Diana Ross joins the Muppets in one 1980 episode
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The arrival today on Disney+ of all five seasons of The Muppet Show would always have been a source of good cheer, but in early 2021 it looks something like divine providence. Over the five years it ran, from 1976 to 1981, this showcase for Jim Henson’s most famous creations tickled us pink with its daft sketches, exuberant songs and exhausting list of definitively A-list stars (see below). From Julie Andrews to Sylvester Stallone, anyone who was anyone seemed willing to turn up on set and goof around with what were, after all, weirdly-faced felt puppets about half their size.