Junji Ouchi says show grew out of tradition of sending toddlers off on their own to do simple but challenging tasks

Three decades after it first aired on Japanese TV, international audiences are discovering why Old Enough, a show that makes stars of children as young as two, has enjoyed such enduring popularity.

Described by the Guardian’s Stuart Heritage as “an absolute rollercoaster of emotions that leaves you in tatters”, the programme follows a simple, crowd-pleasing format.