Allan Johnston trained as a primary school teacher spending several years teaching in inner city schools in London, including a school for children with severe learning disabilities. He then left teaching to produce TV programmes for BBC Learning, where he worked on an eclectic mix of content from Fractions with Maths Man to Ancient Egypt with Jamie Theakston. It was during this time Allan came up with the idea for a series of programmes for children with learning and communication disabilities - and that was when Something Special (aka Mr Tumble) was born. It has become a CBeebies flagship programme, cherished by BBC Children’s and the BBC as a whole, resulting in Something Special being the only programme on the channel to be given a permanent slot, 365 days a year. The series was awarded a BAFTA and the Broadcast Award for best preschool programme as well as two RTS Education Awards a Gold International Award. Allan is also the co-creator of Justin's World, a series of apps for little ones that help them learn, laugh and play.

My Favourite Website... I'd love to say something academic or at least partly cerebral... but sadly it's the Official Everton FC site. Every Friday night it's a must to find out who is injured!

My Favourite App... The Room. Such a simple compelling idea, supported by amazing graphics. It is totally addictive and difficult to put down.

My Favourite Blog... India Knight. India was hugely instrumental in getting Something Special (aka Mr Tumble, the series I created ten years ago) into the mainstream. She then went on to create a blog for parents of children with additional needs. I love her writing and her non-partisan approach to issues. 

My Most Recent Buy Online... A bike. It came  un-assembled so it saved me quite a bit. And now every Sunday I join the other MAMIL's (=middle aged men in lycra) cycling to the top of Box Hill.

My Favourite Tweeter... Bob Mortimer. I love his sense of humour.

My Favourite Online Newsletter... Makaton. It's a charity aimed at children with learning and communication difficulties. It kept me abreast of important and personal accounts of communication issues which were relevant to me when I was creating and producing Something Special.

My Pet Hate About Life Online... I get work and pleasure mixed up! 

Social Media Allowed Me To Meet... India Knight. She wrote a great article about her Daughter, Makaton and Something Special. As a result she set up a blog and we have since met on several occasions. She, and her daughter Nell even appeared in one of our shows.

My Stand Out Online Memory... Creating a series of activities for Gifted and Talented kids in London and watching them engage with the content at a live event in the British Museum. These were kids from some of London's most deprived areas and it was truly inspiring  to see them grapple with Greek, Latin and Old English.

October 2013