Countdown: Favourite British Puppets — Part Four (The Winner)
It’s time to reveal my favourite of all British puppets.
I was surprised to see how many years some of the others on our countdown had on air. But our number one? He’s been around in some form or another for over 75 years. As recently as 2021, he also came Number One in a Sky TV survey — the childhood TV character of all time. He’s met the King and is part of the Magic Circle.
I am, of course, talking about
1:Sooty
When I was younger, it was Sooty & Co. Sooty the mute bear helps run a shop alongside Sweep, Sue and little cousin Scampy. So all that stuff Geoffrey dealt with? If you’ve watched many of these kids’ TV episodes, you know the score. Authority figure. In this case, Matthew is getting something thrown at him — gunge, custard pie, or a water pistol. Always ending with: “Bye Bye Everyone, Bye Bye.”
This gets points for the “watched with Grandad” factor too. Though I do remember, while I laughed a lot at it, he enjoyed it but once commented: “He’s not a patch on his Dad.”
The Harry Corbett years remained a mystery to me. I remember one of those Sooty prize‑giving machines at Cleethorpes had artwork saying Harry Corbett’s Sooty Show. I liked its vintage look, but it always felt wrong. The Sooty show for me was Matthew.
Then I grew up and mostly forgot about Sooty.
It’s the early 2010s. I’m at Butlins Skegness and there’s a change in line‑up. At the time I’m at least a quarter‑century old and fifteen years out of the target age range (visiting with family and friends — no kids at the time). I finally see Sooty live. I felt like a kid in front of CITV.
The talking head had changed. A bloke named Richard — he was actually pretty good.
But he wasn’t a patch on Matthew.
Yeah, I heard it. I’ll get my coat. I know where the door is.
I’ll catch you in the next one. But for now…
Bye Bye Everybody. Bye Bye.