Basil Brush stars in his own online sketch show
Basil Brush, the classic character who has been entertaining children on television since the 1960s, has been given a new online sketch show.
The fox puppet will star in 32 episodes of The Basil Brush Show on YouTube.
The producers behind the new format confirm: "For the first time in his 50 year career, Britain's most loveable fox, Basil Brush, is moving into the digital age and launching a brand new original sketch show.
"The Basil Brush Show is a 32 part series launching on Basil's very own channel, Basil Brush Official."
Launched today (16th February), the channel currently features five sketches, with subsequent episodes expected to be released weekly.
The producers say: "Each new instalment will see Basil and his trusty sidekick Mr Stephen take viewers on a journey of laughs, storytelling and fun-filled adventures as the hilarious double act try their hand at impersonating Elvis, jet skiing, and go on a safari adventure, amongst many other escapades."
Basil Brush was designed for the BBC by magician and model creator Peter Firmin in 1962. The puppet went on to appear in many TV vehicles, most notably The Basil Brush Show which ran from 1968 to 1980, with on-screen sidekicks during this period including actors such as Rodney Bewes and Derek Fowlds. Other shows featuring Brush have included children's show Crackerjack.
The puppet was voiced and performed by Ivan Owen until the actor died in October 2000. The Basil Brush Show was revived by the BBC in 2002 as a sitcom, with Chris Pizzey as the puppet's on-screen co-star.
Pizzey also appears in this new web series, and he has been touring with the puppet for a series of live shows.
Talking about his new venture, Basil Brush himself has this to say: "I'm thrilled to have my own online show that viewers can watch all over the world, whenever they want. As a TV veteran it pays to move with the times, and it feels that the time is right for me to conquer the online world. Boom Boom!"
The 'Basil Brush Official' YouTube channel is funded and operated by Videojug Networks, the YouTube-based company which scores over 50 million views across its network of channels. Basil Brush Official will run as part of Quipstar, the network's new UK-focused comedy channel.
The show has been overseen by Paul Jackson, the veteran comedy producer behind such sitcoms as The Young Ones and Red Dwarf.
Now acting as an Executive Producer at Videojug Networks, he comments: "Basil was the first furry animal to command his own Saturday night TV show back in the 1960s, and I was very fortunate to work on this show at the start of my career. I am delighted to be reunited with Basil once again, and to help this talented fox to now conquer the Digi-verse. Good on you Basil, show those pesky cats how it's done!"
Here's a sketch from the new series in which Basil is a librarian: