While Justin Fletcher might not be a household name, his character Mr Tumble is a superstar to young children. The loveable character and his family, including Grandad Tumble and Baby Tumble, have been a staple on preschool television for years, with tired parents praising Justin for his ability to captivate their little ones.
The 54 year old performer expertly blends slapstick comedy with warmth, leading CBeebies shows like Gigglebiz and Justin’s House. However, he’s perhaps best known for his work with children with disabilities and special needs, creating the popular show Something Special specifically for kids with communication difficulties, incorporating Makaton signs, speech and symbols throughout.
(Image: PA)
This week, after 12 series and five specials of Something Special, we learned that Justin is taking a well-deserved break from the show, with presenters Maddie Moate, Ben Cajee and George Webster set to join in the fun. Let’s take a closer look at the life of the star, who was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his services to broadcasting and is estimated to be worth a staggering £1.5 million.
His charming characters have turned into a multi-million-pound industry, with his Something Special DVD selling more than 100,000 copies, bringing in over £1million, and there is also a tie-in magazine that generates around £180,000 a month.
The Bafta Children’s Award-winner is not just a favourite among the little ones; the unmarried and charming Justin has also caught the attention of numerous mums. In a chat with The Mirror back in 2012, he confessed to receiving quite a few proposals from admiring mothers: “Er, yes, I have had emails,” he shared.
(Image: Redferns)
Despite his hectic schedule filming beloved children’s shows, Justin has voiced a hope for a personal life filled with family and kids, saying, “I do want to free up some time for myself and my family. I would love to have children so need to find someone who likes kids. A couple of kids would be lovely,” reports the Mirror.
With an upbringing immersed in music, surrounded by famous musicians, Justin credits his creative inspiration to his environment and his father, Guy Fletcher — a renowned songwriter for legendary artists including Cliff Richard, Ray Charles, The Hollies, and even Elvis Presley. Reflecting on his background, Justin said: “I was always brought up around musicians and we had a recording studio built onto the house. My character Cliff Tumble is a homage to Sir Cliff, who I’ve met a lot and is lovely, very charming.”
“Dad wrote his Eurovision entry Power to All Our Friends. The biggest hit he wrote for Elvis was Just Pretend, which he used to perform in his Vegas shows. Pretty cool, really.”
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