The Muppet Show is a family-oriented
comedy-variety television series that was produced by puppeteer
Jim Henson and features
The Muppets. After two pilot episodes produced in 1974 and 1975 failed to get the attention of network executives in the United States,
Lew Grade approached Henson to produce the programme in the
United Kingdom for
ATV, the (then)
ITV franchise in the
English Midlands. The show lasted for five series consisting of 120 episodes which were first broadcast in Britain between 5 September 1976 and 15 March 1981 on ATV and
syndicated the remaining ITV franchises around the United Kingdom. The programmes were recorded at ATV's
Elstree Studios in
Borehamwood,
England.