If you haven’t heard of Mr Tumble, chances are you haven’t had young children in the last two decades.
The character has become a staple in UK children’s entertainment with an impressive library of sketches, songs and live stage tours.
Mr Tumble — real name Justin Fletcher — is a colourful clown often on CBeebies daytime shows and beloved by young children for his repertoire of characters and slapstick comedy.
Fletcher, aged 55, has a talent for entertaining young children that has not only amassed him an estimated net worth of more than £1.5 million, but also attracted unlikely celebrity fans including Simon Pegg and Bryan Adams.
But how did he rise to such niche yet profitable fame?
Fletcher was born into a showbiz home in Reading in 1970.
His father was celebrated songwriter Guy Fletcher who wrote hits for Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and Ray Charles. He even wrote Cliff Richard’s 1973 Eurovision entry.
‘I was brought up in that kind of creative world and I got to meet some very interesting people,’ he said previously in an interview with The Guardian.
But, unlike his dad, Fletcher was best suited for life in front of a camera rather than working as the genius behind the scenes. Ideally with red paint on his nose.
The star says he realised he wanted to carve a career in children’s entertainment during his first year at Guildford School of Acting in Surrey.
Creating characters grew to be his passion and now millions of children up and down the country recognise him as Mr Tumble, Grandad Tumble, Lord Tumble, Fisherman Tumble, Baker Tumble and Aunt Polly.
Fletcher has even joked that he frequently gets called by both Justin and Mr Tumble when he is recognised in public and ‘answers to both’.
Many of his characters feature gentle clowning and slapstick gags that has not only made him famous on screens, but has put pressure on parents across the country to buy tickets to pantos, CBeebies live tours and a stunning amount of DVD sales.
Simply put: his finances are no laughing matter.
Sales of his Something Special DVDs alone are thought to have topped 100,000, bringing in an estimated £1 million for the star, whilethe accompanying magazine is said to have brought in another £180,000 a month.
It means that during his time out of the costumes, Fletcher lives in an idyllic, six bedroom, £2.5m country mansion in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
Though his work ethic seems unmatched, he has admitted to being a ‘workaholic’ which might be why he has struggled to strike it lucky in love…until now.
Famously single until recently, he is now reported to be dating his on-screen co-star, Samantha Dorrance, who is 21 years his junior.
Dorrance plays his silly best friend Tootsie in The Tale of Mr Tumble and the pair are said to be an item, even going on the road together in his Justin Live: Justin Time to Rock! Tour.
While he started his career voicing characters on shows like the Tweenies and presenting on Tikkabilla, most of his fame can be attributed to his work on Something Special.
The series invited young children into Mr Tumble’s world, along with a cast of SEND (special educational needs) children and was the brainchild of BBC producer and ex-teacher Allan Johnston.
Mr Tumble’s red-nose, cheery songs and trademark spotty flags were designed with children with delayed learning and communication skills in mind – with Makaton sign language built into the show – but appealed widely to toddlers.
As such, the character was a trailblazer in terms of inclusivity in children’s entertainment, and Fletcher has won the highest accolades children’s TV has to offer — three children’s BAFTAs.
He was even awarded an MBE for services to children’s broadcasting in 2008.