| Justin Fletcher MBE |
|
|---|---|
| Born | 15 June 1970 Reading, England |
| Occupation | Actor Presenter Voice actor |
Justin Fletcher, MBE (born 15 June 1970 in Reading)[1] is an English children's TV personality in the United Kingdom.
Fletcher is most associated as a presenter and actor on the BBC pre-school television channel CBeebies,[2] both speaking and performing in various often self-created roles.
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Born in Reading, Berkshire, he is the son of songwriter Guy Fletcher, whose writing credits include the Hollies song "I Can't Tell the Bottom From the Top", as well as various foreign-language songs by Cliff Richard. He has 1 brother and 3 sisters.[3]
While studying drama at the Guildford School of Acting, in his final year he 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]
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.[4] Both characters would later be used for his CBeebies show Gigglebiz.[4] Sent to various broadcasters and production companies his first show after graduation was Fun Song Factory for CITV, working with Dave Benson Philips.[5]
He then did a tour, playing Mr Jolly in Playdays for 2 years, his first work for the BBC. He then became part of the Tikkabilla programme, when he knew he was happy with his career choice.
From Tikkabilla was spun out Higgledy-Piggledy House, a slapstick Laurel and Hardy style programme with Sarah-Jane Honeywell, which progressed to the very popular Mr Tumble. Justin 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.
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 3 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, with the Humphrey and Captain Adorable characters being written into the show, which was now a series of character-based comedy sketches linked by jokes told by children. This show was first broadcast in September 2009, with the title Gigglebiz.[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, the voice of Chubba on BB3B, and regularly performs on the CBeebies radio station on BBC Radio 7.
Justin also appears as himself along with a range of animated characters in the 'bee bright' series of award-winning educational DVDs.
Justin appears in a new show called Jollywobbles, which started on BBC2 on Monday 9 August 2010.
In October 2011, CBeebies began broadcasting "Justin's House" starring Justin with Steve Kynman[8] as "Robert The Robot" and Jane Deane as "Dee Livery".[9] The show is based in Justin's fictional house, and recorded live in front of a studio audience in the new BBC studios in MediaCityUK.[10]
Fletcher owns a production company, Scrumptious House. The company has released a DVD called Let's Sing Nursery Rhymes with Justin Fletcher. A second DVD called Let's Sing Nursery Rhymes Part 2 is not yet available. He also appears in a series of popular educational pre-school DVD's called Bee Bright.[11]
Fletcher voices for the new CITV channel programme Jim Jam and Sunny, where 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 phone; the children's train ride at Animal Farm Country Park near Burnham-on-Sea; a number of Crick Software titles.[12]
From December 2009-January 2010, Justin Fletcher played the character Buttons in Cinderella at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham, West Sussex.[13] From December 2010-January 2011, he played the character Josh the Jester in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at The Hexagon theatre in Reading, Berkshire.[14]
Justin performed live at Poultons Theme Park on 9 & 10 July 2011 where he exclusivley performed his new single.
He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain the children.
3575 people signed a petition calling on the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to give Justin an OBE.
The petition states: “Justin Fletcher is a communication genius. He both entertains and educates our children and does this with intelligence and panache without patronising. Programmes like Something Special can only help bridge the gap that sometimes sadly appears between able and not so able bodied people in our society and help banish the unkindness that disabled people sometimes face due to ignorance.”
The public were asked to vote on the Prime Minister's website, and the petition deadline passed on 20 September 2007.
He 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".[15]
| Programme | Role |
|---|---|
| Tikkabilla | Himself |
| Higgledy House | Himself |
| Something Special | Himself
Mr Tumble |
| Bee bright pre-school DVDs | Himself |
| Tweenies | Jake Doodles |
| Boo! | Growling Tiger Sleeping Bear |
| Finley the Fire Engine | Miguel |
| Toddworld | |
| CBeebies Springwatch | Himself (presenter) |
| CBeebies Continuity Links | Himself (relief presenter) |
| CBeebies on BBC Radio 7 | Himself (presenter) |
| Fun Song Factory | Himself (presenter) |
| Jim Jam and Sunny | Jim Jam Slim the Giraffe |
| BB3B | Chubba |
| Shaun the Sheep | Shaun |
| Famous 5: On the Case | Timmy Smidgie [19] |
| Gigglebiz | Anna Conda Ann Teak Mr Berrito Milkshake Jake Packed Lunch Pete Arthur Sleep King Flannel Rapids Johnson Chip Monk DIY Dan Captain Adorable Gail Force The Lost Pirate Nana Knickerbocker Simon Pieman Professor Muddles Farmer Dung Dina Lady Humphrey Postie Major Boogie Keith Fit Opera Oliver |
| Timmy Time | Yabba the Duck Finlay the Fox And Others |
| Chicken Run video game | Rocky Fetcher |
| Justin's House | Himself |
| Jollywobbles! | Himself and other characters |
2010: Camp Bestival (@3)