Get Your Own Back: The Gunge, the Glory, the Legend

Get Your Own Back wasn’t just a children’s TV show — it was a cultural rite of passage for 90s kids across Britain. This week, we dive deep into the gloriously messy world of Dave Benson Phillips and the BBC’s ultimate gunge-fueled revenge fantasy. Kids nominating adults for silly payback? Check. Giant vats of slime? Double check. A chanting audience and one of the most enthusiastic presenters in television history? Oh yes.

We explore the show’s origins in 1991, its iconic format, and why it resonated so strongly with young viewers. From messy trivia games to pirate ships and “The Gunk Dunk,” Get Your Own Back offered children the power to turn the tables on grown-ups — all in good fun, and with lots of goo.

But the show was more than just slapstick chaos. We reflect on the behind-the-scenes stories, the surprising mishaps, and how Phillips’ charisma turned what could have been throwaway telly into something unforgettable. There’s even a story about how he ended up being gunged himself!

We also look at where the show went post-2003, and how Dave Benson Phillips pivoted into the most unlikely second act — becoming a beloved figure in the UK wrestling scene. Yes, really. It turns out you can take the man out of the gunge tank, but not the gunge out of the man.

Nostalgia is messy, and nowhere is that more true than here. Join us as we celebrate the magic of Get Your Own Back, a show that proved revenge is a dish best served... slime-covered.

Talk2TheHand is an independent throwback podcast run by husband and wife, Jimmy and Beth. Obsessed with 90s nostalgia and 90s celebrities, we'll rewind the years and take you back to the greatest era of our lives.  

New episodes bursting with nostalgia of the 90s released on Tuesdays.

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Find us on Twitter @talk2thehandpod or email us at jimmy@talk2thehand.co.uk or beth@talk2thehand.co.uk