Zig-zag in-line package | Lapstone Zig Zag | Cover of ''Zig, Puce et Alfred'' (1929) by Alain Saint-Ogan | Assa-Zag Province |
From 1986 Good Afternoon remained but Ian Dempsey, accompanied by Zig and Zag, took control of introducing children's programming from 4:30pm with a new show called Dempsey's Den.
Highlights include attacks by Ted, a malicious panda, on the presenters, Christmas specials of The Den and footage is also shown of characters such as Captain Joke, Captain Pillowcase and Cousin Nigel and the Irish Film and Television awards of 1989 where Zig and Zag "accidentally" mistook then taoiseach Albert Reynolds with actor Burt Reynolds and addressed him as "your majesty".
Current Today FM presenters Ian Dempsey and Ray D'Arcy, who both worked in children's television at different times in the early parts of their respective careers, feature heavily in the special which looks back at Zig and Zag's origins on Dempsey's Den.
Zig and Zag preceded what became a wave of puppets that have featured in RTÉ children's schedules, such as Dustin the Turkey, best known outside Ireland for being that country's entry into the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, and Podge and Rodge who have achieved solo success with popular night-time shows, A Scare at Bedtime and The Podge and Rodge Show.
Zig and Zag often turn on their TV station ‘Channel Z’ and tune into their favourite soap ‘Unfair City’ which is their skit on RTE long-running series Fair City.
Zig and Zag claim that their Tortoise, who spins around on his back and chooses the greatest ‘hits’ of a particular type as requested from listeners and challenged by Zig and Zag.