Sooty (TV series)

Sooty is a British children's television series that aired on ITV from 5 November 2001 - 6 January 2004 for three series. It replaces Sooty Heights, although the setting is much the same. Like Sooty Heights, it follows TV puppet Sooty, along with friends, Soo, Sweep and Scampi, as they run a hotel, which is redecorated and later renamed as 'Hotel Sooty'.

The show is presented by Richard Cadell and Vicki Lee Taylor, and introduces the new character of Miki, a cat from Brazil, and recurring character Butch the dog, who plays a more frequent role. Each episode also features a music video, which, in the first series, uses a blue screen.

After their original broadcasts, all three series were repeated on the CITV Channel between 2006 and 2009.

Cast

• Richard Cadell - Presenter
• Vicki Lee Taylor - Co-presenter
• Sooty - a mute yellow bear who is the protagonist of the show. He owns a magic wand whose power is invoked using the words "Izzy wizzy, let's get busy".
• Sweep - a dim-witted grey dog with a penchant for bones and sausages. He wears red wellingtons and communicates using bizarre squeaks.
• Soo - a calm and collected female panda who acts as the foil for both Sooty and Sweep. Usually wears a red skirt. Voiced by Brenda Longman in Series 1.
• Little Cousin Scampi - Sooty's cousin, who is very cheeky and a serial troublemaker. He wears a navy blue school uniform and, like Sooty, is mute. Although in this show he is rarely seen.
• Butch The Dog - a bull dog who often visits the hotel and gets along well with Sooty & Sweep.
• Miki - a Brazilian cat who was introduced in episode two of Series 1. She is also the hotel's chef.
• Soola - Another female Panda who is Soo's cousin. Unlike Soo, she is crafty and and plays a bad trick on Soo in one episode.

Performers (Series 2)

• Sooty and Little Cousin Scampi: Richard Coombs
• Sweep and Butch The Dog: Francis Wright
• Soo: Shelia Clark
• Miki: Debbie Cumming

Episode guide

Series 1: 2001

• 1. All New Sooty (5 November 2001)
• 2. The New Arrival (6 November 2001)
• 3. Sc-Fi Sooty (7 November 2001)
• 4. It's My Party (8 November 2001)
• 5. Sweep Asleep (9 November 2001)
• 6. It's a Dog's Life (12 November 2001)
• 7. Practice Makes Perfect (13 November 2001)
• 8. Sad Sad Sooty (14 November 2001)
• 9. Night of a Thousand Bears (15 November 2001)
• 10.You Don't Scare Me (16 November 2001)
• 11.A Cat and Dog Thing (19 November 2001)
• 12.Favourite Things (20 November 2001)
• 13.Santa's Back (21 November 2001)

Series 2: 2002

• 1.Robo Richard (15 October 2002)
• 2.The Mysterious Visitor (22 October 2002)
• 3.Sooty's Pet (29 October 2002)
• 4.Superheroes (5 November 2002)
• 5.Sooty in Charge (12 November 2002)
• 6.Sooty's Magic Garden (19 November 2002)
• 7.The New Gang (26 November 2002)
• 8.The Little Big People (3 December 2002)
• 9.Digging for Dinosaurs (10 December 2002)
• 10.Best Friends (17 December 2002)

Series 3: 2003/04

• 1. Sooty's Baby (27 October 2003)
• 2. Double Trouble (28 October 2003)
• 3. Flying Fun (29 October 2003)
• 4. Sooty at the Seaside (30 October 2003)
• 5. Treasure Hunt (31 October 2003)
• 6. Water, Water Everywhere (3 November 2003)
• 7. Sooty's Ghost (10 November 2003)
• 8. Let's Get Camping (17 November 2003)
• 9. Keep Fit Sooty (6 January 2004)

Trivia

• The series 3 episode "Water, Water Everywhere" is also the same name given to the third episode of the first series of Sooty Heights.
• The end of the series marked the first time Sooty had been off TV screens for an extended period since 1955, when the first series aired on the BBC.
• When Series 1 was repeated on CITV in the run up to Series 2 in 2002, the episodes were edited down from 20 to 15 minutes to fit the slot because of Series 2 was to be 15 minutes.

External links

• Sooty at itv.com/citv
• Sooty Online