The Curiosity Show
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational television |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, Europe, Asia, Australasia |
Key people | Rob Morrison, Deane Hutton, Ian Fairweather, Alister Smart, Belinda Davey, Gabrielle Kelly, Dr Mark Dwyer, Lynn Weston, Neil Smith, Kate Kennedy White, James Lingwood, Ian Smyth |
| Products | Educational television program for children |
| Parent | Banksia Productions |
The Curiosity Show was an Australian educational television program for children, produced between 1972 and 1990. The series was hosted by Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton and created by Banksia Productions in South Australia for the Nine Network. Over its 19 seasons, the show delivered a total of 500 episodes. Selected segments from the series are currently available on YouTube.
History
Banksia Productions, recognized for producing the children's program Here's Humphrey since 1965, initiated plans in 1971 to develop science-related content with assistance from the South Australian Institute of Technology. Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton were appointed as hosts for the science segment titled Humphrey B Bear's Curiosity Show. Following favorable viewer feedback, Banksia Productions collaborated with Nine Network to create a spin-off series initially called The F Show.[1]
In response to changes in broadcasting regulations during the early 1970s that mandated educational programming targeting school-aged children during after-school hours, The Curiosity Show was established as a standalone series.[2][3]
The program was broadcast not only throughout Australia but also internationally in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, and Australasia. A German-language version was produced for European audiences.[4][5]
Format
Between 1972 and 1980, the show ran as a one-hour program featuring hosts Morrison, Hutton, Ian Fairweather, Alister Smart, Belinda Davey, Gabrielle Kelly, Dr Mark Dwyer, and Lynn Weston. The content combined scientific topics with crafts and musical elements. Key production roles were held by Neil Smith, Kate Kennedy White (1978–79), James Lingwood (1980), and Ian Smyth.
Starting in 1980, the series was shortened to a half-hour format led solely by Morrison and Hutton, concentrating on themes related to science, nature, and environmental issues.
The Curiosity Show received numerous accolades at national and international levels, including the prestigious 1984 Prix Jeunesse award for best factual children's program worldwide.
The series focused heavily on hands-on demonstrations of scientific principles. Examples included experiments such as suspending a ping-pong ball in an air stream, reconstructing historical inventions, activating mousetraps for illustrative purposes, investigating musical instrument acoustics, and using liquid nitrogen to freeze objects. Scientific ideas were frequently presented as puzzles or intriguing tricks.
Many episodes guided viewers through constructing projects using everyday household materials, often ending with the phrase "here's one I prepared earlier" to maintain a steady flow. Hutton introduced explanations with his signature line "well, I'm glad you asked," providing insight into hypotheses. Utilizing common items aimed to make science accessible and encourage children to replicate experiments safely at home. Morrison emphasized demonstrating functional models to validate concepts and establish realistic expectations. Both presenters consistently recommended that children seek adult supervision when handling sharp tools, open flames, or hazardous substances during experiments.
Spin-offs
In 1981, Jacaranda Press released a set of four companion volumes centered on the classical elements—earth, air, fire, and water—each containing scientific insights alongside instructions for home-based experiments. Collectively, Hutton and Morrison produced 11 titles, including Supermindstretchers, The Arrow Book of Things to Make and Do, and String for Lunch. Morrison individually authored more than 40 additional books featuring demonstration content, such as Nature in the Making, A Field Guide to the Tracks and Traces of Australian Animals (noted as Australia’s inaugural comprehensive field guide spanning all taxa), Clever and Quirky Creatures, and It's Raining Frogs and Fishes, many of which have been incorporated into school reading curricula.
Morrison's proficiency in animal tracking was instrumental during the Morling Royal Commission investigation into the Chamberlain case; he supplied forensic testimony regarding dingo conduct. The National Museum of Australia preserves his collection from this trial.
The Children's Television Workshop explored creating a U.S. adaptation of The Curiosity Show with Morrison and Hutton serving as consultants. Nevertheless, PBS opted for younger presenters to better connect with children, resulting in the development of 3-2-1 Contact instead.
In 2014, The Curiosity Show briefly resurfaced as an online series on YouTube, co-hosted by both Morrison and Hutton.
YouTube channel
In 2013, former presenters Hutton and Morrison secured full rights to the program after Banksia Productions went into liquidation. On 12 July 2013, they collaborated with producer Enabled Solutions to launch the CuriosityShow YouTube channel aimed at engaging a contemporary audience.[6] The channel hosts approximately 1,000 segments,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name attracting significant viewership particularly from the United States and India. By 2025, a video demonstrating self-starting siphons had exceeded 4 million views,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name while another titled "The mysterious isochronous curve" garnered over 11 million views.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name To date, the channel has accumulated 440,000 subscribers and a total of 75 million views across 1,539 videos.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In May 2014, Hutton and Morrison released their first new episode since 1990 on this YouTube platform, supported by funding from Kellogg's Australia. This episode maintained the classic format while integrating supplementary online materials. It showcased experiments linked to cereal manufacturing such as making homemade cornflakes and creating a cornflour-based non-Newtonian fluid. The response from viewers was overwhelmingly positive.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Awards
- International awards
- 1984 Recipient of Prix Jeunesse Internationale, Munich
- 1985 Silver medal at the International Film and Television Festival of New York
- 1985 Honored by the Museum of Broadcasting, New York
- 1990 Children’s Film and Television Award, China
- National awards
- 1975–1981 Multiple commendations from the Television Society of Australia
- 1979 Special commendation awarded by the Television Society of Australia
- 1982 Gold Penguin Award presented by the Television Society of Australia
See also
External links
- Curiosity Show on Facebook
- Curiosity Show on Twitter
- Official site of Deane Hutton
- Official Curiosity Show website
- ↑ According to Hutton, the title originated from producer Ian Fairweather's brief reaction when assigned to develop a science program.
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