Planed Plant

Lore & Background

Planed Plant was broadcast on S4C weekdays between 16:00 and 17:00 on analogue and 16:00 and 18:00 on digital. It included imported animated programmes such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sabrina, Horseland, and Dennis and Gnasher, all dubbed into Welsh, alongside Welsh-produced programmes. The channel's flagship youth magazine show, Uned 5, was often introduced by Planed Plant until April 2005, when the programme moved to a new prime-time slot.

Until 26 October 2007, production of Planed Plant was in-house. This was replaced by a service from independent production company Boomerang. As part of the changes, the previous presentation team (Alex Jones, Mari Grug, Alun Williams) were replaced by a new team of announcers/presenters. Newcomers Geraint Hardy and Meleri Williams began presenting the 4-6pm strand for older children. Williams left after eleven months and was replaced by Lois Cernyw and Tudur Phillips.

Planed Plant also had a pre-school version, Planed Plant Bach ("Small Children's Planet"), which ran from 14 October 1998 (as Planed Plant until December 2001) until 22 April 2008. Both Planed Plant and Planed Plant Bach were eventually replaced: Planed Plant Bach by Cyw on 23 June 2008, and Planed Plant itself by Stwnsh in 2010.

Reader's Guide

Planed Plant represents a significant era in Welsh-language children's broadcasting, serving as the primary children's block on S4C from 1998 to 2010. It continued a tradition of Welsh-language programming for young audiences that began with Y Clwb S4C in 1982. The strand's importance lies in its role in providing Welsh-dubbed versions of popular international cartoons, making them accessible to Welsh-speaking children, while also supporting locally produced content. Its Bafta Cymru award for graphics and titles in 2003 highlights the creative effort invested in the strand's presentation. The shift from in-house production to an independent company in 2007 marked a significant change in S4C's approach to children's programming. Planed Plant's legacy is carried on by its successor, Stwnsh, and the pre-school service Cyw, both of which continue to serve Welsh-speaking children. The strand also had a counterpart in the Irish language, Síle, on TG4.

Did You Know?

• Planed Plant won a Bafta Cymru in 2003 for the programme's graphics and titles.
• Until 26 October 2007, production of Planed Plant was in-house, then replaced by independent production company Boomerang.
• Planed Plant was shown on S4C weekdays between 16:00 and 17:00 on analogue and 16:00 and 18:00 on digital.
• The pre-school version, Planed Plant Bach, was replaced by Cyw on 23 June 2008.