Bob the Builder

> This article is about **the 1998 television series**. You may be looking for **the 2015 television series**, **the character** or **the album**.
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## Release

### Picture format

4:3 (series 1)
16:9 (series 2-present)

## External links

### IMDb website

www.imdb.com/title/tt0262151/

***Bob the Builder*** is a 1998-2011 British-American children's animated television show created by Keith Chapman. Bob appears in a stop motion animated programme as a building contractor specialising in masonry, along with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours and friends, and their gang of anthrophomorphised work-vehicles and equipment. The show is broadcast on many countries, but originated from the United Kingdom where Bob was voiced by British actor Neil Morissey. The show later used CGI animation starting with the spin-off series *Ready, Steady, Build!*. British proprietors of *Bob the Builder* and Thomas the Tank Engine sold the enterprise in 2011 to US toy-maker Mattel for $680 million.

In each episode, Bob and his group help with renovations, construction, and repairs and with other projects as needed. The show emphasises conflict resolution, co-operation, socialisation and various learning skills. Bob's catchphrase is "Can we fix it?", to which the other characters respond with "Yes we can!" This phrase is also the title of the show's theme song, which was a million-selling number one hit in the UK.

In October 2014, Bob the Builder was revamped by Mattel for a new series to be aired on Channel 5's *Milkshake!* in 2015. Amongst the changes were a complete overhaul of the cast, with *Harry Potter* actor Lee Ingleby replacing Neil Morrissey as the voice of Bob, and Joanne Froggatt and Blake Harrison were also confirmed as the voices of Wendy and Scoop respectively. The setting and appearance of the characters also changed, with Bob and his team moving to the bustling metropolis of Spring City. An American localisation of the new series debuted on PBS Kids in November 2015. The changes have been criticized by fans of the original version.

## International broadcasts

*Bob the Builder* is shown in more than thirty countries, and versions are available in English, French, Spanish, Slovenian, German, Italian, Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi and Croatian, among other languages. It was shown on CBeebies on BBC television in the UK.

The North American version of the show uses the original British footage and script, but dubs the voices in American accents and slang; for example, the word "soccer" is used instead of "football" to avoid confusion with the gridiron forms of the game. The original North American voice of Bob (and Farmer Pickles/Mr. Beasley/Mr. Sabatini) was William Dufris, however, he was replaced with comedian Greg Proops. More recently, Bob's US voice has been provided by Marc Silk, an English voice actor from Birmingham.

When being exported to Japan, it was reported that characters of *Bob the Builder* would be doctored to have five fingers instead of the original four. This was because of a practice among the Yakuza, the famed Japanese mafia, where members would "cut off their little fingers as a sign they can be trusted and have strength of character, and will stay through." In fact, Bob the Builder aired in Japan without such edits, as did other series including *Postman Pat* and *The Simpsons*.