Bodger and Badger

Bodger and Badger is a BBC children's comedy programme which was first broadcast in 1989. It starred Andy Cunningham as Simon Bodger, who had a badly behaved companion, a talking badger with a love for mashed potato.

Plot

The first series saw Bodger working at Troff's Nosherama, where his badger was unknown to the other characters. The second and third series were set in the Letsby Avenue Junior School (fans generally regard these as the best series); Bodger worked as the caretaker for the school and there was general antagonism between him and the schoolchildren - a large cast of children - and the headteachers Mrs Trout ('Fish-Face') and later Mrs Bogart ('Bogey'). Later series featured Bodger moving to other jobs and began to feature less of Bodger, concentrating more on Badger and his friend Mousey. She was not an overly intelligent mouse, who unsurprisingly had a fondness for cheese.

All 9 series were produced between 1989 and 1999 which included 124 episodes. Bodger and Badger have also made appearances on stage.

After Series 9 finished broadcasting, the show was rarely repeated until when CBBC on BBC Choice was launched and the earlier series of the show were repeated until when CBBC & Cbeebies launched their own channels and CBBC on BBC Choice was axed.

But in 2005, the CBBC Channel began to repeat the show. They repeated Series 6,7,8 & 9 (but most of the these series were mostly repeated on CBBC on BBC One as the first show of the afternoon slot. Since 2007 the show hasn't been repeated at all.

Series runs

Series	No. of episodes	Run
1	8	13 September, 1989 – 9 November, 1989
2	13	9 January, 1991 – 27 March, 1991
3	13	1 October, 1992 – 17 December, 1992
4	9	17 September, 1993 – 8 November, 1993
5	13	9 January, 1995 – 27 March, 1995
6	12	15 January, 1996 – 15 March, 1996
7	28	9 September 1996 - 24 March, 1997
8	15	15 December, 1997 - 30 March, 1998
9	15	14 December, 1998 - 29 March, 1999

Episodes

Series One

• Bodger is Chef (13 September, 1989)
• The Badgers Are Coming (20 September, 1989)
• The Health Inspector (27 September 1989)
• Portrait of Hector (4 October, 1989)
• Auntie Warnty (11 October, 1989)
• Adrian Loud Warbler (18 October, 1989)
• The Robot (25 October, 1989)
• The Final Episode (1 November, 1989)

Series Two

• Letsby Avenue (9 January, 1991)
• Abracabadger (16 January, 1991)
• The Bare Mayor (23 January, 1991)
• The Skeleton (30 January, 1991)
• Mr Woberts The Watcatcher (6 February, 1991)
• The Hairy Fairy (13 February, 1991)
• The Wonky Window (20 February, 1991)
• Mr Crusher and the Ninja Zombies From Mars (27 February, 1991)
• The Burglar (6 March, 1991)
• Snowflakes in Hawaii (13 March, 1991)
• Mavis and the Fingerpoppers (20 March, 1991)
• School's Out (27 March, 1991)

Series Three

• Mr Valentino and the Rubber Bottom (1 October, 1991)
• William Tell (8 October, 1991)
• The Head's Anniversary (15 October, 1991)
• The Golden Alarm Clock (22 October, 1991)
• The New Moon (29 October, 1991)
• Eamon and the New Headmistress (5 November, 1991)
• The Mashed Potato Gun (12 November, 1991)
• The Difficult Test (19 November, 1991)
• The Head's Twin Sister (26 November, 1991)
• The Baby (3 December, 1991)
• The Doubling Box (10 December, 1991)
• The Class Photo (17 December, 1991)

Series Four

• The Arrival (13 September, 1993)
• Mr Beasley's Barrow (20 September, 1993)
• The Tapirs (27 September, 1993)
• The Elephant's Trunk (4 October, 1993)
• A Hard Day's Knight (11 October, 1993)
• The New Clothes (18 October, 1993)
• The Dragon (25 October, 1993)
• Wet Paint (1 November, 1993)
• Catapult (8 November 1993)

Series Five

• A Mouse in the House (9 January, 1995)
• Under the Floorboards (16 January, 1995)
• Washday (23 January, 1995)
• Mr Sellby's Pictures (30 January, 1995)
• Ancient Egyptian Mashed Potato (6 February, 1995)
• Rent Money (13 February, 1995)
• Here Comes Raymond (20 February, 1995)
• Twin Brother (27 February, 1995)
• Mashy Mouse (6 March, 1995)
• Seaside (13 March, 1995)
• Cosmic Potatoes (20 March, 1995)
• One of Those Days (27 March, 1995)
• Mad Mash Bash (3 April, 1995)

Series Six

• Mrs Dribelle! (15 January, 1996)
• Badger in the Box (22 January, 1996)
• Potty (29 January, 1996)
• Lottery Lunacy (5 February, 1996)
• Mrs Dribelle's Mother (12 February, 1996)
• Pussy Cake, Pussy Cake (19 February, 1996)
• Diet (26 February, 1996)
• Badger's Bed (4 March, 1996)
• The Countess of Skegness (11 March, 1996)
• Overdue (18 March, 1996)
• Badger's Party (25 March, 1996)
• Around the World with Badger and Mousey (27 March, 1996)

Series Seven

• Jungle Fever (9 September, 1996)
• Catnapped (16 September, 1996)
• Here Comes Smarty Pants! (23 September, 1996)
• Funny Money (30 September, 1996)
• Wet Paint! (7 October, 1996)
• Gnome From Gnome (14 October, 1996)
• Mrs Dribelle's Big Day (21 October, 1996)
• World Badger Day (28 October, 1996)
• Mrs Dribelle and the Queen (4 November, 1996)
• Wotcha Vicky! (11 November, 1996)
• Radio Competition (18 November, 1996)
• Monkey Trouble (25 November, 1996)
• Say Cheese! (2 December, 1996)
• Vicky is a Hit (9 December, 1996)
• Mashy Music (16 December, 1996)
• Mashy Christmas Everybody (1 January, 1997)
• Too Close For Comfort (6 January, 1997)
• Good Luck, Vicky (13 January, 1997)
• The Mashy Mushtake (20 January, 1997)
• While the Cat's Away (27 January, 1997)
• Mrs Dribelle's Dancing Partner (3 February, 1997)
• Vote For Me - Or Else! (10 February, 1997)
• Cuckoo (17 February, 1997)
• The Mash Baa-sh (24 February,]], 1997)
• On The Blink (3 March, 1997)
• Pasta Masha (10 March, 1997)
• Clay Days (17 March. 1997)
• The Time Masheen (24 March, 1997)

Series Eight

• A Smart Start (15 December, 1997)
• Well Spotted (22 December, 1997)
• Peace and Quiet (5 January, 1998)
• The Extra-Terrestrial Toothbrush (12 January, 1998)
• Hat Ahoy! (19 January, 1998)
• Seaweed Bay (26 January, 1998)
• Fancy That (2 February, 1998)
• Water Laugh (9 February, 1998)
• The Potato Patch (16 February, 1998)
• Doggone (23 February, 1998)
• Automashic (2 March, 1998)
• Mashy Record Breakers (9 March, 1998)
• Big Bear (16 March, 1998)
• Mash Cash (23 March, 1998)
• Splosh! (30 March, 1998)

Series Nine

• Hello Mrs Melly (14 December, 1998)
• Poster Potatoes (21 December, 1998)
• Hundreds and Thousands (4 January, 1999)
• Mr Wilson's Bathing Trunks (11 January, 1999)
• The Great Escape (18 January, 1999)
• A Twitch In Time (25 January, 1999)
• A Whale Of A Time (1 February, 1999)
• Green Potatoes (8 February, 1999)
• A Mashy Romance (15 February, 1999)
• China Comes To Stay(22 February, 1999)
• Pop (1 March, 1999)
• Ready Steady Go (8 March, 1999)
• Mrs Melly Investigates (15 March, 1999)
• Puddleford Day (22 March, 1999)
• Mashy Museum (29 March, 1999)

Main characters

• Bodger - see above
• Badger - see above
• Mousey - see above
• Mrs Dribelle - the poshly dressed businesswoman from whom Bodger rents his house. She has a distinct dislike for animals and tries desperately to find Badger, so she can get Bodger ejected. She is fond of cakes and biscuits, and likes to make lots of money from silly ideas. Also referred to as "Dribbley Bibbley" by Badger. She drives around in a car with the registration plate "DRIB 1". The name is a pun on the word dribble.
• Alec Smart - The sly and untrustworthy tennant of the apartment upstairs from Bodger's. Also has a dislike for badgers, especially when Badger messes up his garden. He was always thinking up schemes to make money, often tricking Mrs. Dribelle and Bodger in the process.
• Vicky - Mrs Dribelle's niece. She was supposed to have been an accountant, but Vicky had dreams of being part of a band. She and Badger got on very well as they both love Mashed Potatoes, and ended up going on tour with a travelling band. Vicky only appeared in series 7
• Mr Tucknott - A trainee bank manager who stayed in Bodger's Hotel in Series 8.
• Mrs Bobbins - stayed in Bodger's Hotel in Series 8.
• Miss Peake - another guest of Bodger's Hotel, who was rather rude and was quite threatening to Bodger
• Mr Wilson - another trainee bank manager, who stayed in Bodger's Hotel in Series 9. Like most of the characters, he too despised Mashed Potatoes. He's a bit of a crybaby character, who gets upset over even the slightest things.
• Mr Gripper - a short-lived character from Series 9, who had a crush on Mrs Melly.
• Mrs Melly the bossy Tourist Information officer from series 9, she was also called Smelly Melly, due to her name's being Mrs S. Melly. She is highly suspicious and believes that Bodger has something to hide. She also dislikes people having fun on her beach and will do anything to prevent anyone having fun.
• Miss Piper - a short-sighted birdwatcher who was featured in only one episode. She is played by Hilda Braid, who also played Nana Moon in EastEnders.
• Mrs Trout - Series 2 and most of 3 loved going down the cake shop.
• China, a dog owned by Millie in series 8 and 9 who worked with Badger and Mousey to cause chaos with mashed potato around Puddleford.
• Millie, a milkwoman who is a friend of Bodger's in series 8 and 9. Helps out Bodger and Badger in numerous occasions, mainly allowing use of her Milkfloat to carry customers around, such as picking Mr Wilson up from the station. She owns a dog named China.
• Luigi a badger who traveled from Italy and stayed at the flat of Bodger and Badger during series 7. The puppet design for this was very similar to Badger's.
• The two milendies two Spanish dancers who stayed in bodgers hotel in series 8.

Popularity

Bodger and Badger has enjoyed something of a cult status, particularly among teenagers and those in their twenties who grew up with the programme. It has also found popularity amongst students, tuning into daytime re-runs. As such, it has led to a popular tour of UK universities; 'Mashed Potato Theme Nights' have been seen at Hull, Aston, Warwick, Bath and Buckinghamshire New and will be also seen soon at Aberystwyth. A DVD, 'Bodger and Badger: Live', was released on the 6 November, 2006.

Cast

• Andy Cunningham - Simon Bodger
• Badger as Himself
• Roger Walker - Mr Hector Troff (series 1)
• Joanne Campbell - Mavis (series 1 and 2)
• Peter Leabourne - Baddie (series 1)
• Stephen Lewis - Marcel the Chef (series 1)
• Maggie Henderson - The Health Inspector (series 1)
• Robin Sneller - Rodney (series 1)
• Jim Bywater - Shorty (series 1)
• Lila Kaye - Mrs Daphnie Trout (Fishface) (series 2 & 3)
• Selina Cadell - Miss Geraldine Moon (series 2 & 3)
• Andrew Fraser - Brains (series 2)
• Neil Kattenhorn - Danny (series 2)
• Nicholas Parsons - Mayor (series 2)
• Shaun Prendergast - Mr Crusher (series 2)
• Andre Vincent - Sidney Fudgepocket (series 2)
• Rudolph Walker - Mr Valentino (series 3)
• Victoria Avery - Vicky (Series 3)
• Rocky Samari - Rocky (Series 3)
• Richenda Carey - Mrs Bogard ('Bogey') (Series 3)
• Jon Glover - Mr Lionel Beasley (series 4)
• Sophie Worthers - Holly (series 4)
• Richard Braine - Raymond (series 5)
• Ashley Artus - Buglar 1 (series 5)
• Penelope Nice - Buglar 2 (series 5)
• Jane Bassett - Millie/Mousey (series 5-9)
• Carol Macready - Mrs Cecilia Dribelle (series 6,7)
• Joe Cushley - Elton (series 6)
• Mike Harvey - Wrestler (series 7)
• Wayne Jackman - Radio voiceover (series 7)
• Jane Bassett - Burglar (series 7)
• Duncan Galloway - ''Policeman (series 7)
• Ricky Diamond - Alec Smart (series 7,8)
• Sally Ann Marsh - Vicky (series 7)
• Ricky Diamond - Alec Smart (series 7,8)
• Valerie Minifie - Miss Penelope Peake (series 8)
• Jo Warne - Mrs Bobbins (series 8)
• Bill Thomas - Mr Tucknott (series 8) Mr. Woberts (series 2)
• Carole Boyd - Mrs Sharona Melly (series 9)
• Hilda Braid - Mrs Piper (series 9)
• Matthew Woolcott - Mr Malcom Wilson (series 9)
• Alan Towner - VIP Guest (series 9)
• Roger Liddle - Mr Gripper (series 9)

The theme tune was sung by Tim Whalley, Simon Cross-Fancy and two other children.

Crew

• Andy Cunningham - Creator / Writer
• Wayne Jackman - Other Writer
• Jane Bassett - Other Writer
• Pierre Hollins - Other Writer
• Claire Winyard - Director (series 2 & 3)
• Judy Whitfield - Executive Producer, Producer (series 1)
• Greg Childs - Producer (series 2)
• Christine Hewitt - Producer (series 6-8)
• Sue Morgan - Producer (series 9)

External links

• Comedy Guide - Bodger and Badger at bbc.co.uk
• Bodger and Badger Episode Guide