Bimble's Bucket
Bimble's Bucket was an animated progamme shown on CITV created by Michael Jupp, the creator of The Dreamstone and produced by Martin Gates Productions for HTV. The show ran for 3 series between 1996 and 1998. The rights to this show are currently owned by Monster Entertainment as of 2014.
Plot
The main character of the series was Bimble, a young male anthropomorphic creature (a fox rabbit hybrid creature of whom some fans dub his species as 'foxbits' unofficially, though Mike Jupp had given them an official name called 'Squonks', it was never mentioned on the show) who, after rescuing a man from sinking in a swamp by pulling a bucket from his head, was given the very bucket he pulled off as a reward for rescuing the man. Soon Bimble is introduced to Teeny Weeny, a small green female character (who has leaves and an acorn on her head) and the guardian of the bucket. He also found out the bucket would grant wishes if he needed any particular item, but the effects would only last for 24 hours). The bucket is damaged in the first episode of the series when it is attacked by slingshots.
A witch called Dolly Clackhanger would try to steal the bucket from Bimble, many times, for her queen, Kak. She usually sent her gang to steal it. They consist of two Sleazians from Sleaze City who look like punk rockers called Bilge and Oiler, who usually go around on motorised pogo sticks. They were the ones who dented the bucket to begin with. Dolly also has an odd-looking blue creature with green hair called Sploot, who is usually Dolly's guinea pig for her magical experiments.
Queen Kak is also assisted by her tax collector Mudge, another Sleazian wearing a pork pie hat. He would rather perform scientific experiments instead of collecting taxes for the queen, and he dislikes Dolly and her magic.
TV airings
The series aired in the United Kingdom on CITV from 1996–1998 and was later repeated on Pop in 2004. It has also aired on Nine Network in Australia.
Voice team
Series 1
Julia McKenzie (Dolly Clackhanger/Narrator), Ellie Beaven (Teeny Weeny), Jonathan Kydd (Mudge / Mr. Gallypot), Gary Martin (Sploot), Lewis MacLeod (Bimble), Kate Robbins (Oiler)
Series 2/3
Julia McKenzie (Narrator/Dolly Clackhanger), Ellie Beaven (Teeny Weeny), Maria Darling, Sally Kinghorn, Gary Martin (Sploot), Paul Panting (Bimble), Richard Tate (Mudge / Mayor of Stiltsville)
Episode list
Series One: (25 minute episodes)
- The Beginning - First broadcast: 5/1/1996
- The Really Bad Idea - First broadcast: 15/1/1996
- Mistaken Identity - First broadcast: 22/1/1996
- The Catastrophe - First broadcast: 29/1/1996
- The Journey - First broadcast: 3/5/1996
- Pogo Time - First broadcast: 10/5/1996
- The Birds
- Marooned
- The Moon Bridge
- Nearly
- The Carpet
- Catnap
- The Return
Series Two: (10-minute episodes)
- The Cauldron – First broadcast: 4/2/1997
- The Homing Bubble
- The Fair
- Sploot’s Monster
- The Hypnopipe
- Dolly Rules
- A Question of Colours
- Keep Fit
- The Plant
- Queen Kak’s Birthday
- Invisible
- Sheep
- Pirates
Series Three: (10-minute episodes)
- Small - First broadcast: 27/4/1998
- The Pogo Tournament
- The Bird (different episode from Series 1 "The Birds")
- The Robot
- Vandals
- Dad's Tomatoes
- Fairy Tale Day
- The Sludge Monster
- The Freeze
- Celebration
- The Crab
- Sweetie
- Weather Witch
Home Media releases
English home video company First Independent released one VHS title in the UK which contained the first 3 episodes and is quite rare.
The company Monster Entertainment is planning to release Bimble's Bucket onto DVD and Blu-ray in the UK in the near future, along with other shows in Martin Gates' catalogue; such as Mike Jupp's other show; The Dreamstone.[1]
Credits
Series 1
- Written by
- Sue Radley and Martin Gates
- Original Concept and Design by
- Mike Jupp
- Music Written and Composed by
- Chris Caswell
- Animation Directors
- Simon Ward-Horner, Chris Randall, David Elvin, Greg Ingram
- Directed by
- Martin Gates
- Dialogue Recording Engineer
- Ben Leeves
- Dubbing Editors
- Kevin Brazier, Alan Sallabank
- Dubbing Mixer
- David Humphries
- Sound Re-recorded at
- DB Post Production
- Negative Cutting
- Mike Fraser
- Telecine Grader
- Alan Bishop
- Video Editor
- Neville Donoghue
- Film Editor
- David Hillier
- Production Facilities
- Moving Images International
- Managing Director
- Jimmy Costello
- Head of Production
- Louie Jhocson
- Production Facilities
- Sae Rom Animation
- President
- Kil Whan Kim
- Production Assistants
- Emma MacGregor, Samantha Warden, Charlotte Simpson-Orlebar
- Production Secretary
- Sarah Absalom
- Production Co-ordinator
- Robert Dunbar
- Production Manager
- Stuart Lock
- Storyboard
- Mike Jupp, Gordon Harrison, David Elvin, Keith Scoble, Greg Ingram, Bruce McNally, Marty Murphy
- Timing
- Paul Stibal, Dick Horn, Duncan Varley
- Art Direction and Timing
- Barry Macey
- Edit and Story Supervisor
- Sue Radley
- Executive Producers
- Dan Maddicot, Tom Parkhouse
- Line Producer
- Marion Edwards
- Produced by
- Martin Gates
Series 2–3
- Written by
- Sue Radley and Martin Gates
- Original Concept and Design by
- Mike Jupp
- Music Written and Composed by
- Chris Caswell
- Animation Directors
- Chris Randall, Vincent Woodcock
- Directed by
- Martin Gates
- Dialogue Recording Engineer
- Ben Leeves
- Dubbing Editor
- Kevin Brazier
- Dubbing Mixers
- David Humphries, Alan Sallabank
- Sound Re-recorded at
- DB Post Production
- Negative Cutting
- Mike Fraser
- Telecine Grader
- Ray King
- Video Editor
- Andrew Mitchell
- Film Editor
- David Hillier
- Production Facilities
- Hong Ying Animation
- General Manager
- Bobby Hsieu
- Production Manager
- Tom Pong
- Production Assistants
- Charlotte Simpson-Orlebar, Ellen Moreno, Samantha Warden
- Production Secretary
- Sarah Absalom
- Assistant Producer
- Emma MacGregor
- Production Co-ordinator
- Robert Dunbar
- Production Manager
- Stuart Lock
- Songs and Music Published by
- Telestar Management Ltd.
- Character Development
- Alan Case, Leila Marr
- Storyboards
- Gordon Harrison, Mike Jupp, Barry Macey, Clive Pallant, Vince James & Jez Hall, Michael Zarb, Marty Murphy
- Timing
- Chris Cuddington, Barry Macey
- Edit and Story Supervisor
- Sue Radley
- Executive Producers
- Dan Maddicott, Tom Parkhouse
- Producer
- Martin Gates