Bodger & Badger (Tv Series 1989- 1997)

 

PLOT

The first series saw Bodger working at Troff's Nosherama, where his badger was unknown to the other characters. The second and third series were set in the Letsby Avenue Junior School (fans generally regard these as the best series); Bodger worked as the caretaker for the school and there was general antagonism between him and the schoolchildren - a large cast of children - and the headteachers Mrs Trout ('Fish-Face') and later Mrs Bogart ('Bogey'). Later series featured Bodger moving to other jobs and began to feature less of Bodger, concentrating more on Badger and his friend Mousey. She was not an overly intelligent mouse, who unsurprisingly had a fondness for cheese.

 

All 9 series were produced between 1989 and 1999 which included 124 episodes. Bodger and Badger have also made appearances on stage.



Series 1

 

Series 1 featured Bodger and Badger working in Troff's Nosherama, a run-down café. Bodger worked in the kitchens as a chef. Both Bodger and Badger made friends with the waitress, Mavis. Troff's Nosherama was run by Mr Troff who was very arrogant. Troff had no idea of Badger's presence until the last episode in the series.



Series 2 and 3

 

Series 2 and 3 featured Bodger and Badger working at Letsby Avenue junior school; Simon worked as the caretaker, Badger made friends with the school children and crawled around the air vents. Letsby Avenue's headmistress was the overweight and mean Mrs Trout, there was also the friendly and dim-witted deputy head Miss Moon. Later in Series 3 Mrs Trout was fired and Miss Moon became the new temporary headmistress until Mrs Bogart (Mrs Trout's sister) took over as headmistress. All of the school children knew about Badger but Mrs Trout, Mrs Bogart and Miss Moon did not.



Series 4

 

Series 4 featured Bodger and Badger working at Chessington World of Adventures, a real theme park in Surrey. Bodger was the caretaker there, and Badger made friends with a girl called Holly who frequently visited the theme park. Bodger's boss was Mr Beasley, who was mean and obsessed with rules. Beasley kept trying to catch Badger to try to get Bodger chucked out. Series 4's episodes were cut down to 10 minutes, instead of 15.



Series 5, 6 and 7

 

Series 5, 6 and 7 featured Bodger and Badger living in a rented bedsit flat. Badger met his friend Mousey in Series 5, a mouse who lived under the floorboards. Badger kept Mousey's presence a secret from Bodger, because Bodger tried to get rid of Mousey in the first episode of Series 5 by setting traps for her. Series 5 mainly featured everyday adventures between Bodger, Badger and Mousey. Series 6 mainly featured the pair having trouble with their new landlady, Mrs Dribelle, and Elton (her sidekick) who did all her dirty work. Mrs Dribelle didn't allow her tenants to keep animals in her properties, so Bodger always had to hide Badger whenever she came to the flat. Series 7 featured more everyday adventures, and over the course of Series 7 various different people moved into the flat upstairs including a slimy trickster called Mr Smart, and Mrs Dribelle's niece, Vicky. Mrs Dribelle herself lived in the upstairs flat temporarily while her house was renovated.



Series 8 and 9

 

Series 8 and 9 featured Bodger and Badger running a B&B in the fictional town of Puddleford. Various guests stayed at the hotel over the course of the two series, and again Bodger kept Badger's presence a secret from all of them. Guests included two Spanish flamenco dancers, Miss Peake (a bad-tempered school teacher), Mr Tucknott (a dim-witted bank manager), the bubbly Mrs Bobbins, Miss Piper (a mad old woman) and Mr Wilson (a pathetic trainee bank manager). In Series 8 the characters of Millie the Milkwoman and China the dog were introduced, who featured in the show until the very end. Millie was friends with Bodger and knew about Badger, as he was friends with her dog, China. Series 8 also featured the return of Mr Smart, as he ran the B&B next door to Bodger's. Smart never seemed to have any guests staying at his hotel and was always trying to steal Bodger's. In Series 9 the character of Mrs Melly was introduced, the bossy tourist information officer who stopped people from having fun on the beach outside her office. She hated Bodger and refused to recommend his B&B to tourists.

Episodes Series One

 

Bodger is Chef (13 September 1989) - Simon Bodger must win a cookery contest to get the Chef's job at Troff's Nosherama.
The Badgers Are Coming (20 September 1989) - Badger ends up inside a cake.
The Health Inspector (27 September 1989) - The Health Inspector pays a visit after reports of badgers roaming around the kitchens.
Portrait of Hector (4 October 1989) - Mr. Troff decides the Nosherama needs a new Welcome sign. Mr. Troff thinks Mavis is the artist, but in actual fact it is Badger!
Auntie Warnty (11 October 1989) - Mr. Troffs Australian aunt comes to visit the Nosherama.
Adrian Loud Warbler (18 October 1989) - Adrian Loud Warbler invites Mavis to lunch to discuss a singing job. Unfortunately he takes her to the Nosherama!
The Robot (25 October 1989) - Bodger is in danger of being replaced as chef at the Nosherama when a salesman shows Mr. Troff a new Shove-a-Chef
The Final Episode (1 November 1989) - Bodger and Badger are left in charge of the Nosherama, but things don't quite go according to plan. Mashed potato mayhem ensues.



Series Two

 

Letsby Avenue (9 January 1991) - Simon Bodger applies for the handymans job at Letsby Avenue Junior School but will he get it?
Abracabadger (16 January 1991) - Will magic be enough when Miss Moon sees Badger? Class Four come to the rescue.
The Bare Mayor (23 January 1991) - Mrs Trout announces that the mayor is coming to visit the school, but Badger gets the wrong end of the stick.
The Skeleton (30 January 1991) - Mrs Trout purchases a skeleton for the school but at the expense of any school trips.
Mr Woberts The Watcatcher (6 February 1991) - Mrs Trout thinks the school has rats so she calls in the ratcatcher.
The Hairy Fairy (13 February 1991) - Miss Moon is sure the school has fairies, and her suspicions are confirmed when she notices that Mrs Trout has turned to stone!
The Wonky Window (20 February 1991) - Mrs Trout's window won't shut so she calls on Bodger to fix it.
Mr Crusher and the Ninja Zombies From Mars (27 February 1991) - The school gets a new gym teacher but the students aren't impressed with him.
The Burglar (6 March 1991) - Bodger and Badger mistake Mrs Trout for a burglar when she puts on a costume for a fancy dress ball. But it isn't long until a real burglar shows up...
Snowflakes in Hawaii (13 March 1991) - It's Hawaiian Day at Letsby Avenue. But the fun day proves not to be, when Mrs Trout cancels the coal delivery.
Mavis and the Fingerpoppers (20 March 1991) - A pop singer called Mavis comes to visit the school and hypnotises Badger into singing "Old MacDonald".
School's Out (27 March 1991) - As the end of term comes, Bodger and Badger reminisce about their year at Letsby Avenue.

Series Three

 

Mr Valentino and the Rubber Bottom (1 October 1991)
William Tell (8 October 1991)
The Head's Anniversary (15 October 1991)
The Golden Alarm Clock (22 October 1991)
The New Moon (29 October 1991)
Eamon and the New Headmistress (5 November 1991)
The Mashed Potato Gun (12 November 1991)
The Difficult Test (19 November 1991)
The Head's Twin Sister (26 November 1991)
The Baby (3 December 1991)
The Doubling Box (10 December 1991)
The Class Photo (17 December 1991)



Series Four

 

The Arrival (13 September 1993)
Mr Beasley's Barrow (20 September 1993)
The Tapirs (27 September 1993)
The Elephant's Trunk (4 October 1993)
A Hard Day's Knight (11 October 1993)
The New Clothes (18 October 1993)
The Dragon (25 October 1993)
Wet Paint (1 November 1993)
Catapult (8 November 1993)



Series Five

 

A Mouse in the House (9 January 1995)
Under the Floorboards (16 January 1995)
Washday (23 January 1995)
Mr Sellby's Pictures (30 January 1995)
Ancient Egyptian Mashed Potato (6 February 1995)
Rent Money (13 February 1995)
Here Comes Raymond (20 February 1995)
Twin Brother (27 February 1995)
Mashy Mouse (6 March 1995)
Seaside (13 March 1995)
Cosmic Potatoes (20 March 1995)
One of Those Days (27 March 1995)
Mad Mash Bash (3 April 1995)



Series Six

 

Mrs Dribelle! (15 January 1996)
Badger in the Box (22 January 1996)
Potty (29 January 1996)
Lottery Lunacy (5 February 1996)
Mrs Dribelle's Mother (12 February 1996)
Pussy Cake, Pussy Cake (19 February 1996)
Diet (26 February 1996)
Badger's Bed (4 March 1996)
The Countess of Skegness (11 March 1996)
Overdue (18 March 1996)
Badger's Party (25 March 1996)
Around the World with Badger and Mousey (27 March 1996)



Series Seven

 

Jungle Fever (9 September 1996)
Catnapped (16 September 1996)
Here Comes Smartypants! (23 September 1996)
Funny Money (30 September 1996)
Wet Paint! (7 October 1996)
Gnome From Gnome (14 October 1996)
Mrs Dribelle's Big Day (21 October 1996)
World Badger Day (28 October 1996)
Mrs Dribelle and the Queen (4 November 1996)
Wotcha Vicky! (11 November 1996)
Radio Competition (18 November 1996)
Monkey Trouble (25 November 1996)
Say Cheese! (2 December 1996)
Vicky is a Hit (9 December 1996)
Mashy Christmas Everybody (16 December 1996)
Mashy Music (1 January 1997)
Too Close For Comfort (6 January 1997)
Good Luck, Vicky (13 January 1997)
The Mashy Mushtake (20 January 1997)
While the Cat's Away (27 January 1997)
Mrs Dribelle's Dancing Partner (3 February 1997)
Vote For Me - Or Else! (10 February 1997)
Cuckoo (17 February 1997)
The Mash Baaa-sh (24 February 1997)
On The Blink (3 March 1997)
Pasta Masha (10 March 1997)
Clay Days (17 March. 1997)
The Time Masheen (24 March 1997)



Series Eight

 

A Smart Start (15 December 1997)
Well Spotted (22 December 1997)
Peace and Quiet (5 January 1998)
The Extra-Terrestrial Toothbrush (12 January 1998)
Hat Ahoy! (19 January 1998)
Seaweed Bay (26 January 1998)
Fancy That (2 February 1998)
Water Laugh (9 February 1998)
The Potato Patch (16 February 1998)
Doggone (23 February 1998)
Automashic (2 March 1998)
Mashy Record Breakers (9 March 1998)
Big Bear (16 March 1998)
Mash Cash (23 March 1998)
Splosh! (30 March 1998)



Series Nine

 

Hello Mrs Melly (14 December 1998)
Poster Potatoes (21 December 1998)
A Twitch in Time (4 January 1999)
A Whale of a Time (11 January 1999)
The Great Escape (18 January 1999)
Hundreads and Thousands (25 January 1999)
Mr Wilson's Bathing Trunks (1 February 1999)
Green Potatoes (8 February 1999)
A Mashy Romance (15 February 1999)
China Comes To Stay(22 February 1999)
Pop (1 March 1999)
Ready Steady Go (8 March 1999)
Mrs Melly Investigates (15 March 1999)
Puddleford Day (22 March 1999)
Mashy Museum (29 March 1999)



Characters

 

 

 

​​Bodger
(Andy Cunningham) - Simon Bodger is an odd-job man who has had various jobs throughout the series, probably because Badger's antics keep on getting him sacked. In the first series he was working as a cook for Troff's Nosherama. In the second and third series he was a caretaker at a junior school. In the fourth series he was a handyman and zookeeper at Chessington World of Adventures. In the fifth, sixth and seventh series he was seemingly unemployed and renting a flat, and in the eighth and ninth series he was manager of his own Bed and Breakfast. Badger is his talking pet and best friend, although all the trouble that Bodger ends up in is usually down to Badger. Regular gags usually involve Badger covering Bodger in mashed potato or some other messy substance, either intentionally or accidentally.



​Badger
(voiced by Andy Cunningham) - Badger is named after the type of animal that he is - a badger. He has the ability to talk and wears smaller versions of human clothes (including his trademark beret) and has a fondness for mashed potato, which he likes to play with as well as eat. It is not known how Bodger originally met Badger. There were several different Badger puppets used throughout the series - all looked very similar bar their clothes.



 

​Mousey
(voiced by Jane Bassett) - Mousey is a talking mouse who lives under the floorboards of the flat that Bodger rents from Series 5-7. She and Badger are great friends, both constantly getting up to mischief. Mousey's presence is only known by Bodger in the first episode of Series 5 when he sets traps to try and catch her. After Badger makes friends with Mousey, he tricks Simon into believing Mousey has gone from the house. When Bodger and Badger move to Puddleford to run their hotel in Series 8, Mousey goes with them and moves into the airing cupboard rather than under the floorboards. Even though Badger is known to several of the human characters, Mousey is kept a secret from everyone, although Mrs Dribelle spots her on two occasions in Bodger's flat.
Mr Troff (Roger Walker) - The arrogant owner of the restaurant in Series 1. He has no knowledge of Badger's presence until the final episode of the first series.



​Mavis
(Joanne Campbell) - Worked as a waitress at the restaurant with Bodger, and was friendly with both Bodger and Badger. She was also a singer, and returned for one episode during Series 2 when she visited Bodger and Badger at Letsby Avenue Junior School.



 

​Mrs Trout
(Lila Kaye) - The cruel and overweight Headmistress of Letsby Avenue Junior School, where Bodger worked in Series 2 and 3. She was referred to as 'Fish-face' by Badger and the school children. She liked insulting Bodger and Miss Moon, being nasty to the children and going down the cake shop. She was sent back to Teacher Training College by Mr Valentino after she tried to get Miss Moon sacked halfway through the third series.



​Miss Moon
(Selina Cadell) - The warm-hearted but dim-witted Deputy Head of Letsby Avenue Junior School throughout Series 2 and 3. She was friendly with Bodger, but not enough for him to let her know about Badger. She was briefly the acting Headmistress after Mrs Trout was sent back to Teacher Training.



 

​Mr Valentino
(Rudolph Walker) - Chairman of the Governors of Letsby Avenue Junior School, who appeared in two episodes in Series 3. He sends Mrs Trout away to re-train as a teacher after he realises she is a useless Headmistress.

Mrs Bogart
(Richenda Carey) - The elegantly-dressed, nasty-tempered Headmistress who replaced Mrs Trout halfway through Series 3. She is Mrs Trout's sister, and brought along her spoiled nephew who tried to replace Bodger as the school handyman. She never seems to do any work, despite the fact that she is the Headmistress, and spends most of her time eating chocolate, confiscating the children's chocolate, or down at the chocolate shop. She is nicknamed 'Mrs Bogey' by Badger, and looks to make money wherever she can.



​Eamon
(Philip Herbert) - Mrs Trout's spoiled son, and Mrs Bogart's nephew. He wanted Mrs Bogart to fire Bodger so he could be the school handyman, but he was quickly scared away by Badger and the children.



 

​Mr Beasley
(Jon Glover) - Bodger's superior at Chessington World of Adventures in Series 4. He tries to imply he is an educated professional, and excellent at his job. He knows of Badger's presence at the park and is constantly trying to catch him, although he doesn't know he is Bodger's pet.

Holly
(Sophie Worters) - A friendly girl who spends a lot of time at Chessington in Series 4. She is good friends with both Bodger and Badger and dislikes Mr Beasley just as much as they do.



 

​Burglars
(Penelope Nice and Ashley Artus) - Two villainous thieves who attempt to burgle Bodger's flat in Series 5. Posing as two council officers upgrading home security, they try to steal a valuable Ancient Eygptian statue which belongs to Bodger's aunt. They fail, thanks to Badger who tricks the dim-witted male burglar into believing that it is a cursed statue that throws 'Ancient Eygptian mashed potato' if tampered with.



​Mrs Dribelle
(Carol MacReady) - The extravagantly-dressed businesswoman from whom Bodger rents his flat in Series 6 and 7. She has a distinct dislike for animals (apart from cats) and forbids her tenants from keeping pets, resulting in Bodger having to constantly hide Badger whenever she visits. She dislikes Bodger intensly and tries everything she can think of to evict him. She is fond of cakes and biscuits, and likes to make lots of money from silly ideas. She is nicknamed 'Mrs Dribble' and 'Dribbly Bibbly' by Badger. She drives around in a car with the registration plate 'DRIB 1' and has a cat called Fluffykins. In her early episodes she is made aware of Badger's presence by her sidekick, Elton, but never actually sees him as Elton's plans to catch Badger always fail. She eventually decides that Elton is imagining Badger. She later employs Bodger as her odd-job man.



 

​Elton
(Joe Cushley) - Mrs Dribelle's sidekick. He is a hardman who always wears a wooly hat and denim jacket. He knows that Bodger has a badger in the flat after Badger hits him on the head with a frying pan. He is always trying to prove to Mrs Dribelle that there is a badger in the flat by all means possible. Even though Mrs Dribelle features in Series 7, Elton didn't feature after Series 6. He was last seen in the episode 'Badger's Party' where he was attacked by children dressed as badgers.



​Alec Smart
(Ricky Diamond) - The sly and untrustworthy tenant who moves into the flat above Bodger's in Series 7. He was always thinking up schemes to make money, often tricking Mrs Dribelle and Bodger in the process. He sucks up to Mrs Dribelle while secretly trying to scam her. In the episode 'Mrs Dribelle's Big Day' he asks her to marry him, with the intention of getting his hands on her money. After Mrs Dribelle discovers his plan, she throws him out the flat. A year later when Bodger and Badger move to Puddleford at the beginning of Series 8 to run a hotel, they are horrified to discover that Mr Smart is their next door neighbour once again. He is also running a hotel, but never seems to have any guests and is always trying to steal Bodger's. He was last seen in the episode 'Doggone' when he kidnapped China the dog in order to obtain a reward for finding him. Although he is not seen or mentioned again, it is assumed he still lives next door to Bodger throughout Series 9.



 

​Vicky
(Sally Ann Marsh) - Mrs Dribelle's niece. She was supposed to have been an accountant, but Vicky had dreams of being part of a band. She moves into the upstairs flat in Series 7 after Alec Smart is thrown out. She is supposed to work for her auntie, Mrs Dribelle, but she is always secretly auditioning for jobs as a drummer. She hides her drum kit in the bath when Mrs Dribelle visits as she disapproves of it. Vicky and Badger got on very well as they both love mashed potato. She ended up going on tour with a travelling band as a drummer. Vicky only appeared in Series 7.



​Luigi
An Italian badger who travelled from Italy and stayed at Bodger and Badger's flat for one episode during Series 7. The puppet design for this was very similar to Badger's.



 

​Millie
(Jane Bassett) - A milkwoman in Puddleford who is a friend of Bodger's in Series 8 and 9. She helps out Bodger and Badger on numerous occasions, mainly allowing use of her milk float to carry customers around, such as picking Mr Wilson up from the station. She shares Bodger's dislike of Mr Smart and Mrs Melly. She owns a dog named China, who is friends with Badger and Mousey.



​China
A dog originally owned by the Hutchins (Doggone) but later seen with Millie in Series 8 and 9. He worked with Badger and Mousey to cause chaos with mashed potato around Puddleford. He likes annoying Mrs Melly by barking outside her office.



 

​Miss Peake
(Valerie Minifie) - One of Bodger's first hotel guests in Series 8. She was bad-tempered and miserable and was rather rude and quite threatening to Bodger. She leaves his hotel in disgust after finding mashed potato in her bed and is immediately pounced on by Mr Smart, who tries to seduce her into staying at his hotel instead. She soon sees through him, however, and returns to Bodger's hotel. She later becomes obsessed with the legend of the lost pirate treasure, and along with Mr Smart, ends up digging up half of Puddleford beach trying to find it.



​Mr Tucknott
(Bill Thomas) - A bank manager who stayed in Bodger's hotel in Series 8. He is quite cheerful but appears to be long-suffering and quite nervous about his job, and gets particularly worried when trying to write a speech in the episode 'Mashy Record Breakers'.



 

​Mrs Bobbins
(Jo Warne) - Stayed in Bodger's hotel in Series 8 at the same time as Mr Tucknott. She is very bubbly and appears to like Bodger, but is not aware of Badger's presence, even in the episode 'Big Bear' when Badger poses as a large teddy bear which she bought for her grand-daughter and she tries to wrap him up in wrapping paper.



​Mrs Melly
(Carole Boyd) - The bossy, bad-tempered Tourist Information officer from Series 9. She was also nicknamed 'Mrs Smelly' and 'Smelly Melly', due to her forename beginning with 'S', and appearing as 'Mrs S. Melly'. She is highly suspicious of Bodger and believes that he is hiding something in his hotel, although she never actually finds out about Badger. She also dislikes people having fun on the beach outside her office and will do anything to prevent it. She has a lot of trouble with China the dog, who is always hanging around her office. She often looks for quick ways to make money, such as when she attempts to catch a valuable bird and charge people to see it, and when she believes Bodger has won the lottery she buys him lunch and starts being nice to him in the hope that he will share some of his winnings with her.



 

​Miss Piper
(Hilda Braid) - A short-sighted birdwatcher who featured in only one episode. She stayed in Bodger's hotel in Series 9 while trying to spot a rare and valuable bird on the cliffs above Puddleford. However she makes the mistake of telling Mrs Melly about it, who tries to catch it to make some quick money. She is played by Hilda Braid, who also played Nana Moon in EastEnders.



​​Mr Wilson
(Matthew Woolcott) - A trainee bank manager who stayed in Bodger's hotel in Series 9. Like most of the characters, he too despises mashed potato as he is involved in an unfortunately large amount incidents where he ends up covered in it. He's a bit of a cry-baby, who gets upset over the slightest things, one of the most notable being when he is late for a job interviw after Mrs Melly confiscates his clothes while he is swimming in the sea.



 

​​Mr Gripper
(Roger Liddle) - Another hotel guest from two episodes in Series 9, who had a crush on Mrs Melly and challenged Mr Wilson to a running race along the sea front, which he lost.