Justin Fletcher


Justin Fletcher MBE is an English comedian, children's television presenter and actor on the BBC pre-school television channel CBeebies. speaking and performing in various, often self-created, roles. He specialises in slapstick comedy and works with children with special needs through his show Something Special. Fletcher also appeared as the award-winning comedian, Mr Tumble.

Biography

Born in Reading, Berkshire, he attended Theale Green School. Fletcher is the son of songwriter Guy Fletcher. He has three sisters and one brother. He currently lives in Winnersh, Wokingham, Berkshire.

Career

Justin worked for Sounds Good in Theale as a cassette duplicating machine operator and generally amused his co-workers with his characterisations.
While in his final year studying drama at the Guildford School of Acting, Fletcher started to regularly watch Phillip Schofield in the BBC1 broom cupboard with Gordon the Gopher, and decided that a career in children's television was for him. He then met Phillip Schofield, who suggested that he should make a show reel to showcase to TV executives.
Having sketched out various comedic characters, he put together a show reel called Justin Time, which encompassed two different characters: Anna Conda, a myopic reptile-house warden; and Arthur Sleep, a regional newsreader who has difficulty staying awake and can sleep anywhere no matter what. Both characters would later be used for his CBeebies show Gigglebiz. Sent to various broadcasters and production companies his first TV show after graduation was Fun Song Factory for GMTV, working with Dave Benson Phillips.

BBC and CBeebies

He was part of the Tikkabilla programme, out of which was spun Higgledy House, a slapstick comedy for children with Sarah-Jane Honeywell, which progressed to the very popular Mr Tumble. Fletcher has also voiced the characters of Doodles and Jake in Tweenies, Miguel in Finley the Fire Engine, Sleeping Bear and Growling Tiger in CBeebies' Boo!, with additional voices in Todd World, Shaun the Sheep and Timmy Time. In 2006 Fletcher became a presenter on CBeebies but left in 2007.
Through his own production company, Fletcher developed Something Special, which he presents while signing in Makaton, a type of sign language.
In November 2008, CBeebies aired three different pilots made by Fletcher, with the possibility of one of them becoming a full-time series. They were called Humphrey the Painter, Gigglebiz and Captain Adorable. In January 2009, an announcement by CBeebies was made that Gigglebiz would become the regular show, starting in September 2009, with the Humphrey and Captain Adorable characters being included, which was now a series of character-based comedy sketches linked by jokes told by children.
His voice over work for CBBC includes voicing Harold from Thomas the Tank Engine, which he has performed on BBC Radio 4, arena tour and pantomime. Fletcher is a relief continuity presenter for CBeebies' presentation links and regularly performed on the CBeebies radio station on BBC Radio 7 until its change to BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2011.
Fletcher also appears as himself along with a range of animated characters in the Bee Bright series of award-winning educational DVDs.
He also occasionally appears in a show called The Hollies School.

''Justin's House''

In October 2011, CBeebies began broadcasting Justin's House starring Fletcher with Steven Kynman as "Robert the Robot" and Jane Deane as "Dee Livery". The show is based in Justin's fictional house, and recorded live in front of a studio audience.
Ratings
Episode ratings from BARB.
Episode no.AirdateTotal viewersShareCBeebies weekly ranking
18 October 2011675,0007.1%2
29 October 2011716,0007.8%1
315 October 2011535,0006.0%5
416 October 2011744,0007.8%1
522 October 2011570,0006.8%6
623 October 2011715,0006.3%1
729 October 2011634,0004.2%1
830 October 2011497,0008.0%5
95 November 2011464,0005.3%5
106 November 2011527,0005.7%1
1112 November 2011526,0006.7%6
1213 November 2011Under 485,0003.3%Outside Top 10
1319 November 2011537,0006.5%4
1420 November 2011Under 497,0005.8%Outside Top 10
1526 November 2011Under 461,0005.5%Outside Top 10
1627 November 2011489,0005.4%4
173 December 2011Under 486,0006.1%Outside Top 10
184 December 2011510,0004.0%5
1910 December 2011409,0006.3%3
2011 December 2011572,0006.1%1
2315 December 2011800,0006.4%2
2117 December 2011Under 581,0006.3%Outside Top 10
2218 December 2011Under 581,0003.3%Outside Top 10

Other work

Starting in 1998 Fletcher presented the Fun Song Factory for the GMTV series for a year as his first full-time presenting role. He later returned to the show in 2004, as the voice of Ozzy.
He owns a production company, Scrumptious House, which has released a DVD called Let's Sing Nursery Rhymes with Justin Fletcher.
In the CITV channel programme Jim Jam and Sunny, he is the voice of both Jim Jam and Slim the cowardly giraffe.
His voice appears on the VTech Alphabet Desk, Turn and Learn Driver and the Bob the Builder phones, the children's train ride at Animal Farm Country Park near Burnham-on-Sea, and a number of Crick Software titles.
From December 2009 to January 2010, Fletcher played the character Buttons in Cinderella at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham, West Sussex. From December 2010 to January 2011, he played the character Josh the Jester in the pantomime Sleeping Beauty at The Hexagon theatre in Reading, Berkshire. From December 2011 to January 2012, he played the character Wishy Washy in the pantomime Aladdin at the Hexagon theatre in Reading. In recent years he has performed in 2 pantomimes in Woking, 7 pantomimes in Reading and returns in 2018 for the panto Aladdin again at the Hexagon.
In 2019 Fletcher will star as Buttons in Cinderella which he also wrote.
He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain children. Justin is a patron for Bournemouth-based performing arts school Stagewise.
His debut album Hands Up the Album reached number 16 in the UK Albums Chart on 11 March 2012. In March 2013 he released his second album, Best Friends. In January 2015 he released his third album, Just Party.
On 12 September 2015 he appeared on Pointless Celebrities, and got knocked out in the second round.
Fletcher presented a daily radio show on Fun Kids weekdays from 9am to 10am called Justin's Word.

Awards

Orders of Chivalry

Fletcher was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to "children's broadcasting and the voluntary sector".

Professional awards

Live performances

1997
Playdays
Mr Jolly