Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. He’s a custard pie in the face of technology, a raspberry to sophistication and he’s steadily covering the cultural fabric of the nation in crudely appliqued, primary-coloured spots. In an era when toddlers learn to swipe their thumb across a screen long before they’re out of nappies, Mr Tumble is doggedly traditional.

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presenters in the middle of the Thomas the Tank Engine Rap and you’ll realise what’s special about Fletcher: he’s genuine. Switch over to Channel 5, catch one of the white-toothed, spray-tanned, hungry-eyed young Milkshake! It’s Mr Tumble who gets booked to play not only kids’ festivals such as Lollibop, but Camp Bestival – and not the kid’s tent, mind, we’re talking main stage. He was the first clown who could juggle, unicycle and use Makaton (a system of signing and symbols used to assist language development) and the show immediately appealed far beyond its remit.Photograph: Rob Ball/Redferns via Getty Images “An unwavering gale-force of energy” … Mr Tumble at Camp Bestival. Something Special uses Makaton signs, speech and symbols to help children learn how to communicate and develop their language skills in a fun and exciting way. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Children of all abilities respond to this unwavering gale-force of benign energy, happy to don ill-fitting yellow trousers and lark about in damp English fields for their distraction.

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He learned from the best: Laurel and Hardy on VHS plus Fingermouse host Iain Lauchlan and queen of the pantomime dames Jack Tripp in person.But Fletcher fixed on a career in children’s TV while at drama school after watching Phillip Schofield in the BBC1 broom cupboard with Gordon the Gopher. It’s Mr Tumble who has been invited by MIF, to sing, dance and gambol his way through his personal history. He made a showreel of himself reading imaginary birthday cards, then served his apprenticeship on Fun Song Factory and Playdays (kind of the Casualty and The Bill of the children’s entertainer’s CV).

Mr Tumble Bag - Etsy UK Mr Tumble Bag - Etsy UK

Fletcher himself is a 40-something with one of those peculiarly, and rather touchingly, single-minded biographies. He is the mastermind behind three of their biggest programmes (Something Special, Gigglebiz and Justin’s House) and the voice of countless more. If you don’t have pre-school age kids, you have probably been going blithely about your business blind to his existence. The only difference between Fletcher and Moriarty is that the former’s face is absolutely everywhere, too. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development.Twelve years after the programme began, he still receives daily letters from parents whose children have spoken for the first time after watching Mr Tumble. Mr Tumble was conceived in 2003 for Something Special, a programme for and featuring children with learning disabilities. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. But while Fletcher has over 20 personas, including a bunch of women and a baby in a pram, it’s Mr Tumble with whom he has become synonymous. It’s Mr Tumble who upstages Santa when they film the Christmas shows and has fans in Simon Pegg and Johnny Depp.