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The series promotes problem-solving as the monsters try to figure out issues developed by their unique guests. Production of fifty-two 11-minute episodes (for two seasons) began in February 2014 at MediaCityUK in Salford.
On November 14, 2014 Sesame Street's YouTube channel began airing full episodes of The Furchester Hotel each week.
In February 2016, The Furchester Hotel was renewed for Season 2 which will begin production in May. It consists of 50 episodes and a double-length Christmas episode as well as guest appearances by Big Bird, Count von Count, and the Yip Yips. The second season began on October 31, 2016.
On September 26, 2016, Sprout started airing The Furchester Hotel on Weekdays.
Plot
The Furchester Hotel is a half-star hotel that is owned by a monster family called the Furchester-Fuzz Family. The Furchester-Fuzz Family alongside Elmo and Cookie Monster figure out how to solve different issues that are developed by the guests of the Furchester Hotel.
Characters
Funella Furchester (performed by Louise Gold) – A monster who is the wife of Furgus, the mother of Phoebe, and the aunt of Elmo. Funella is the main proprietor of the Furchester Hotel welcoming guests and making sure their stay is wonderful in any way she can. She was designed by Ed Christie.
Furgus Fuzz (performed by Andrew Spooner) – A monster who is the husband of Funella, the father of Phoebe, and the uncle of Elmo. He serves as the jack-of-all-trades at the Furchester Hotel and specializes in the hotel's repair needs. Similar to Grover, Furgus takes on several other jobs around the hotel as needed. He was designed by Ed Christie.
Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz (performed by Sarah Burgess) – The protagonist of the series. A 7-year-old violet monster who is the daughter of Furgus and Funella and the cousin of Elmo. Phoebe's main duty at the Furchester Hotel is answering the phone. When she gets a monster idea, her pigtail raises and often quotes "Fuzzawubba! That gives me a monster idea" after getting an idea. In "Animal Talk," it is revealed that Phoebe can talk to animals that only speak their languages. In "Phoebe's Key," it is revealed that the key on Phoebe's necklace can unlock all the doors in the Furchester Hotel as well as the hotel safe. She was designed by Ed Christie.
Elmo (performed by Ryan Dillon) – Elmo appears as the cousin of Phoebe and the nephew of Furgus and Funella. He is taking an extended stay at the Furchester Hotel due to his fascination with it. Elmo's father Louie is the brother of Funella.
Cookie Monster (performed by David Rudman) – Cookie Monster appears as the room service worker and a waiter in the Furchester Hotel's dining room. As usual, he eats any cookies that come in his sight. In "Cookie Confusion," it is revealed that Cookie Monster has a British cousin named Biscuit Monster who eats biscuits.
Isabel – A pink furry bell-monster that resembles a call bell. Similar to the Dinger (who she is related to), Isabel can only communicate through a series of rings. She notifies Funella Furchester whenever an incoming guest is arriving and has a general knowledge of what's happening in the hotel at all times as well as also cuing the musical breaks during the episodes. Isabel's puppeteers alternate between Sheila Clark and Lesa Gillespie. She was designed by Ed Christie.
Harvey P. Dull (performed by Mak Wilson in Season One, Neil Sterenberg in Season Two) – A Fat Blue Anything Muppet who is a long-term occupant of the Furchester Hotel. In a similar fashion to Mr. Johnson, Harvey P. Dull frequently bears the brunt of the poor service. He cites the one positive thing about the Furchester Hotel is his favorite comfy chair. Harvey claims that the only reason he resides at the Furchester Hotel is a lack of availability in any other nearby hotels.
The Tea Time Monsters – The Tea Time Monsters are a quintet of colorful monsters that appear whenever Monster Tea Time occurs (signified by Gonger banging a gong). When Gonger bangs the gong, the Tea Time Monsters emerge from their rooms and plow their way through the Furchester Hotel to get to their tea. During the credits of each episode, the Tea Time Monsters are shown enjoying Monster Tea Time while chanting "Ugga wugga tea time, ugga wugge clink. Ugga wugga tea time, ugga wugga drink!"
Colonel Mustard (occasionally performed by Warrick Brownlow-Pike and Andy Heath) – A golden monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
Sorbet (occasionally performed by David Rudman and Mak Wilson) – An orange monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters. He is a recycled version of the Live-Hand variant of Narf from Sesame Street that was previously used for Yoyo on 5, Rue Sésame.
Ethel Bay-Mertz (occasionally performed by Lesa Gillespie) – A female purple monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
Berry (occasionally performed by Toby Wilson) – A blue monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters. He resembles a modified version of Herry Monster.
Lulu Lemon (occasionally performed by Warrick Brownlow-Pike) – A green female monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
Gonger (performed by Mak Wilson in the most appearance, David Rudman in some episodes, Colin Purves in "Very Important Porcupine," Warrick Brownlow-Pike in Season Two) – A small furry pink monster. Gonger would bang the large gong whenever it's Monster Tea Time with the large gong occasionally knocking Gonger down or causing him to have a vibration reaction. Sometimes after he bangs the gong, Gonger would shout "Tea Time" to alert the Tea Time Monsters when it's Monster Tea Time. In Season Two, Gonger now works as a hotel chef and still bangs the gong for Monster Tea Time from the kitchen.
Opening sequence
The show opens with a different character's face shaped as the river and zooms down into where the hotel is and all the Furchester Family can be seen singing where they are joined in by Elmo and Cookie Monster. At the end, all the guests are singing with the Furchester Family and the Tea Time Monsters.
Songs
Welcome to the Furchester – This is the theme song for this show that the Furchester Family, Elmo, Cookie Monster, the Tea Time Monsters, and the hotel guests sing.
A Furchester Never Gives Up – This song depicts the Furchester Family and Elmo never giving up as they drive a hotel trolley down a hallway as various hotel guests load suitcases onto the hotel trolley.
The Catastrophe Song – The Furchester Family, Elmo, and Cookie Monster sing this song whenever they are faced with a perceived catastrophe at the Furchester Hotel.
Don't Check Out – The Furchester Family, Elmo, and Cookie Monster sing this song telling about the guest visit and begging them not to leave at the end of every episode.
Farewell from the Furchester - This was played during the credits as the Tea Time Monsters enjoy Monster Tea Time.
Episodes
The Furchester Hotel will have 52 episodes span over two series and will premiere every weekday in the United Kingdom.
Mak Wilson – Harvey P. Dull (Season One), Gonger (Season One), Sorbet (credits scene), Pink Monster (ep. 3), Griff (ep. 5), Mr. Snorkle (ep. 6), Junior Birdie (ep. 48)
Toby Wilson – Berry (credits scene), Rooster (ep. 4)
Michael Winsor –
International broadcast
In the USA, the show is on YouTube, Sesame Street Go, iTunes, and as of September 26, 2016, on cable channel Sprout. In Australia, the show was airing in April 2015 at 7:30 am on ABC Kids. In Norway, the show were dubbed into Norwegian called "Fagerpels Hotell" on NRK. In the USA, the show were dubbed into Spanish called "Furchester Hotel" and included in the Plaza Sésamospin-offSesame Amigos on Planeta U by Univision. In South Africa, Poland and Australia, the show was airing on CBeebies. In Asia, the show is airing on Disney Junior. In Germany, the show were dubbed into German called "Das Furchester Hotel" on the german broadcasters NDR and KiKa. In the Netherlands, the show were dubbed into Dutch called "Het Furchester Hotel' on NPO Zappelin. In Spain, the show were dubbed into Spanish called "El Hotel Furchester" on Clan by RTVE. In Australia, Mexico, and Brazil, the show was on Netflix.
