Bodger & Badger facts for kids

Bodger and Badger was a fun BBC children's comedy show. It was created by Andy Cunningham and first aired in 1989. The show starred Andy as Simon Bodger, a friendly handyman. His best friend was Badger, a talking badger puppet. The duo first appeared in 1988 on another BBC show called On the Waterfront.

What the Show Was About

The show followed the adventures of Simon Bodger and his puppet pal, Badger. Badger was a bit naughty and loved mashed potato more than anything!

In the first four series, Bodger worked different jobs. He always tried to keep Badger a secret from his bosses.

• Series 1 was set at Troff's Nosherama, a café where Bodger was a cook.
• Series 2 and 3 took place at Letsby Avenue Junior School, where Bodger was the caretaker.
• Series 4 was set at Chessington World of Adventures, a real theme park. Bodger worked there as a handyman and zookeeper.

From Series 5 onwards, a new character joined the fun: Mousey. She was a tiny mouse puppet who loved cheese. The show then moved to Bodger's rented home, and later to his B&B hotel. Bodger still tried to hide Badger (and now Mousey) from grown-ups like his landlady or the tourist officer. These later episodes had lots of silly humour and funny sound effects.

Catchy Theme Song

The show had a very catchy theme song that children sang along to. Peter Gosling wrote the music, and Andy Cunningham wrote the words. Different versions of the song were used over the years. The full song was sometimes played during the end credits.

Meet the Characters

Main Friends

• Simon Bodger (Andy Cunningham) - Simon is a kind but nervous handyman. He often gets into funny situations because he's clumsy or misunderstands things. He also gets into trouble because of Badger's silly antics. Simon often gets fired from his jobs. Badger is his talking pet and best friend. Badger often covers Simon in mashed potato, either on purpose or by accident!
• Badger (voiced and operated by Andy Cunningham and others) - Badger is a badger who can talk! He has a South London accent and wears human clothes, including his famous red beret. Badger is obsessed with mashed potato and loves to play with it. He often gets Simon into trouble because he can't behave. Badger tries to help Simon, but sometimes he takes things too literally. He has many catchphrases, like shouting "MASHED POTATO!" and using words like "wotcha" or "far out!". He also loves to sing "mashed potato" to the tune of "Here We Go".
• Mousey (voiced and operated by Jane Bassett) - Mousey is a talking mouse who lives under the floorboards. She and Badger are great friends and love to get into mischief together. Mousey's favourite food is cheese. Only Bodger knows about Mousey at first, but Badger keeps her a secret from him. Mousey moves with Bodger and Badger when they run their hotel. She is kept a secret from everyone else.

Other Characters You Might Remember

Over the years, Bodger and Badger met many other interesting people:

• Mr Hector Troff (Roger Walker) - He was the boss of the restaurant in Series 1. He was a bit grumpy and didn't like spending money.
• Mrs Daphne Trout (Lila Kaye) - The strict and sometimes mean Headmistress of Letsby Avenue Junior School in Series 2 and 3. Badger and the children called her 'Fish-face'.
• Mrs Cecilia Dribelle (Carol MacReady) - Bodger's landlady in Series 6 and 7. She didn't like animals, so Bodger always had to hide Badger from her. She often tried to make Bodger move out.
• Alec Smart (Ricky Diamond) - A sneaky tenant and later a rival hotel owner in Series 7 and 8. He was always trying to trick people and make money.
• Millie (Jane Bassett) - A friendly milkwoman in Series 8 and 9. She was friends with Bodger and Badger and often helped them out. She owned a dog named China.
• China - Millie's dog, who was good friends with Badger. He often helped Badger and Mousey cause funny chaos.
• Mrs Sharona Melly (Carole Boyd) - The bossy Tourist Information Officer in Series 9. She was very suspicious of Bodger and didn't like people having fun on the beach.

Who Made the Show

• Andy Cunningham - Creator and writer of most episodes.
• Wayne Jackman - Writer
• Jane Bassett - Writer
• Pierre Hollins - Writer
• Claire Winyard - Director (series 2)
• Judy Whitfield - Executive Producer, Producer (series 1)
• Greg Childs - Producer (series 2)
• Christine Hewitt - Producer (series 5–8)
• Sue Morgan - Producer (series 9)

Series Overview

Bodger and Badger ran for nine series, each with its own unique setting and adventures.

Series One (1989)

Bodger and Badger worked at Troff's Nosherama, a small café. Bodger was the chef, and Badger helped him, often causing funny mishaps. Mr. Troff, the owner, didn't know about Badger until the very last episode!

Series Two (1991) and Three (1991)

These series were set at Letsby Avenue Junior School. Simon was the caretaker, and Badger explored the school through air vents. They had to deal with the strict Headmistress, Mrs. Trout, and the kind but clumsy Deputy Head, Miss Moon. In Series 3, Mrs. Trout was replaced by her sister, Mrs. Bogart, who was also quite strict.

Series Four (1993)

This series took place at Chessington World of Adventures. Bodger was a handyman, and Badger became friends with a girl named Holly. Bodger's boss, Mr. Beasley, was always trying to catch Badger. These episodes were shorter, lasting 10 minutes.

Series Five (1995), Six (1996), and Seven (1996–1997)

These were some of the most popular series. Bodger and Badger lived in a rented flat. In Series 5, they met Mousey, a tiny mouse who lived under the floorboards. Bodger had to hide both Badger and Mousey from his strict landlady, Mrs. Dribelle, in Series 6 and 7. Many funny characters visited the flat, including sneaky Mr. Smart and Mrs. Dribelle's niece, Vicky.

Series Eight (1997–1998) and Nine (1998–1999)

In these final series, Bodger and Badger ran a Bed & Breakfast hotel in the seaside town of Puddleford. They met new friends like Millie the milkwoman and her dog, China. They also had to deal with the return of Alec Smart, who ran the hotel next door, and the bossy Tourist Information Officer, Mrs. Melly. The show ended in 1999 after ten years of fun.

Why People Loved It

A performance at a 'Mashed Potato Night', 2006.

Bodger and Badger became very popular, especially with teenagers and young adults who watched it when they were younger. It even led to "Mashed Potato Theme Nights" at universities across the UK! A DVD called 'Bodger and Badger: Live' was released in 2006.

Bodger and Badger also appeared at other events, like the Glastonbury Festival, where they performed for children and even made jokes for the grown-ups.

Sadly, Andy Cunningham, the creator and star of the show, passed away on June 5, 2017, at the age of 67.