf)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 8: La Boheme)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 9: The Bard)
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 9: Play It Again, Sal)
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 10: The Pearls Of Wisdom)
    (T. Bag and The Rings of Olympus, Episode 10: Return To Olympus)
    (T. Bag and The Sunstones of Montezuma, Episode 6: Ra Ra Rasputin)
    (T. Bag and The Sunstones of Montezuma, Episode 7: One Million Years B.C.)