Interview - Richard Cadell, Owner and presenter of Sooty
Monday, February 9, 2015
A new series of Sooty educational DVDs, designed to support the Early Years Foundation Stage, are due for release in the spring.
Why did you decide to make the educational DVDs?
Matthew Corbett, the previous owner and presenter of Sooty, made educational videos in the nineties, which were hugely popular, but are now outdated.
With the advice of an early years educational advisor, we have created two DVDs, one on phonics and the other on numeracy for pre-school age children. In keeping with the Sooty TV series, the DVDs include a lot of slapstick humour - we didn't want children to feel like they are at school.
The 'Fun to Learn' DVDs also include three popular episodes from the current TV series of Sooty, and come with downloadable resources to support children's learning.
Sooty is the longest running children's television programme in the UK. What is it that makes it so popular?
Together the characters, Sooty, Sweep and Soo, are a great dynamic and bring different elements to the show. Sooty has a very naughty personality, while Sweep is the fool and Soo is the smart one.
Sooty appeals to children as he is a teddy bear. Most children own or have played with a teddy. Many parents and grandparents watched the show as a child, so trust its content for their own children/grandchildren.
The current series of Sooty is the most popular pre-school programme on ITV.
You are currently working on a Sooty film. What can you tell us about it?
The film will be a 'live action' road movie featuring the Sooty, Sweep and Soo puppets. There will also be a lot of celebrity cameos. The film will be in the same format as the TV series, but bigger and funnier.
Sooty fun facts
- Sooty was created by Harry Corbett in 1948, after he bought the puppet from a stall in Blackpool for his son Matthew.
- He has appeared on children's television since the 1950s.
- Matthew Corbett took over the control of Sooty in 1976 before retiring in 1998.
- Ten years later, Richard Cadell bought the rights to Sooty.
- Since it was first broadcast, the end of every Sooty show ends with the line, 'Bye bye everybody, bye bye'.
The Sooty 'Fun to Learn 123' DVD goes on sale on 2 March. Visit www.thesootyshow.com.
