CBeebies: Something Special – Kidz questions for Justin Fletcher
Who’s your favourite character you do and why? Bailey age 4 and Con age 7
That’s a really good one. It’s got to be Mr Tumble.
What got it for me when we first started doing the four episodes. This was very early stages. We made it a small educational programme. Only four episodes – fifteen minutes each I think. And I had no idea the impact the show would have on the adults and the children.
And when we started getting the feedback in, people saying my child has spoken for the first time after watching the programme. We just couldn’t believe it. And we knew it was…something special. It was so important and it just have us the incentive to write more and more.
So yeah – Mr Tumble every time!
And when you do Mr Tumble in the live arena as well….I still get shivers every time I run out at Wembley and you see ten thousand children…..when they see Mr Tumble…the impact this character has on Kids is just incredible.
How long did it take you to learn sign language? Sophie age 7
Good Question. The first series of ‘Something Special’ was quite a fast training session. I had two weeks to learn three hundred words. That was my first crash course in Makaton (Sign language). So I had two trainers, it was very quick – and I’m learning still. We’re in our twelfth year and now my vocabulary is about five hundred.
What is his favourite thing that goes in his spotty bag? Molly age 3
Throughout the thirteen years we’ve been filming we’ve put a lot of stuff in our ‘Spotty bag’ (laughs). I quite like – things like….we had coconuts once. It’s good you can use them as props. We juggled with them.
What gets me every time – when we film, we film at schools up and down the country. The ‘Spotty bag’ is an iconic prop. It’s a bit like ‘humpty’ (Character in ‘Play School’ – TV show when Mums and Dad’s we’re young).
When the bag comes out, the children just lock into the bag and they want to know what’s in it (laughs). And they absolutely love it – it’s just great. It’s like bringing out….I don’t know? It’s a key prop….it’s as important and the character.
What’s your favourite joke? Wilbur age 5
Recently….one of my little fans came up to me at the show and said “Justin – What’s wobbly and flies?”
It’s a Jelly-Copter
And I thought that was quite a good one (Laughs)….that was a good one.
Toy Fair 2015 – Dad checks out the new ‘Something Special’ Toys and meets Justin Fletcher at the Golden Bear stand!!!
