Original host Chris Tarrant is to bring Tiswas back to television.

ITV will show a 90-minute special of the erratic 1970s children's hit fronted by the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host.

He will be joined by former colleagues including Sally James, Lenny Henry, Bob Carolgees - and Spit the Dog. There will be a series of new sketches in keeping with the Tiswas style as well as old footage, according to The Sun.

Newsreader Trevor MacDonald is also apparently prepared to take part in a repeat of the time he was “gunged", while Status Quo, Madness and Sir Paul McCartney are rumoured to be taking guest slots.

Tarrant, who is helping to produce, has been watching his old tapes of the show. “I can’t believe how young and beautiful we all looked," he commented. "It’s amazing Tiswas was a kids’ show — it certainly became a cult adults’ show.”

The show, launched in 1974, ended after Tarrant left in 1982.