Bob the Builder

Bob the Builder is an animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment which ran from 12 April 1999 (1999-04-12) to 31 December 2011 (2011-12-31) in the United Kingdom through the CBBC programming block. The series centres on the adventures and escapades of a general contractor named Bob who owns a team of five anthropomorphised construction vehicles that go about their day helping out with construction work in several towns.

The series used stop-motion animation for most of the series as well as Project: Build It, provided by Hot Animation in Manchester. The series changed to CGI animation in 2010 for its final two seasons; titled Ready, Steady, Build!, of which SD Entertainment completed animation production.

Following the series' conclusion, HIT Entertainment was purchased by American toy company Mattel for $680 million.^[2] In October 2014, the company announced a revival series that would feature changes in the setting, casting and character designs. The revival aired on Channel 5's Milkshake! for three seasons from 1 September 2015 to 30 December 2018, and was severely criticised by fans of the original version.^[3][4] An animated theatrical film adaptation of the series was announced in January 2024; which will be produced by Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions and star Anthony Ramos as the voice casting of Bob.^[5]

A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

Voice actors who have contributed to the original British version include Neil Morrissey, Rob Rackstraw, Kate Harbour, Rupert Degas, Colin McFarlane, Maria Darling, Emma Tate, Richard Briers, and June Whitfield.

Celebrities who have provided voices for the series (usually for one-off specials) include John Motson, Sue Barker, Kerry Fox, Ulrika Jonsson, Alison Steadman, Stephen Tompkinson, Elton John, and Noddy Holder.

Bob the Builder is broadcasted internationally broadcast and available in several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Slovene, German, Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi, Serbo-Croatian, and others.

Bob the Builder was nominated in the BAFTA "Pre-school animation" category from 1999 to 2009, and won the "Children's Animation" category in 2003 for the special episode "A Christmas to Remember".^[7] Of the series's success, Sarah Ball said:

I think diggers and dumpers fascinate kids in the same way that they are drawn to dinosaurs. They both have a timeless appeal. The technique of stop motion is very tangible―the characters look like you can just pick them up and play with them. It's a safe, lovely, bright, colourful world, which is very appealing. Curtis Jobling did a fantastic job designing the show―it's very simple and stylised but has such charm.

— Interview with Sarah Ball, Gurgle.com^[8]

On 1 September 2015, a reboot series first aired on Cartoonito and Channel 5's Milkshake block and dub American aired on 7 November 2015 with no funding and programmed during weekdays (twenty-first series does not aired and reruns) until three years Cartoonito was left. In 2021, Channel 5 left as it has since ended it's run. Two years after the 2015 series ended, the original Bob the Builder also aired on Qubo but it ceased operations on 28 February 2021. A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

• Official Website