The Muppet Show marks its 50th anniversary

tvSep 5, 2026572,719

On 5 September 1976 ITV aired the first episode of The Muppet Show, Jim Henson’s variety-puppet series produced for ATV by UK broadcaster Lew Grade. By December 1976 the show drew 14 million UK viewers on a Sunday evening and, a month later, more than 100 countries had acquired or were negotiating to buy the series; by its third season in 1978 The Muppet Show reached a reported weekly worldwide audience of 235 million. The series was filmed at ATV’s Borehamwood studios about 14 miles north of London, where four rotating studio crews (four crews of seven people each) supported the weekly production rhythm: a Sunday read-through with that week’s guest, orchestra recording on Monday, and taping across Thursday and Friday. British technicians played a major behind-the-scenes role, and Lew Grade gave Henson the pilot studio time after Julie Andrews’ Sesame Street appearance helped open the door. The show ran for five series, launched global celebrity bookings but limited improvisation because episodes were heavily scripted, and its Muppet characters have since appeared in animation and films while later attempts to recapture the original show’s format for the streaming era have not yet matched the original’s success. Jenny Priestley’s TVBEurope retrospective marks the weekend of the 50th anniversary and documents the production history and legacy.

Tom Reagan’s Hat

@rufustsuperfly.bsky.social

The Muppets are 50. Muppet Reservoir Dogs (1992) is a classic.

83045d ago

Tom Reagan’s Hat68

Muppet Gangs of New York went hard when Gonzo the Butcher killed Priest Kermit at the start

Tom Reagan’s Hat21

Mr Green, Mr Brown & er, Mr Purplish Blue

Jar Jarmusch6

Fozzie - “Ker…. mit…. I’m a cop. I’m sorry, Kermit. WAKA-WAKA-WAKA!”

ToughPigs

@toughpigs.com

50 years ago today it was time to play the music, it was time to light the lights. Happy birthday to the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational MUPPET SHOW!

29745d ago

Quoting this

Max C. @ Garmisch-Partenkirchen8

Disney execs when asked how they will commemorate this momentous occasion:

Lukas5

safe to say disney never had any interest or inkling to make a full season of new muppet show eps outside of the special and this will probably be the most significant project of the brand for the next 10 yrs. but hey 8 new big budget stars wars films are on the way!

The Haunted Drive-in5

One of the greatest television shows ever made, and a cornerstone to my sense of humor. Frog 99, Chaos 98.

Half Price Horror2

This image is the cover to the Muppet Show cast album and I swear to god I had a downright Proustian rush of memory on seeing it.

Primarily Colourful2

Disney should celebrate by finally making the Muppet Show cast albums available for streaming

DiscussingFilm

@discussingfilm.net

‘THE MUPPET SHOW’ has just won 4 Emmys. • Best Variety Special • Best Writing for a Variety Special • Best Editing • Best Production Design

37644d ago

Uncle Silver9

Who's the human looking muppet in the middle? Sorry, I don't much follow puppetry.

📻🍎apple!2

Now give us the full thing

Nicolás Pérez2

First Emmy for Sabrina Carpenter 😮

Quoting this

Michael Edwards133

Still hasn't been picked up for a series by the way

Danny Costa8

Congratulations to the team! Give us a full season Disney, yadda yadda. I agree btw.

Buster The Corp6

PICK UP THE SHOW DAMN IT!

JeffMovieMan #BlockTheMerger6

GIVE IT A FULL SERIES ORDER ALREADY, DISNEY! YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO!

JF the LOLZOR5

psst Disney pick it up for a full series already, every sign is pointing towards it

Edward the Red Panda4

C’mon, Disney! Still waiting on that full season!

Michael Scally4

GREENLIGHT A FULL SEASON ALREADY

🐝Nick🐝♥️💜💙 I'm Da King of Da Asteroid Belt3

The people yearn for The Muppets

Ceinwen Langley2

SIX SEASONS AND MORE MOVIES

Jakob Kolness2

It could win even more Emmys if they…*ahem*…. greenlit a season.

Muppet GIF of the Day

@gifs-of-puppets.bsky.social

Happy 50th Anniversary to The Muppet Show! Jim Henson's groundbreaking puppet variety show began airing on the United Kingdom's ATV Network on this date in 1976 ahead of its US debut later that month.

15045d ago

Quoting this

Chris Gomm5

Earliest memory of it is my aunt angrily demanding I leave the dinner table when I was about two because I was singing the theme tune...

Steve Oliver2

Morecambe and Wise would have been ideal guests on The Muppet Show. TV savvy but also true to the show's music hall/vaudeville ethos, and well known in America (more so than Brucie and Spike Milligan who appeared), even thought Grade didn't interfere he could have suggested them to Jim Henson.

Rich2

I was six and I found it weird and a bit frightening and pigs don't talk

Ross McKay2

All of* the Muppet Show episodes are on Disney+ and are glorious 25-minute chunks of fun and silly with a load of guest stars clearly having a ball. *with a couple of exceptions because 1970s reasons

The Emperor's New Podcast

@podcasttenp.bsky.social

Disney. The Muppet Show is 50 years old. The special has won so many awards. there's no reason not to greenlight a revival.

9945d ago

Quoting this

VGAfanatic (COMMISSIONS ON SALE)7

Is Muppets to Disney what Banjo-Kazooie is to Microsoft?

Fake Muppet Show Guests

@fakemuppetguests.bsky.social

It's The Muppet Show with our very special guest star Max Headroom!

10945d ago

Quoting this

Trish4

They joke but, again, this would've been a crossover for the ages.

Shammy Gatt2

wait why does gonzo have a fly swatter

archivetvmusings

@archivetvmusings.bsky.social

The first edition of The Muppet Show was broadcast in selected ITV regions on this day in 1976. It ran for 120 episodes between 1976 and 1981.

7045d ago

Quoting this

Gustav Gnahler 5

Just struck me - the 'technical' verse "play the music, light the lights" is sung by the female Muppets and the "put on make-up, dress up right" verse by the male Muppets, was Henson having a subversive pop at gender roles or am i just having some sort of breakdown..?

Gummy Arts

@gummyarts.bsky.social

The first season of “The Muppet Show” began 50 years ago today.

Colored-pencil card drawing of Fozzie Bear

6145d ago

We Geek Girls

@wegeekgirls.bsky.social

'The Muppet Show' premiered on this day 50 years ago in the UK! (September 5, 1976) Created by Jim Henson. Performers: Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Fran Brill, Eren Özker, Louise Gold, Kathryn Mullen, Karen Prell, Brian Muehl, & more. #OTD #OnThisDay

5245d ago

Alex Zalben

@azalben.bsky.social

It's been seven months since The Muppet Show special streamed on Disney+ to universal acclaim and strong streaming numbers, and yet, I cannot help but notice there are no additional episodes of The Muppet Show that have been broadcast since nor news of a new series?

5045d ago

Florian Etcheverry1

I must assume it's either budget issues, or Point Grey/Rogen & Goldberg asked for creative leeway either Muppet Studio or Disney won't give them. It's a bit more surprising that nobody found out why.

Quoting this

jon rosenberg29

It won four Emmys tonight.

Emily L'Orange 🦆🍊9

genuinely the streaming era taught me to unsubscribe from every streaming service, because anything i like will be left on a cliffhanger no matter how wildly successful it is

Leonard Sultana (An Englishman In San Diego)3

We've been robbed. Was Zazlav involved?

Sarah Primate

@langurlover.bsky.social

Today in History: September 5th 1976: The first episode of The Muppet Show, which was cocreated by Jim Henson, aired, and the TV series became hugely popular, known for a cast of puppet characters that included Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

3545d ago

Sarah Primate5

1972: Palestinian terrorists attacked the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany, during the Summer Olympic Games, taking hostages and eventually killing 11 members of the Israeli team.

Bootowl2

Muppets 50th birthday! Surprised I haven’t seen this celebrated elsewhere. Muppets are one of humanity’s greatest creations!

There is no Dana only Zuul 🇨🇦1

I just watched the Treasure Island movie with Tim Curry… ❤️💔❤️

American Damsels

@jonwoodsad.bsky.social

Historical TV Show of the Day - On this day 50 years ago "The Muppet Show" premiered in the UK on ITV. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSX0...

3945d ago

Ben Siemon

@benjaminjs.bsky.social

I was so certain "The Muppet Show" was going to get a pickup I filmed a cringy video pitching myself as a writer which would have accomplished nothing but I'm still sad every day Disney didn't greenlight it.

3245d ago

Gavin

@rollvt.bsky.social

The Muppet Show aired for the 1st time 50 years ago today.. my friend Keith worked in the stills department at Elstree at that time & I’ve always been envious of these photos!

2845d ago

Brian Jay Jones

@brianjayjones.com

A nice article in @smithsonianmag.bsky.social on the 50th anniversary of The Muppet Show, marking its premier UK episode in 1976. I may be quoted in here once, twice, or thrice.

3346d ago

Brian Jay Jones14

The Muppet Show wouldn't air in the US for another two and a half weeks. I'll do a long thread on September 20, the day it premiered on US television.

᯽Ჽƭⲉꭾ𝚑𝚊𝑛𝔦ɛ᯽🤸1

I have the whole series on dvd...

3 sources

tvbeurope.comThis is how we made The Muppet Show - TVBEurope spiegel.de»Muppet Show«: 50 Jahre Kermit, Miss Piggy & Co in Bildern sojo.netTrump’s ‘Law and Order’ V. The Muppets’ Holy Chaos

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The Muppet Show marks its 50th anniversary

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