IN THE PINK
OINK FOR PEPPA PIG AS SHE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS ON THE TELLY. MARION McMULLEN LOOKS BACK AT ANIMATED BRITISH TV CHARACTERS THAT HAVE BECOME CHILDHOOD FAVOURITES
THIS little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had roast beef ... and this little piggy became a TV star.
Peppa Pig and her family launched 20 years ago on Nick Jr and on Channel 5 as part of its Milkshake strand on May 31, 2004.
Peppa quickly became a favourite with pre-school youngsters with five-minute episodes that encouraged children to explore the world around them and treat every day as an adventure.
Peppa Pig, her younger brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have been joined by a number of characters over the years.
Brian Blessed was the voice of Grampy Rabbit, Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong was Mr Wolf, Jo Brand was Mrs Crocodile and Would I Lie To You team captain David Mitchell was Police Officer Panda.
The show has now been seen in more than 180 countries and Peppa Pig is a global star. She even has her own theme parks.
The Royal Mail has also issued 12 new stamps featuring Peppa Pig and her friends and family to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the children’s TV show.
A special video has also been created, featuring Peppa, Daddy Pig, Mr Zebra and one of Royal Mail’s very own posties as they deliver special invitations to Peppa’s party – the video can be viewed at royalmail.com/peppa.
Presenter Rylan Clark joked Peppa had “taken over” his dressing room before the Eurovision Song Contest broadcast in Liverpool last year. “My dressing room was removed today – it used to say Rylan and now says Peppa Pig,” he said.
The character’s surprise Eurovision appearance saw her leading a conga line as Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina were preparing to announce the semifinal results.
The BBC’s official Twitter account for the contest said: “Sorry folks, you cannot vote for Peppa Pig.”
Shaun the Sheep, Wallace and Gromit and Morph from famous Bristol-based animators Aardman have also become a part of many people’s childhood TV memories.
The animation studio was founded in 1972 and is best known for its films using stop-motion and clay modelling animation techniques.
Aardman was founded by Peter
Lord and David Sproxton, who began their animation partnership while at school when they created a character called Aard-man, which the BBC bought for its Vision On series and marked the creation of Aardman Animations.
The now highly recognisable shape-shifting clay character Morph was created for the BBC’s Take Hart series and British animator Nick Park joined the company and introduced viewers to characters like Wallace and Gromit. The animated cheeselover and his pet dog made their debut in short film A Grand Day Out, which was first screened in 1989, and will be back for a new adventure later this year. Only Fools and Horses star Sir David Jason was the voice of ITV’s
Count Duckula, a carrot-loving vampire duck, from 1988 to 1993.
He was also the original voice of Danger Mouse for 90 episodes from 1981. He said: “I loved that mouse.”
Pingu began in 1980 and the adventures of the cheeky penguin who lived in the South Pole with his family have been seen in more than 150 countries.
Mr Benn first aired in 1971 and only 14 episodes were ever made of the bowler-hatted office worker who stepped into the changing room of a costume shop and found himself enjoying adventures as everything from an astronaut to a pirate. Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey was the voice of Bob the Builder and the BBC favourite was first seen in a pilot in 1997 before returning in 1999 with an episode called Scoop Saves the Day. The theme tune, Can We Fix It?, went on to become a number one hit in the UK music charts.
Postman Pat has been delivering mail since 1981.
The late Ken Barrie was the voice of the postie in more than 100 TV episodes and Green Wing and The Split star Stephen Mangan provided Pat’s voice for the 2014 family movie, but it’s Boyzone’s Ronan Keating’s voice you hear when he is singing.
Former teacher and librarian John Cunliffe, who also created TV’s Rosie and Jim, set Postman Pat in a rural landscape inspired by his childhood in the Lake District.
The BBC series has been broadcast in more than 55 countries. John passed away in 2018 at the age of 85 and Director of BBC Children’s Alice Webb said he had created a world that had endured for decades. She said: “It’s a world you’d like to be part of – a community that cares, is full of heart and full of fun – and that is a lovely thing to show audiences, both young and old.”
The show has now been seen in more than 180 countries and Peppa Pig is a global star.