Top of the puppets
★ SOOTY is aiming to “izzy-wizzy” up the charts and land a Christmas No1, as we reported yesterday.
The kids’ TV favourite is set to release The Most Magical Time of the Year: his take on Andy Williams’ classic for his 75th birthday, with proceeds of the single going to the charity Childline.
★ But he wouldn’t be the first puppet or cuddly character to make a bid for pop stardom as JAMES MOORE reveals…
Roland Rat: The loveable wisecracking rodent, who debuted on TV-am in 1983, scored three UK chart singles. Rat Rapping reached No14 and Love Me Tender also made the top 40. He even released albums with songs from screen sidekicks such as Kevin the Gerbil.
Orville the Duck: Ventriloquist Keith Harris and his nappy-clad TV puppet went to No4 in 1982 with the totally quackers Orville’s Song (I Wish I Could Fly), selling 400,000 copies. They appeared on Top of the Pops and had another hit with a version of White Christmas.
The Wombles: The original eco-warriors who kept millions of kids entertained in the 1970s spawned a band led by Mike Batt, writer of its TV theme tune, The Wombling Song. The Wombles had four top
10 hits with Wombling Merry Christmas peaking at No2 in 1974.
The Muppets: Kermit, Miss Piggy and pals conquered the charts in 1977 with a No1 album The Muppet Show and made No7 with the single Halfway Down the Stairs. Created by Jim Henson, The Muppets returned to the charts in 2009 with a cover of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Basil Brush: The foxy glove puppet has released a few turkeys such as Boom! Boom! which reached No44 in
2003. But the bushytailed star is having a crack at this year’s
Christmas No1 with his new single Boom! Boom! It’s Christmas Again in aid of charities Save The Children and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
Spitting Image: “Hold a chicken in the air, stick a deckchair up your nose…” The Chicken Song’s zany lyrics and catchy tune helped the satirical TV puppet show hit No1 in 1986. A Top of the Pops performance saw US President Ronald Reagan on drums and Margaret Thatcher playing keyboards.
Zig & Zag: Fans of Channel 4’s Big Breakfast will remember the madcap duo – a pair of alien twins. They managed to reach No5 in the charts in January 1995 with Them Girls Them Girls. Their puppet pal Dustin the Turkey was Ireland’s 2008 Eurovision entry.
The Firm: The novelty band had a string of hits in the 1980s including Star Trekkin’ which went to No1 in 1987 with lyrics based on catchphrases from the TV sci-fi hit and potty puppet aliens in its video.
Mr Blobby: No list of novelty costume acts would be complete without the frankly creepy pink and yellow-spotted character from the BBC’s Noel’s House Party. The track Mr Blobby pipped Take That to the Christmas No1 in 1993 – Gary Barlow admits he’s never forgiven him – and bounced back into the charts in 1995 with Christmas in
Blobbyland.
Teletubbies: Colourful kids’ TV stars Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po also reached No1 in 1997 with their song Teletubbies Say EhOh! The record sold more than a million copies.