Squiggle, I looked in the Radio Times and Sooty is shown on CITV at 7 in the morning. Lots of childrens programs are shown at that time so the only thing I can think of is that the parents didn't like being woken up that time of the morning to turn on the television 
I hope your son does break his smoking habit. If the cough persists and he doesn't stop smoking, I would not blame the surgeons if they postponed the operation again. I doubt if they would want to risk the prospect of him coughing during the operation making things far more dangerous for him than what is a painful condition at present but not life-threatening.