Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder
Also known as	Bob the Builder: Project: Build It Template:Ni Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build! Template:Ni
Genre	Children's animation
Created by	Keith Chapman
Directed by	Sarah Ball Liz Whitaker Brian Little Nick Herbert Gilly Fogg Andy Burns Geoff Walker
Voices of	Neil Morrissey Rob Rackstraw Kate Harbour Rupert Degas Colin McFarlane Maria Darling Emma Tate Richard Briers June Whitfield
Theme music composer	Paul K. Joyce
Opening theme	"Can We Fix It?" by Neil Morrissey
Ending theme	"Can We Fix It?" (instrumental)
Composer	Keith Hopwood
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	18
No. of episodes	250 (+10 specials) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Kate Fawkes Theresa Plummer-Andrews Peter Curtis
Producer	Jackie Cockle
Editors	Zyggy Markiewicz Bruce Marshall Adam Taylor
Camera setup	Single camera (1999–2004) Multi-camera (2005–2009)
Production company	HIT Entertainment
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	12 April 1999 (1999-04-12) – 19 February 2001 (2001-02-19)
Network	CBeebies
Release	1 April 2002 (2002-04-01) – 31 December 2011 (2011-12-31)

Bob the Builder is an animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment which ran from 12 April 1999 (1999-04-12) to 31 December 2011 (2011-12-31) in the United Kingdom through the CBBC programming block. The series centres on the adventures and escapades of a general contractor named Bob who owns a team of five anthropomorphised construction vehicles that go about their day helping out with construction work in several towns.

The series used stop-motion animation for most of the series as well as Project: Build It, provided by Hot Animation in Manchester. The series changed to CGI animation in 2010 for its final two seasons; titled Ready, Steady, Build!, of which SD Entertainment completed animation production.

Following the series' conclusion, HIT Entertainment was purchased by American toy company Mattel for $680 million. In October 2014, the company announced a revival series that would feature changes in the setting, casting and character designs. The revival aired on Channel 5's Milkshake! for three seasons from 1 September 2015 to 30 December 2018, and was severely criticised by fans of the original version. An animated theatrical film adaptation of the series was announced in January 2024; which will be produced by Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions and star Anthony Ramos as the voice casting of Bob.

A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

Cast and characters

Voice actors who have contributed to the original British version include Neil Morrissey, Rob Rackstraw, Kate Harbour, Rupert Degas, Colin McFarlane, Maria Darling, Emma Tate, Richard Briers, and June Whitfield.

Celebrities who have provided voices for the series (usually for one-off specials) include John Motson, Sue Barker, Kerry Fox, Ulrika Jonsson, Alison Steadman, Stephen Tompkinson, Elton John, and Noddy Holder.

Episodes

International broadcasts

Bob the Builder is shown in more than thirty countries, and versions are available in English, French, Spanish, Serbian, Swedish, Slovenian, German, Italian, Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi, and Croatian, among other languages. It was shown on CBeebies on BBC television in the UK. It has also aired on Nick Jr. in the UK.

Impact

Bob the Builder was nominated in the BAFTA "Pre-school animation" category from 1999 to 2009,^{[not in the source given]} and won the "Children's Animation" category in 2003 for the special episode "A Christmas to Remember". Of the series's success, Sarah Ball said:

I think diggers and dumpers fascinate kids in the same way that they are drawn to dinosaurs. They both have a timeless appeal. The technique of stop motion is very tangible―the characters look like you can just pick them up and play with them. It's a safe, lovely, bright, colourful world, which is very appealing. Curtis Jobling did a fantastic job designing the show―it's very simple and stylised but has such charm.

— Interview with Sarah Ball, Gurgle.com

Reboot series

On 1 September 2015, a reboot series first aired on Cartoonito and Channel 5's Milkshake block and dub American aired on 7 November 2015 with no funding and programmed during weekdays (twenty-first series does not aired and reruns) until three years Cartoonito was left. In 2021, Channel 5 left as it has since ended it's run. Two years after the 2015 series ended, the original Bob the Builder also aired on Qubo but it ceased operations on 28 February 2021. A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

References

Other websites

• Official Website