Justin Fletcher
Justin Fletcher MBE (born 15 June 1970)[1] is an English actor, children's television presenter and comedian on the BBC pre-school television channel CBeebies.[2] speaking and performing in various, often self-created, roles. He specialises in slapstick comedy and works with children with special needs through his show Something Special. Fletcher also appeared as the award-winning comedian, Mr Tumble.
Justin Fletcher | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 June 1970 Reading, Berkshire, England |
| Occupation |
|
Notable work | Fun Song Factory Tweenies Tikkabilla Something Special Shaun the Sheep Gigglebiz Justin's House Tiny Tumble Jollywobbles Gigglequiz |
| Awards | BAFTA Children's Awards 2008 Best Presenter |
Biography
Born in Reading, Berkshire, he attended Theale Green School. He has three sisters and one brother. He currently lives in Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire.[3] He is also the cousin of Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher.
Career
Fletcher worked for Sounds Good in Theale as a cassette duplicating machine operator and generally amused his co-workers with his characterisations.
While in his final year studying drama at the Guildford School of Acting, Fletcher started to regularly watch Phillip Schofield in the BBC1 broom cupboard with Gordon the Gopher, and decided that a career in children's television was for him.[4] He then met Phillip Schofield, who suggested that he should make a show reel to showcase to TV executives.
Having sketched out various comedic characters, he put together a show reel called Justin Time, which encompassed two different characters: Anna Conda, a myopic reptile-house warden; and Arthur Sleep, a regional newsreader who has difficulty staying awake and can sleep anywhere no matter what.[4] Both characters would later be used for his CBeebies show Gigglebiz.[4] Sent to various broadcasters and production companies his first TV show after graduation was Fun Song Factory for GMTV, working with Dave Benson Phillips (he had earlier done Playdays on the stage after its cancellation, playing the character of Mr. Jolly).[5]
BBC and CBeebies
He was part of the Tikkabilla programme, out of which was spun Higgledy House, a slapstick comedy for children with Sarah-Jane Honeywell, which progressed to the very popular Mr Tumble. Fletcher has also voiced the characters of Doodles and Jake in Tweenies, Miguel in Finley the Fire Engine, Sleeping Bear and Growling Tiger in CBeebies' Boo!, with additional voices in Todd World, Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time. In 2006 Fletcher became a presenter on CBeebies but left in 2007.
Through his own production company, Fletcher developed Something Special, which he presents while signing in Makaton, a type of sign language.[6]
In November 2008, CBeebies aired three different pilots made by Fletcher, with the possibility of one of them becoming a full-time series. They were called Humphrey the Painter, Gigglebiz and Captain Adorable. In January 2009, an announcement by CBeebies was made that Gigglebiz would become the regular show, starting in September 2009, with the Humphrey and Captain Adorable characters being included, which was now a series of character-based comedy sketches linked by jokes told by children.[4][7]
His voice over work for CBBC includes voicing Harold from Thomas the Tank Engine, which he has performed on BBC Radio 4, arena tour and pantomime. Fletcher is a relief continuity presenter for CBeebies' presentation links and regularly performed on the CBeebies radio station on BBC Radio 7 until its change to BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2011.
Fletcher also appears as himself along with a range of animated characters in the Bee Bright series of award-winning educational DVDs.[8]
He also occasionally appears in a show called The Hollies School.
Justin's House
In October 2011, CBeebies began broadcasting Justin's House starring Fletcher with Steven Kynman[9] as "Robert the Robot" and Jane Deane as "Dee Livery".[10] The show is based in Justin's fictional house, and recorded live in front of a studio audience.
Ratings
Episode ratings from BARB.[11]
| Episode no. | Airdate | Total viewers | Share | CBeebies weekly ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 October 2011 | 675,000 | 7.1% | 2 |
| 2 | 9 October 2011 | 716,000 | 7.8% | 1 |
| 3 | 15 October 2011 | 535,000 | 6.0% | 5 |
| 4 | 16 October 2011 | 744,000 | 7.8% | 1 |
| 5 | 22 October 2011 | 570,000 | 6.8% | 6 |
| 6 | 23 October 2011 | 715,000 | 6.3% | 1 |
| 7 | 29 October 2011 | 634,000 | 4.2% | 1 |
| 8 | 30 October 2011 | 497,000 | 8.0% | 5 |
| 9 | 5 November 2011 | 464,000 | 5.3% | 5 |
| 10 | 6 November 2011 | 527,000 | 5.7% | 1 |
| 11 | 12 November 2011 | 526,000 | 6.7% | 6 |
| 12 | 13 November 2011 | Under 485,000 | 3.3% | Outside Top 10 |
| 13 | 19 November 2011 | 537,000 | 6.5% | 4 |
| 14 | 20 November 2011 | Under 497,000 | 5.8% | Outside Top 10 |
| 15 | 26 November 2011 | Under 461,000 | 5.5% | Outside Top 10 |
| 16 | 27 November 2011 | 489,000 | 5.4% | 4 |
| 17 | 3 December 2011 | Under 486,000 | 6.1% | Outside Top 10 |
| 18 | 4 December 2011 | 510,000 | 4.0% | 5 |
| 19 | 10 December 2011 | 409,000 | 6.3% | 3 |
| 20 | 11 December 2011 | 572,000 | 6.1% | 1 |
| 23 | 15 December 2011 | 800,000 | 6.4% | 2 |
| 21 | 17 December 2011 | Under 581,000 | 6.3% | Outside Top 10 |
| 22 | 18 December 2011 | Under 581,000 | 3.3% | Outside Top 10 |
Other work
Starting in 1998 Fletcher presented the Fun Song Factory for the GMTV series for a year as his first full-time presenting role. He later returned to the show in 2004, as the voice of Ozzy.
He owns a production company, Scrumptious House, which has released a DVD called Let's Sing Nursery Rhymes with Justin Fletcher.
In the CITV channel programme Jim Jam and Sunny, he is the voice of both Jim Jam and Slim the cowardly giraffe.
His voice appears on the VTech Alphabet Desk, Turn and Learn Driver and the Bob the Builder phones, the children's train ride at Animal Farm Country Park near Burnham-on-Sea, and a number of Crick Software titles.[12]
From December 2009 to January 2010, Fletcher played the character Buttons in Cinderella at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham, West Sussex.[13] From December 2010 to January 2011, he played the character Josh the Jester in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at The Hexagon theatre in Reading, Berkshire.[14] From December 2011 to January 2012, he played the character Wishy Washy in the pantomime Aladdin at the Hexagon theatre in Reading.[15] In recent years he has performed in 2 pantomimes in Woking, 7 pantomimes in Reading and returns in 2018 for the panto Aladdin again at the Hexagon.[16] In 2019 Fletcher starred as Buttons in Cinderella which he also wrote.
He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain children. Justin is a patron for Bournemouth-based performing arts school Stagewise.
His debut album Hands Up the Album reached number 16 in the UK Albums Chart on 11 March 2012. In March 2013 he released his second album, Best Friends. In January 2015 he released his third album, Just Party.
On 12 September 2015 he appeared on Pointless Celebrities, and got knocked out in the second round.
Fletcher presented a daily radio show on Fun Kids weekdays from 9 am to 10 am called Justin's Word.
Awards
Orders of Chivalry
Fletcher was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to "children's broadcasting and the voluntary sector". [17]
Professional awards
- Nominated as Best Presenter for Something Special
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2008[19]
- Awarded Best Presenter for Something Special
BAFTA Childrens Awards 2009
Awarded Best Presenter for Something Special and Bee Bright
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2010[20]
- Awarded Best Presenter for Something Special
- Nominated Best Performer for Gigglebiz
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2011[21]
- Nominated Best Presenter for Something Special
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2012[22]
- Awarded the Flynn Rossiter award for entertainment
Filmography
| Years | Programme | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–2004 | Fun Song Factory | Himself (Presenter), Ozzy (voice only, 2004 version) |
| 1999–2002 | Tweenies | Jake and Doodles (Voice Only) |
| 1999 | Legoland | Jonathan Ablebody (Voice only) |
| 2000 | Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge | Swampy (Voice Only) |
| Chicken Run video game | Rocky and Fetcher (voice only) | |
| 2002–07 | Tikkabilla | Himself (Presenter) |
| 2003–2006 | Boo! | Growling Tiger and Sleeping Bear (voice only) |
| 2007–10 | CBeebies on BBC Radio 7 | Himself (Presenter) |
| 2002 | Higgledy House | Himself |
| 2003-present | Something Special | Himself, Mr Tumble and various characters |
| 2006–07 | CBeebies Continuity Links | Himself (Presenter) |
| 2006 | ToddWorld | Pickle (UK dub), Additional voices |
| CBeebies Springwatch | Himself (Presenter) | |
| Jim Jam and Sunny | Jim Jam and Slim the cowardly giraffe (voice only) | |
| 2007–16 | Shaun the Sheep | Shaun, Timmy (Season 1-5 onwards) (voice only) |
| 2007-9 | Yo Gabba Gabba! | Brobee, Plex (UK dub) |
| 2008 | Famous 5: On the Case | Timmy and Smidgie (voice only) [23] |
| 2007 | Finley the Fire Engine | Miguel and other characters (UK dub, voices only) |
| 2008 | Green Balloon Club | Himself (Original Workprints & Launch Pilot) |
| 2009– | Gigglebiz | Various characters |
| 2009–12 | Timmy Time | Timmy, Yabba the Duck, Finlay the Fox and others (voice only) |
| 2010 | Jollywobbles | Mr Jolly |
| 2011 | Olly the Little White Van | Olly (voice only) |
| 2011–2017 | Justin's House | Himself |
| 2015 | Shaun the Sheep Movie | Shaun and Timmy (voice only) |
| Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas | ||
| 2019 | A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon | |
| GiggleQuiz | Various characters | |
Live performances
1997 Playdays Mr Jolly (live stage show only)
References
- "Children's TV star appointed MBE". BBC News. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "BBC CBeebies website". 20 September 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "BBC - CBeebies Presenters - Justin". Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Interview: Justin Fletcher on Gigglebiz". CBeeBies. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Interview: Justin Fletcher". CBBC. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Justin Fletcher is Something Special". 12 November 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Gigglebiz Homepage". 20 September 2009. Archived from the original on 9 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Bee Bright". Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "BBC - CBeebies - Justin's House". Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Jane Deane Home Page". Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Top 10 Programmes - BARB". Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Clicker Books @home". Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Hewitt, Phil (4 December 2009). "PANTOMIME: All the major pantos in West Sussex and further afield". Midhurst and Petworth Observer. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
- "Justin Fletcher to star in Hexagon panto". 3 March 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Madge Bishop to star alongside Justin Fletcher in Aladdin". Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Aladdin 2018". www.readingarts.com. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- "No. 58729". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2008. p. 16.
- "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2007". BAFTA. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2008". BAFTA. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2010". BAFTA. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2011". BAFTA. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- "Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2012". BAFTA. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Justin Fletcher IMDB Profile". Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- Thomas H Green (31 July 2009). "Camp Bestival: punks, travellers and my mum and dad". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- "Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah and The Gruffalo for Camp Bestival". eFestivals. Bristol, England: NRG Internet Ltd. 18 May 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- "Fall in love with Mr Tumble at Harvest at Jimmy's". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich, England: Archant. 26 August 2011. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- "Camp Bestival '12". eFestivals. Bristol, England: NRG Internet Ltd. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- Sketchanet. "Camp Bestival 2016 - Kids - Mr Tumble". Retrieved 21 May 2016.
External links
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