One chunky yellow cassette. A whole mixtape of cosy 90s telly. Instant comfort.
Before streaming, before DVDs, before I could even work a remote properly, there was one tape that ruled my world — a sunny yellow VHS called My Best Friends. A BBC/NCH (National Children’s Home) compilation from the early 90s, it felt like the preschool version of a Now That’s What I Call Music album: Rosie and Jim, Pingu, Fireman Sam, Postman Pat, Tots TV, Rupert, SuperTed, even The Herbs — all on one glorious cassette.
📼 The Magic of Compilation Tapes
What made My Best Friends special wasn’t just the shows — it was the mix. One minute you were in Toyland with Noddy, the next you were cackling at Pingu’s honks or humming the Tots TV theme. It was chaos in the best way — a lucky dip of childhood joy.
Because it was all on one tape, it became the go-to for everything: sick days, rainy afternoons, or those moments when I just needed something familiar. The gentle VHS crackle and slightly wobbly picture? Pure hug-in-a-screen.
💖 Little Memories
I can still hear the whirrr-click of the VCR loading. The chunky plastic case with bright, fuzzy artwork. I definitely wore that tape out rewinding to my favourite bits (usually Pingu… unless it was a Rosie and Jim day).
Sometimes I’d sit cross-legged on the carpet with a bowl of Frosties; other times it just played in the background while I drew. My own mini world of make-believe, looping in the corner of the room.
🌈 Why It Still Means So Much
Looking back, My Best Friends was more than a tape — it was a time capsule. A perfect slice of early-90s childhood: simple, warm, and just the right amount of weird. It introduced me to characters who still make me smile decades later and — honestly — probably kick-started my lifelong obsession with nostalgia.
Your turn: Did you have this tape (or My Best Friends Too)? Which segment did you always rewind to? Drop your memories — bonus points for theme-tune lyrics! ✨
- #ActuallyAsten
- #ADN
- #90sNostalgia
- #VHS
- #Pingu
- #RosieAndJim
- #TotsTV
Asten Does Nostalgia 
Leave a comment