Roary the Racing Car

Roary the Racing Car is a British stop-motion animated children's television series created by David Jenkins and produced by Chapman Entertainment and Cosgrove Hall Films for Five and Nick Jr. It follows the adventures of Roary and his racing car friends at Silver Hatch race track.
Overview
Plot
The series follows the lives and adventures of five racing vehicles, Roary, Maxi, Cici (Zizzy in the US), Drifter (Dragga in the US), Tin Top, and the people who they work for, Big Chris the Mechanic, Marsha the Race Marshall and the owner of the racetrack, Mr. Carburettor.
Setting
Roary the Racing Car is set around a fictional motor racing circuit called Silver Hatch (a portmanteau of the names of the two British Grand Prix racing circuits, Silverstone and Brands Hatch). The majority of the action takes place at the track's pits and workshop, although we often follow the cars on their laps around the track. Occasionally, the characters venture to external locations such as the nearby beach.
Sometimes, a race will happen, which will take up most of the episode.
Narration
Every story begins and ends with some brief narration normally from racing car driver Sir Stirling Moss, who is also used as a voiceover. The US version is narrated by American stock car driver Sam Hornish Jr.
Characters
Vehicles
Roary (voiced by Maria Darling) is a red British Formula Ford car who is the titular character of the show with the mindset of a schoolboy and a heart of gold. He has a healthy rivalry with Maxi and the two of them are often at odds frequently, but they do show that they care for each other and will often hang out together. Roary is only young and inexperienced at racing, but is constantly learning things from his friends and fellow racers. He sometimes gets into trouble over something, but he always makes up for it. He is very intelligent, friend to everyone around him and eager to learn. His best friend is Cici (Zizzy in the US). He has the number 1.
Maxi (voiced by Marc Silk) is a yellow Italian Formula One car who is very hot-tempered and is obsessed with winning. He is very arrogant and snooty, often only thinking about himself. He is Mr. Carburettor's favourite race car at Silver Hatch. He has a healthy rivalry with Roary and the two of them often fight over who is the star car. He occasionally bullies and belittles Roary, but does show that he cares for him deep down. He is sometimes irresponsible and reckless, occasionally doing stunts that are harmful and risky. He also loves to show off. He has the number 5.
Cici ("Zizzy" in North America) (voiced by Maria Darling) is a pink and purple French rally car who is very bubbly and friendly. She is Roary's best friend. She is also a hybrid car that runs on oil, solar energy (which can be seen atop her roof), and electric energy. The alternative energy is a focal part of the episode "Cici Gets Fired Up"" ("Zizzy Gets Fired Up" in the US). She has the number 3.
Drifter ("Dragga" in North America) (voiced by Marc Silk) is an orange Japanese drift car. He is the most technologically advanced car at Silver Hatch, as he has been shown to digitally project images on occasion. He is known for his serene, reserved personality. He rarely gets angry or upset, and when he does, it is to a less extreme degree than the others. Drifter is also the most docile car, rarely disobeying any orders. Before a race, Drifter likes to calm down by practicing his Tai Chi. He has a rocket powered nitro reserve booster. He speaks in a mock Japanese accent. He has the number 6.
Tin Top (voiced by Peter Kay in the UK and Kerry Shale in the US) is a dark blue American stock car who is very accident-prone. He often takes his corners too fast and wide and regularly ends up in either the sand trap, the tyre wall, or the mud, generally in a tangled heap of disconnected parts. Like Maxi, Tin Top can make flames come out of his tailpipes. He is very ticklish. In the episode "Tin Top Gets Scared", he has a fear of mice. He holds the record for the longest tyre mark on the Silver Hatch race track. Mr. Carburettor sometimes mixes up his name such as calling him "Tick Tock". His name is a play on 'tip top' because he always crashes. In the UK dub, Tin Top speaks in a mock-American accent, while in the US dub, he speaks with an Indianapolis accent. He has the number 88.
Plugger ("Lugga" in North America) (voiced by Tim Whitnall) is an aqua blue Caribbean Mitsubishi Triton L200 tow truck, who often comes to the rescue when required. Rescues typically consist of him towing other vehicles out of scraps, such as (but not limited to) the time he pulled Cici out of the mud in the episode "Roary Sees Red". In summary: you could consider him Silver Hatch's rescue vehicle, and tow service.
FB ("Trucksy" in North America) (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is a green second generation Ford F-Series pickup truck who is Farmer Green's main vehicle. He helps out with all sorts of things such as moving hay bales, hoovering up rubbish or apples, or giving Dinkie a ride. He also loves to explore the race track with Roary and Cici and they love spending time together. Like Farmer Green, he has a West Country accent.
Zippee is an orange Vespa motor scooter who is Marsha's main vehicle, who is the only character who does not speak, instead communicating with various scooter noises, which appear to come from either his engine or exhaust.
Rusty (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is an old caravan that Big Chris lives in. He does not move throughout most of the series, except in the episode "Rusty Takes a Trip", where Roary takes him out on the track to see how fun racing can be.
Breeze (voiced by Maria Darling) is a turquoise Australian Meyers Manx buggy who lives at the beach and is one of Roary's other friends. She is shown to love stunts in the episode "Cici Spectacular". She has what seems to be shells painted below her eyes. She speaks with an Australian accent.
Hellie (voiced by Marc Silk) is a red, purple and yellow helicopter.
Loada (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is a dark orange and light green race car transporter lorry (truck in the US) that transports and delivers parcels to Silver Hatch. He speaks with a Scottish accent.
James (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is a silver British Aston Martin DB5 convertible who is Mamma Mia's main vehicle.
Nick (voiced by Marc Silk) is a blue and orange Lamborghini Gallardo police car who is the main vehicle of PC Pete.
Conrod (voiced by Craig Lowndes) is a silver and red Australian Team Vodafone liveried Ford Falcon V8 Supercar. He speaks with an Australian accent.
Humans
Big Chris (voiced by Peter Kay in the UK and Kerry Shale in the US) is the mechanic of Silver Hatch who is slightly absent-minded and Big Christine's son. Despite the absent-mindedness, he is shown to be the main authority figure when Mr. Carburettor isn't around, and treats all the cars like his own children. Especially Roary, who he calls "Son" quite often. He's also seen to like eating doughnuts (perhaps a bit too much), but he's never shown to develop health problems from them, except perhaps his weight, but we're never shown or told that his addiction, as it were, caused it. He seems to sing as a side-hustle as well, when off duty, as seen in episodes like "Stars and Cars" and "Cici Spectacular" ("Zizzy Spectacular" in the US).
Marsha (voiced by Maria Darling) is the racing marshal of Silver Hatch and PC Pete's sister ("Police Officer Pete" in the US). She waves the flag when the race begins, and also is the one who takes calls from her workstation.
Mr. Antonio Carburettor (voiced by Tim Whitnall) is the flamboyant owner of Silver Hatch who speaks with an Italian accent and "Mamma" Mia's son. He loves singing opera, but can be shown as somewhat vain when it comes to his track.
Farmer Green (voiced by Tim Whitnall) is a farmer who is very humble and slightly messy. The Silver Hatch racing crew often come to his farm to buy its products, and he and FB once saved Cici from a mud trap during a nasty storm in the episode "Roary Sees Red".
PC Pete ("Police Officer Pete" in North America) (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is a police constable who is Marsha's brother. He's shown to be a good man, but quite a stickler for rules. Too much of one it would seem, as portrayed in the episode "Law and Order" ("Rules are Rules" in the US).
"Mamma" Mia Carburettor (voiced by Maria Darling) is Mr. Carburettor's mother. She is very prim and proper.
Big Christine (voiced by Peter Kay in the UK and Kerry Shale in the US) is Big Chris' mother who loves dancing.
"Copter" Keith (voiced by Marc Silk) is a helicopter mechanic/engineer and a good friend of Big Chris.
Graeme Murray Walker (voiced by himself) is the world's class commentator. He once had a rivalry with Big Chris.
Animals
Flash ("Furzz" in North America) (voiced by Marc Silk) is an anthropomorphic rabbit who likes to cause trouble on the racetrack, but isn't a bad rabbit. He also has a yellow skateboard (which Interestingly isn't anthropomorphic unlike every other vehicle in the show), which he rides to get around Silver Hatch in a hurry.
Molecom (voiced by Dominic Frisby) is an anthropomorphic mole who wears glasses. He is a skilled mechanic and banjo player. He is, however, not a good Race Marshall, as seen when he and Marsha swap jobs for the day.
Dinkie (voiced by Marc Silk) is an old grey donkey who lives on Farmer Green's farm.
Production
Roary the Racing Car uses a combination of computer-generated imagery and stop motion animation; the stop motion animation was initially provided by Cosgrove Hall Films, the producer of Noddy's Toyland Adventures, Engie Benjy, Little Robots, Fetch the Vet, the third to sixth Postman Pat series, Pocoyo, the original 1981 Danger Mouse series, Count Duckula, The Wind in the Willows and many other shows produced by this company, and latterly by Chapman Entertainment's own in-house studio, along with its sister show Fifi and the Flowertots. The series was created by David Jenkins, who spent four years working in senior management at Brands Hatch Race Circuit. The idea was conceived while watching the Grand Prix on television with his then-18-month-old son, Tom. It was designed and developed by Keith Chapman, creative director of Chapman Entertainment and the creator of Bob the Builder (both 1999 and the reboot 2015 series), Fifi and the Flowertots, and later, PAW Patrol and Mighty Express, and the series' executive producer is Greg Lynn. When the show came to the US, HIT Entertainment took the distribution rights, along with Fifi and the Flowertots. The theme music was produced by Alan Coates and Kim Goody.
Episodes
Series 1 (2007)
Series 2 (2008)
Series 3 (2009)
Series 4 (2010)
References
External links
Roary the Racing Car official site with many games, activities and more
2007 British television series debuts
2010 British television series endings
2000s British animated television series
2010s British animated television series
2000s British children's television series
2010s British children's television series
2000s preschool education television series
2010s preschool education television series
Animated preschool education television series
Animated television series about auto racing
British children's animated comedy television series
British children's animated sports television series
British preschool education television series
British stop-motion animated television series
Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming
DreamWorks Classics
English-language television shows
Fictional racing cars
Nick Jr. original programming
Television series by Cosgrove Hall Films
Television series by Universal Television
Treehouse TV original programming
Universal Kids original programming
Anthropomorphic vehicles