Giggle and Hoot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Giggle and Hoot
Logo
Starring	Jimmy Rees Damian Wagland
Country of origin	Australia
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	11
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jan Stradling
Production location(s)	Australian Broadcasting Corporation Studios
Release
Original network	ABC Kids
Original release	4 December 2009 (2009-12-04) – 28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
Chronology
Related shows	Hoot Hoot Go!

Giggle and Hoot was a popular Australian children's TV show. It aired on the ABC Kids channel. The show ran from 2009 to 2020. It followed the fun adventures of Jimmy Giggle, played by Jimmy Rees, and his best friend, Hoot the Owl, played by Damian Wagland. Later, a purple owl named Hootabelle, played by Jemma Armstrong, joined them. They also had many other friends and toys.

Meet the Characters of Giggle and Hoot

Jimmy Giggle: The Creative Friend

Jimmy Giggle loves to fix things and invent new items. He once turned a bath into a bed! His house walls were even sewn together with buttons. Jimmy has a special "magic button" that he often tries to use, but it never quite works. His favorite toy is a dinosaur named Giggleosaurus. Jimmy is also very musical. He plays instruments like the ukulele, piano, and guitar.

Hoot the Owl: Jimmy's Best Pal

Hoot the Owl is Jimmy Giggle's best friend. Even though real owls are usually awake at night, Hoot loves the daytime! Sometimes he gets sleepy because of his owl nature. Hoot lives in a cozy apartment he made from a chest of drawers. He plays the harmonica and triangle. Hoot also has a special "cloudier" device to create clouds. Hoot enjoys "owl" snacks, the color blue, and playing "hootball." His favorite toy is Mini-Hoot. He and Jimmy Giggle love to play, sing, and spend time together. They often play dress-up, pretending to be astronauts or pirates.

Hoot's Night Watch: Keeping Everyone Safe

At the end of each show, Hoot goes on his "Night Watch." He flies across the land of Giggle and Hoot. His job is to make sure everyone is tucked into bed. Hootabelle helps him by lighting up the stars. She uses her "Star Twinkler" to make the night sky bright. After the Night Watch, Hoot and Hootabelle often fly and play together.

Hootabelle: The Star-Lighting Owl Friend

In later seasons, a purple owl named Hootabelle joined the show. She is a close friend to Hoot. Hootabelle lives in a "Purple Button Tree." She has a toy cat named Gigglepaws. Hoot is a little scared of cats, but Hootabelle always says Gigglepaws is friendly. She also has a toy butterfly called Giggle Wings. Giggle Wings loves to fly around the Giggle and Hoot house. Hootabelle uses her "Star Twinkler" to light up the stars. She also has a "Bookifier" that can make books appear. She often visits for fun "Owl Pal Play Dates." Hootabelle loves the color purple, books, butterflies, and singing.

Favorite Toys: Giggleosaurus, Mini-Hoot, and Gigglepaws

Each main character has a special toy. Jimmy Giggle's favorite is Giggleosaurus the dinosaur. Hoot loves his toy, Mini-Hoot. Hootabelle's toy is a cat named Gigglepaws. These toys are treated like real friends by Jimmy and the owls. They often play with them. The toys even come to life in animated songs. Some of these songs include "Go Giggleosaurus" and "On A Mini-Adventure."

More Friends: Additional Characters

Many other puppet characters also appeared on the show:

• Hootoclaws: This is an owl version of Santa Claus. He brings Christmas cheer to the land of Giggle and Hoot.
• Cosmo Carrot, Bessie Broccoli, and Tommy Tomato: These are the singing vegetables from "The Gigglearium."
• Pirate Hootbeard: A brave owl pirate captain. He sails the Giggle Seas with his toy, Pirate Mini-Hootbeard. When he gets upset, he loses his "Yarr!"
• Giggle Fangs: A friendly bat who loves quiet "bat naps." He has "Super Sonic Bat Hearing."
• Hootpa: Hoot's wise grandfather and Pirate Hootbeard's brother. He enjoys naps and tea parties.
• Hootagadget: A smart, red owl who is a good friend to Hootabelle. She lives in the Gadget Cubby and uses cool gadgets.

Show Segments and Fun Activities

Day Time Block: Morning and Afternoon Fun

The Day Time Block aired in the mornings and afternoons. It featured many fun music videos and segments. These included:

• Animated Adventures: Clips like "Giggle Fangs," "Hootball," and "The Giggle Galaxy" showed characters in exciting animated stories.
• Live-Action Fun: Segments like "Cloud Bouncing" and "My Best Friend" featured real kids or characters interacting with animated elements.
• Toy Stories: Songs like "On A Mini-Adventure" brought the characters' favorite toys to life.
• Learning and Play: "Owl Pals" had characters chatting with kids. "Giggle Art Song" showed children creating art.

The Gigglearium: Singing Vegetables!

The Gigglearium was a special musical theater. Jimmy, Hoot, and Hootabelle could make it appear by pressing a button. Three singing vegetables came to life there: Tommy Tomato, Bessie Broccoli, and Cosmo Carrot. They sang many different songs, like "The Gigglearium Slow Song" and "The Gigglearium Disco Song."

The Giggle Gallery: Kids' Art Showcase

"The Giggle Gallery" was a daily segment. It showed artwork created by preschool children from all over Australia. Jimmy Giggle and Hoot would talk about the wonderful pictures. Hoot especially loved seeing blue in the art, as it is his favorite color!

The Goodnight Hour: Winding Down for Bed

The Goodnight Hour helped young children get ready for bed. It aired in the evenings. This block featured calming songs and routines. Some popular segments included:

• 5 Steps to Bed: Jimmy, Hoot, Hootabelle, and Hootogadget sang about important bedtime steps. These included brushing teeth and reading a story.
• The Giggle Galaxy: This animated clip also played in the evening. It showed Astro Jimmy, Astro Hoot, and Astro Hootabelle flying through space.
• Hoot's Lullaby: This animated clip always ended the Goodnight Hour. It showed Hoot flying on his Night Watch. The song was written and sung by Lior.

Behind the Scenes: Production and Cast

How Giggle and Hoot Was Made

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) produced Giggle and Hoot. It was made at their studios in Sydney. The show was created for children aged 2–6 years old. It first aired in early 2010. The show officially ended its run in early 2020.

Meet the Cast

The talented people who brought the characters to life included:

• Jimmy Rees as Jimmy Giggle
• Damian Wagland as Hoot the Owl and Giggle Fangs
• Jemma Armstrong as Hootabelle
• Mark Simpson as Pirate Hootbeard
• Stef Smith as Hootogadget
• Cam Ralph as Hootpa

Hoot Hoot Go!: A Spin-Off Adventure

Hoot Hoot Go! is a spin-off show from Giggle and Hoot. It stars Hoot, Hootabelle, Pirate Hootbeard, and Giggle Fangs. New characters like Hootly, Hootaluna, and Gigglebot also joined them. Hootaluna and Gigglebot live on the moon! This series has 26 episodes, each lasting five minutes.

Hoot Hoot Go! Episode Titles

1. The Hootastic Choir
2. The Perfect Piratey Picnic Spot
3. Hootaluna: Moon Dancer Extraordinaire
4. The Broken Fangifier
5. Hootly Learns to Cloud Bounce
6. Pirate Mini-Hootbeard Can't Sleep
7. Hootaluna: Moon Bouncer Extraordinaire
8. The Perfect Cubby House
9. Hootaluna: Hootball Finder Extraordinaire
10. Giggle Fangs Is Too Good at Hide and Seek
11. The Piratey Party
12. Hootaluna: Singer Extraordinaire
13. Giggle Bug Goes Missing
14. Hoot's Not Ready for the Night Watch
15. Pirate Hootbeard and the Missing Star Cloud
16. Giggle Bot: The Extra Tired Moon Bot
17. A Party for Giggle Fangs
18. The Messy Button Tree
19. All the Greys of the Button Rainbow
20. Hootaluna: Sleepover Owl Extraordinaire
21. Giggle Fangs Makes the Stars Disappear
22. Happy Hoot Day
23. Pirate Hootbeard Loses His Yarr
24. The Moon Bot Dance
25. Boo Day
26. Pirate Mini-Hootbeard's Mini Treasure Hunt

Awards and Recognition