Justin Fletcher
Encyclopedia
Justin Fletcher, MBE
(born 15 June 1970 in Reading
) 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
, both speaking and performing in various often self-created roles.
. He has 1 brother and 3 sisters.
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.
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. Both characters would later be used for his CBeebies
show Gigglebiz
. Sent to various broadcasters and production companies his first show after graduation was Fun Song Factory
for CITV
, working with Dave Benson Philips.
programme, when he knew he was happy with his career choice.
From Tikkabilla was spun out Higgledy House
, a slapstick Laurel and Hardy
style programme 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.
Through his own production company, Fletcher developed Something Special, which he presents while signing in Makaton
. 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
.
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.
as "Robert The Robot" and Jane Deane as "Dee Livery". 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.
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.
From December 2009-January 2010, Justin Fletcher played the character Buttons
in Cinderella
at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham
, West Sussex. From December 2010-January 2011, he played the character Josh the Jester in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty
at The Hexagon
theatre in Reading, Berkshire
.
Justin performed live at Poultons Theme Park on 9th & 10th July 2011 where he exclusivley performed his new single.
He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain the children.
, 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".
Jollywobble Himself
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 15 June 1970 in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
) is an English children's TV personality in the United Kingdom.
Fletcher is most associated as a presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and actor on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
pre-school television channel CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
, both speaking and performing in various often self-created roles.
Biography
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 RichardCliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
. He has 1 brother and 3 sisters.
Career
While studying dramaDrama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
at the Guildford School of Acting
Guildford School of Acting
Guildford School of Acting is a drama school located in Guildford, Surrey, England. It is an affiliate of the University of Surrey and is an accredited member of the National Council for Drama Training and The Conference of Drama Schools.-Overview:...
, in his final year he started to regularly watch Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
in the BBC1 broom cupboard with Gordon the Gopher
Gordon the Gopher
Gordon the Gopher, also known as Gordon T. Gopher, an English puppet gopher who first appeared on Children's BBC between 1985 and 1987, presenting television shows with Phillip Schofield on the interstitial or in-vision continuity programme The Broom Cupboard...
, and decided that a career in children's television was for him.
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. Both characters would later be used for his CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
show Gigglebiz
Gigglebiz
Gigglebiz is a children's television programme made in the UK. There have been two series, first broadcast on CBeebies , the BBC's younger children's channel, in 2009 and 2011....
. Sent to various broadcasters and production companies his first show after graduation was Fun Song Factory
Fun Song Factory
Fun Song Factory is a British preschool children's show on CITV aimed at youngsters. It was one of the first songs-based shows to be filmed in front of a live audience of children , and is similar to Australian shows such as 'The Wiggles' and 'Hi-5'.It was originally created in 1994 by Will Brenton...
for CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
, working with Dave Benson Philips.
BBC and CBeebies
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 TikkabillaTikkabilla
Tikkabilla is a UK children's television programme, shown on BBC1, BBC2 and on the CBeebies channel.The programme aims to educate pre-school children in an entertaining manner...
programme, when he knew he was happy with his career choice.
From Tikkabilla was spun out Higgledy House
Higgledy House
Higgledy House is a UK children's television programme shown on the CBeebies channel. Stars Justin Fletcher and Sarah-Jane Honeywell play cohabiting friends whose eccentric exploits at home are the subject of the show; though aimed at young children, the comedy is at times Laurel and...
, a slapstick Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
style programme with Sarah-Jane Honeywell
Sarah-Jane Honeywell
Sarah-Jane Honeywell is an English television presenter, actress, dancer, acrobat/aerialist best known for her work on the CBeebies television channel....
, which progressed to the very popular Mr Tumble. Fletcher has also voiced the characters of Doodles and Jake in Tweenies
Tweenies
Tweenies was a television programme aimed at young children, broadcast on the BBC's Cbeebies channel.-Overview:The programme was created by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming...
, 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
Makaton
Makaton is a language programme designed to provide a means of communication to individuals who cannot communicate efficiently by speaking. Makaton has been effectively used with individuals who have cognitive impairments, autism, Down's syndrome, specific language impairment, multisensory...
. 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
Gigglebiz
Gigglebiz is a children's television programme made in the UK. There have been two series, first broadcast on CBeebies , the BBC's younger children's channel, in 2009 and 2011....
.
His voice over work for CBBC includes voicing Harold from Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
, which he has performed on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, arena tour and pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
. Fletcher is a relief continuity presenter for CBeebies' presentation links, the voice of Chubba on BB3B
BB3B
BB3B is an animated UK children's television series produced by Tell Tale Productions in 2005. The entire series consists of thirteen episodes of twenty minutes each. It is shown on CBBC in the UK and ABC in Australia...
, 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.
Justin's House
In October 2011, CBeebies began broadcasting "Justin's House" starring Justin with Steve KynmanSteve Kynman
Steven Kynman is a British voice artist and actor who voices Brian in Moving Wallpaper, Mr. Nosey in The Mr. Men Show , Azur in Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest and Cooper in Combat Sheep....
as "Robert The Robot" and Jane Deane as "Dee Livery". 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.
Other work
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.Fletcher voices for the new CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
channel programme Jim Jam and Sunny, where he is the voice of both Jim Jam and Slim the cowardly giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
.
His voice appears on: the VTech
VTech
VTech is the common name of Video Technology Ltd. , a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of consumer electronics...
Alphabet Desk, Turn and Learn Driver and the Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder is a British children's animated television show created by Keith Chapman. In the original series Bob appears as a building contractor specialising in masonry in a stop motion animated programme with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours and friends, and their gang of...
phone; the children's train ride at Animal Farm Country Park near Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small village until the late 18th century, when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge...
; a number of Crick Software titles.
From December 2009-January 2010, Justin Fletcher played the character Buttons
Buttons (pantomime)
Buttons is the name of a character in the Cinderella pantomime. Buttons is the servant of Cinderella's father, Baron Hardup, and is Cinderella's friend...
in Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, West Sussex. From December 2010-January 2011, he played the character Josh the Jester in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...
at The Hexagon
The Hexagon
The Hexagon is a multi-purpose arts venue and theatre with a capacity of 1,200 in central Reading, Berkshire, England. It is named for its shape....
theatre in Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
.
Justin performed live at Poultons Theme Park on 9th & 10th July 2011 where he exclusivley performed his new single.
He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain the children.
Orders of Chivalry
3575 people signed a petition calling on the then Prime Minister, Gordon BrownGordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, 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".
Professional awards
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2007
- Nominated as Best Presenter
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2008
- Awarded Best Presenter
- BAFTA Children's Awards 2010
- Awarded Best Presenter
Filmography
| Programme | Role |
|---|---|
| Tikkabilla Tikkabilla Tikkabilla is a UK children's television programme, shown on BBC1, BBC2 and on the CBeebies channel.The programme aims to educate pre-school children in an entertaining manner... |
Himself |
| Higgledy House Higgledy House Higgledy House is a UK children's television programme shown on the CBeebies channel. Stars Justin Fletcher and Sarah-Jane Honeywell play cohabiting friends whose eccentric exploits at home are the subject of the show; though aimed at young children, the comedy is at times Laurel and... |
Himself |
| Something Special | Himself Mr TumbleGranddad TumbleBaby TumbleAunty PollyAunty SukeyCliff TumbleKing TumbleQueen TumbleCousin Cool TumbleLord TumbleSailor TumbleChef TumbleScout TumbleFisherman Tumble |
| Bee bright pre-school DVDs | Himself |
| Tweenies Tweenies Tweenies was a television programme aimed at young children, broadcast on the BBC's Cbeebies channel.-Overview:The programme was created by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming... |
JakeDoodles |
| Boo | Growling TigerSleeping Bear |
| Finley the Fire Engine Finley the Fire Engine Finley the Fire Engine is a CGI children's cartoon series produced by in Douglas, Isle of Man. It is about the talking vehicles in a fictional town called Friendlyville. Each episode has a theme: for example, episode 4A's theme is "wearing spectacles is no reason to be embarrassed".78 episodes are... |
Miguel |
| Toddworld Toddworld ToddWorld is an animated children's TV programme about the adventures of a boy named Todd and his friends.ToddWorld features the artistic style of Todd Parr's children's books and was created by Todd Parr and writer Gerry Renert of SupperTime Entertainmenet... |
|
| CBeebies CBeebies CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both... Springwatch |
Himself (presenter) |
| CBeebies CBeebies CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both... Continuity Links |
Himself (relief presenter) |
| CBeebies CBeebies CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both... on BBC Radio 7 |
Himself (presenter) |
| Fun Song Factory Fun Song Factory Fun Song Factory is a British preschool children's show on CITV aimed at youngsters. It was one of the first songs-based shows to be filmed in front of a live audience of children , and is similar to Australian shows such as 'The Wiggles' and 'Hi-5'.It was originally created in 1994 by Will Brenton... |
Himself (presenter) |
| Jim Jam and Sunny | Jim JamSlim the Giraffe |
| BB3B BB3B BB3B is an animated UK children's television series produced by Tell Tale Productions in 2005. The entire series consists of thirteen episodes of twenty minutes each. It is shown on CBBC in the UK and ABC in Australia... |
Chubba |
| Shaun the Sheep Shaun the Sheep Shaun the Sheep is a British stop-motion animated children's television series produced by Aardman Animations, and commissioned by the BBC and the WDR. It first aired in the UK on CBBC in March 2007... |
Shaun |
| Famous 5: On the Case Famous 5: On the Case Famous 5: On The Case is an animated television series which is currently broadcast in the United Kingdom, on the Disney Channel. It is a British and French television co-production, loosely based on The Famous Five series of books created by Enid Blyton... |
Timmy Smidgie |
| Gigglebiz Gigglebiz Gigglebiz is a children's television programme made in the UK. There have been two series, first broadcast on CBeebies , the BBC's younger children's channel, in 2009 and 2011.... |
Anna CondaAnn TeakMr BerritoMilkshake JakePacked Lunch PeteArthur SleepKing FlannelRapids JohnsonChip MonkDIY DanCaptain AdorableGail ForceThe Lost PirateNana KnickerbockerSimon PiemanProfessor MuddlesFarmer DungDina LadyHumphreyPostieMajor BoogieKeith FitOpera Oliver |
| Timmy Time Timmy Time Timmy Time is an animated pre-school children's comedy series created by Aardman Animations. It started broadcasting in the UK on CBeebies on 6 April 2009. The show is a spin off from the Shaun the Sheep animation which itself is a spin off from the Aardman series Wallace & Gromit, which introduced... |
Yabba the DuckFinlay the FoxAnd Others |
| Chicken Run video game Chicken Run (video game) Chicken Run is a stealth-based 3-D platformer based on the movie Chicken Run. The game is a loose parody of the famous The Great Escape movie, which is based in World War II.-Plot:... |
RockyFetcher |
| Justin's House | Himself |
Jollywobble Himself
External links
- www.beebright.co.uk