Phil Fletcher

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Phil Fletcher (born 27 October 1976) is a British puppeteer. He established his puppet manufacturing and performance company, Gluvets, at the age of 11. After briefly working in manufacturing he found summer work performing in holiday camps and became a full-time puppeteer in 2002. In 2009 he was cast by the BBC as the puppeteer for

CBBC Channel. Fletcher gave Hacker a voice for the first time and the character proved popular, receiving his own 63-episode TV series, Hacker Time, which was nominated for eight BAFTAs. From 2017 Fletcher voiced Sweep in Sooty and from 2021 has appeared as Larry the Lizard on Buffering
.

Early life

Phil Fletcher was born in Hindley, Greater Manchester, on 27 October 1976.[1] He developed an interest in puppeteering as a child, after seeing programmes featuring The Muppets and, his favourite, Rod Hull and Emu. Fletcher was given a replica puppet of Emu at the age of four and used it, and puppets made from card and paper, to make performances.[1][2] His first public show was a performance of Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare" at his local church.[1]

Fletcher attended All Saints Primary School and

Butlins, Pontins and Haven Holidays and became a full-time puppeteer in 2002.[1] In 2008 he judged Puppet Contest 2008 : A Space Odyssey, a competition organised by Project Puppet.[3]

Television

Fletcher never aspired to appear on television, as he thought it too small a market, and concentrated on live performances.

CBBC Channel for the following year. Fletcher initially declined to audition, stating he was too busy and the contract was short term (four months), but was persuaded to reconsider and was awarded the role. Fletcher has appeared as Hacker since then.[1]

On Scoop Hacker had only growled and barked but he gained a voice under Fletcher, who gradually introduced more dialogue to the act. Hacker first appeared alongside CBBC presenter

The Pet Shop Boys).[1] Fletcher says that the personality of Hacker is based on himself and that "I just do what I find funny ... The bits that are always the funny bits are just made up – I'm always just trying to throw the presenter under the bus, really. I have no regard for the presenter, I just throw them under the bus because I think it'd make good telly". Fletcher claims that portraying Hacker is "the best job in the world".[2] He received a further Bafta nomination for best children's performer in 2017 for his work on the CBBC Channel.[4]

In 2022 a segment that Hacker filmed with co-host

Big Issue as "the most famous snort in the country".[5] Fletcher said "Her reaction was genuine because she didn't know what I was gonna say, nor did I, really. It just threw her over the edge, because what does that even mean? Why would you say that on kids telly?".[2] The scene was unscripted.[5] Although rumours arose claiming it was inspired by an interaction between Fletcher and the police after being arrested in Leeds he says it was not and was "just nonsense".[6][7]

Fletcher's Gluvets company has made puppets for the Sooty TV series and replicas of famous puppets such as the Muppets, and Basil Brush, for his personal collection. From 2017 Fletcher provided the "voice" for Sweep on Sooty.[1] He has also appeared as Larry the Lizard in the ITV sitcom Buffering (2021–) alongside Stirling who wrote and stars in the programme.[8][9]

Personal life

Fletcher has always lived in Hindley, except for his first two years at CBBC when he lived in London, and has two dogs. Fletcher also appears in a Pet Shop Boys tribute band, known as The Pound Shop Boys. As well as the band's hits he sings children's television themes and novelty chart hits.[1]

In 2018, Fletcher purchased at auction one of the few surviving Emu puppets used by Rod Hull. - Phil Fletcher paid £8,860 for the puppet, well in excess of its £750–1,000 estimate. The puppet joined others in his collection such as George from Rainbow, Keith Harris' Orville the Duck and Sooty and Sweep.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Meet the Wigan puppet master behind Hacker T Dog". Wigan Today. 28 December 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ran, Dani (17 June 2022). "I Interviewed the 'We're Just Normal Men' Puppet on Zoom". Vice.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Puppet Contest 2008 : A Space Odyssey – Deadline : November 1, 2008". International Competition. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "BAFTA Awards Search". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b c MacKenzie, Steven (27 June 2022). "Lauren Layfield: 'Normal men, innocent men' and me". The Big Issue. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  6. ^ Fletcher, Harry (7 May 2022). "What is the 'normal men, innocent men' meme?". Indy100.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  7. ^ Van De Peer, Hannah (25 April 2022). "Right, why are people saying 'we're just normal men, we're just innocent men' on Twitter?". The Tab. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Iain Stirling's sitcom Buffering returning to ITV2 for a second series". British Comedy Guide. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  9. ^ Baah, Nana (5 August 2021). "The Secret Life of a Kids TV Presenter". Vice.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Emu bought by Hacker the Dog puppeteer to sit alongside George the pink hippo". Antiques Trade Gazette. 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Rod Hull's Emu smashes estimate at auction". Sky News. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
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