Justin Fletcher

Biography

Born in Reading, Berkshire, Fletcher is the son of songwriter Guy Fletcher. He has three sisters.

Career

Prior to starting at Guildford, Fletcher worked for a company in Reading called Sounds Good. He worked as a production assistant making audio cassette tapes. He was remembered for his ability to make a humdrum job fun.

While studying drama at the Guildford School of Acting, in his final year he 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 Philip Schofield, who suggested that he should make a short 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 show after graduation was Fun Song Factory for CITV, working with Dave Benson Philips.

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. Justin 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 Fletcher's fictional house, and recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Studios, MediaCityUK, operated by Media City Studios Limited. The show was later renewed for a second series, with some changes - including having a party theme, dropping Dee Livery, and some set redesign. Justin's House is filmed in the same studio as Match of the Day.

Ratings

Episode ratings from BARB.

Other work

Starting in 1998 Fletcher presented the Fun Song Factory for the GMTV series for three years as his first full-time presenting role.

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, Justin Fletcher played the character Buttons in Cinderella at the Capitol Theatre in Horsham, West Sussex. From December 2010 toJanuary 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.

He also attends festivals such as Camp Bestival in Dorset to entertain children. Fletcher 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 on the second round.

Fletcher presents a daily radio show on Fun Kids weekdays from 9am to 10am called Justin's Word.

Orders of Chivalry

3,575 people signed a petition calling on the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to give Fletcher an OBE.

The petition stated: "Justin Fletcher is a communication genius. He both entertains and educates our children and does this with intelligence and panache without patronising. Programmes like Something Special can only help bridge the gap that sometimes sadly appears between able and not so able bodied people in our society and help banish the unkindness that disabled people sometimes face due to ignorance."

The public were asked to vote on the Prime Minister's website, and the petition deadline passed on 20 September 2007.

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

Professional awards

Live performances