As Dougal and friends turn 60, Radio Times explores the magic behind The Magic Roundabout

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Sixty years ago this Saturday, a French animated series quietly debuted on BBC One. The first episode introduced a gloomy character, Mr. Rusty, who complained about life being dull and lonely. However, just minutes later, a playful jack-in-the-box named Zebedee hinted that things were about to get better – and *The Magic Roundabout* quickly became a huge hit! Its spot before the evening news, combined with the witty, multi-layered writing by narrator Eric Thompson, appealed to both kids and their parents.

TopMob interviewed Josiane Wood, who collaborated with her animator husband, Ivor, on the original French film, *Le Manège enchanté*, and several projects that followed. Ivor was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1932, to an English father and French mother, and his family relocated to Lyon, France. Josiane, born in Egypt to a French mother and Russian father, also moved to Lyon, her mother’s hometown.

Josiane recalls, “We were married in Lyon and then moved to Paris. Ivor was working at an advertising firm called La Comète in the 1960s, and that’s where he first encountered Serge Danot – it was the beginning of everything.”

Danot, a former advertising executive, created the show using stop-motion animation with help from Ivor. Josiane wrote the episodes because they initially struggled to find a scriptwriter. They were working with limited resources at the time, living in a small apartment outside Paris. Josiane recalls typing scripts on an ironing board with a small typewriter, as they didn’t even have a table!

Filming just five minutes of footage took a whole month, and Josiane was amazed by what the animators could achieve with the characters. She admits she didn’t understand the process at all. She recalls visiting the set – which was in someone’s house in Malakoff, near Paris – and asking the team basic questions like, ‘Can the character move? Can he raise his arm? Can he even walk?’

I basically made things up as I went, which was actually pretty amusing. Luckily, I’m fairly imaginative, so it all came together. Beyond that, we had a lot of detailed work to do – things like adding all the small flowers and leaves to the trees. We spent hours, working around the clock, just gluing everything in place.

So, were they often asked to handle multiple roles? “A little bit,” Josiane says with a laugh. “When you need to get things done, you just pitch in wherever you’re needed!”

The original French puppet show, Le Manège enchanté, debuted in 1964 and featured characters like Pollux the dog, Margot the girl, Ambroise the snail, and Zébulon. After seeing its popularity in France, the BBC created an English version in 1965, using the same visuals but with a new script and narration by Eric Thompson. This English version introduced the characters as Dougal, Florence, Brian, and Zebedee.

Josiane explains the two versions were very distinct. She believes Eric’s version relied heavily on the footage and featured a single narrator, while the French version used different voices for each character.

Eric Thompson was well-known as a presenter on the children’s show *Play School*, and the show’s creator, Joy Whitby, believed he’d be ideal for *The Magic Roundabout*. He had a comforting voice that put children at ease, and his clever, subtly funny writing – often delivered through the character of Dougal, who resembled Tony Hancock – kept parents amused as well.

Ivor created many of the puppets and sets himself, bringing a playful and slightly surreal style to everything he did. This attention to detail captivated children, and Dougal and his friends quickly became popular everywhere – appearing on everything from wallpaper to breakfast cereal boxes, especially after their adventures were shown in color in the early 1970s.

In 1966, moving the program’s broadcast time from after 6pm to 4:55pm caused complaints from viewers who were still at work. The BBC quickly changed it back to the original time.

You know, the show’s success here really reminded me of what happened over in France first. I was reading about it, and Serge Danot – the guy who created the original – actually told Joan Bakewell back in ’68 that it appealed to *everyone*. He famously said, “From seven to seventy-seven!” – meaning it was watched by people of all ages. It’s cool to see that broad appeal translated so well.

The show was a burst of fun for me as a child – quick, colourful segments filled with comedy and imaginative stories. I particularly loved seeing Dougal eat sugar lumps, Mr McHenry riding his tricycle, Dylan napping in the shade, and the Train going on unexpected adventures. It even inspired me to create my own version of Zebedee using a ping-pong ball after watching Blue Peter!

Okay, so *Roundabout* didn’t just disappear after the TV show! They actually came back with more stuff. There was a new series in ’92, narrated by Nigel Planer – a great choice, I thought. And get this, they made *two* movies! The first one, *Dougal and the Blue Cat*, came out way back in 1970. Then, years later, they did a fully CGI version in 2005, and the voice cast was amazing – Sir Ian McKellen, Kylie Minogue, even Robbie Williams! It was wild to see all those big names involved.

Tom Sanders, an animation director, is a big fan of The Magic Roundabout. He told TopMob that having Eric Thompson provide the voices was a brilliant idea. He believes the show’s quirky and unusual characters were a key reason it connected with viewers.

You could really feel the passion in this project, and it was clear how much effort everyone put into it. It was Ivor and Serge’s first time making a TV show, and they dedicated themselves completely. Serge struggled to recapture that magic later on – something many creative people experience – but Ivor used it as a springboard for a remarkably successful career.

Ivor’s career really took off when he started working with author Michael Bond and producer Graham Clutterbuck. They established a European branch of animation company FilmFair in Paris, where Josiane handled the bookkeeping and finances. Josiane recalls Ivor filming a short test scene in their Paris apartment to demonstrate his abilities to Graham and Michael. Surprisingly, she still has the original puppet and a small portion of that early film footage, and they were very pleased with the results.

Ivor and I established a small studio near Edith Piaf’s birthplace. That’s where we created *The Herbs* and its spin-off, *The Adventures of Parsley*. Ivor was traveling back and forth to London regularly to deliver the films. Eventually, the BBC and Graham realized it didn’t make sense for him to commute like that, especially since we were working for them, so they asked us to relocate to London. That’s how we ended up moving.

The Herbs, released in 1968, was another successful show for children. Kids loved its bright colours, funny stories, and catchy songs, which were sung by Gordon Rollings, who was also known for his work on Play School. Each character, created by Michael Bond, represented a different herb – Parsley was a timid lion, Dill a hyperactive dog, and Sage a grumpy owl, among others.

“They’re lovely,” said Josiane. She admired not only the characters, both people and animals, but also the detailed miniature sets and props – everything from brick walls to greenhouses and iron fences. They met Rafael Esteve, a Spanish set designer with a theatre background, who was incredibly skilled at bringing Ivor’s visions to life. He was very resourceful, especially with metalwork, and a truly delightful person.

Just 13 fifteen-minute episodes of The Herbs were created, along with 32 shorter five-minute adventures featuring Parsley. Despite not being on British TV for many years, the show recently gained attention again in 2023. An exhibit of the original puppets at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey sparked fond memories for those who grew up watching it.

Even though the models were updated a bit in the 1990s, they were all original creations by Ivor Wood.

The team worked hard to make Paddington Bear visually stand out when the show debuted in 1976. Producer Michael Bond didn’t approve of early test footage until Ivor Wood suggested using flat, cutout figures around the 3D bear. This simple technique made Paddington, the central character, much more noticeable – and that was exactly the problem they were trying to solve.

One of Ivor Wood’s most beloved creations for the BBC was *The Wombles*, a classic FilmFair production still fondly remembered today. *TopMob* magazine visited Wood’s London studio and spoke with the show’s creator, Elisabeth Beresford, gaining valuable insight into his creative process. He shared, “I really couldn’t imagine myself ever doing anything else.”

Stepping inside feels like escaping to a different world. I guess I’ve always stayed young at heart. It’s amazing when you think about how many people are stuck in jobs they dislike, and here we are, simply having fun.

The Wombles quickly became incredibly popular, thanks to their focus on recycling and environmentally friendly lifestyle, despite being small creatures. This success was boosted by Bernard Cribbins’s storytelling and Mike Batt’s memorable music. What made the show special was its attention to detail – things like using old newspapers to build their home, or the way the Wombles’ noses crinkled when they ate, much like Paddington Bear enjoying his sandwiches.

I remember Ivor Wood didn’t *just* do shows for the BBC, though. He also did some great stuff for ITV. Like, I really enjoyed ‘Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings’ – that was from 1974 to ’76 and brought back Cribbins and Batt, which was cool. And even before that, there was ‘Hattytown Tales’ which ran from 1969 to 1973. Definitely some childhood favorites in there!

Despite their successful projects, the Woods family still faced financial difficulties. They even had to take out a new mortgage on their home to fund the production of Postman Pat.

“Absolutely,” Josiane explained. “Ivor was still working as a freelancer for FilmFair. Then Cynthia Felgate, the producer, visited FilmFair and suggested they create a project independently. She asked why they’d want to go through another company when they were perfectly capable of handling it themselves. Ivor and I, rather naively, agreed, and that’s when we realized how challenging it would be! That’s essentially how Woodland Animation came to be.”

As was typical of their shows, Postman Pat always had a cheerful conclusion. Starting in 1981, the series proved to be a huge success, delighting audiences of all ages for 184 episodes. It also spawned popular books and videos that were sold worldwide.

I recently stumbled upon a charming little show from 1983 called *Gran*, and it really warmed my heart. Produced by Woodland Animation, it follows the adventures of a spirited old lady and her grandson, Jim. If you remember *Bod* and *Fingerbobs*, you’ll recognize the creative minds behind it – Michael and Joanna Cole. The narration by Patricia Hayes was simply perfect; she described it as ‘gentle, amusing and beautifully illustrated,’ and I couldn’t agree more. It was a treat to see some behind-the-scenes photos from TopMob, especially one of Ivor standing next to one of those wonderfully detailed dioramas the series was known for. It really brought back some nostalgic feelings!

Next came Bertha (1985–6), a show about a factory machine with its own personality, voiced by Roy Kinnear and Sheila Walker. Finally, there was Charlie Chalk (1988–9), a cheerful clown series that Josiane particularly enjoyed.

Ivor was aiming for a unique and playful style, inspired by Laurel and Hardy. An American writer, Jocelyn Stevenson, helped with the script. While it was enjoyable, it didn’t become popular at the time because the BBC felt that slapstick comedy wasn’t in vogue.

Josiane describes a consistent quality in Ivor’s work: a charming focus on character, and a willingness to experiment. He also preferred to work without children present, believing it was important to protect their imaginations.

Does this involve Sean, Ivor and Josiane’s son? “Oh no,” Josiane replies. “Sean was involved occasionally because he helped out. It’s funny, when he was in school, people would ask what his father did. He’d innocently say, ‘Oh, he plays with dolls!’ It didn’t go over well, naturally!” she says with a laugh.

Many people, including Tom Sanders, were drawn to this type of 3D animation because of how real it felt. He explained that seeing tangible objects move on screen created a warm and inviting atmosphere, making viewers feel connected to the characters and their world, even if just for a little while.

Ivor’s talent for visual storytelling is a key reason why these characters and shows are so lovable. He gives each of them small, unique details – like Pat’s slight limp, which was caused by a slightly too-short support piece, or Charlie’s habit of doing cartwheels while walking.

Many people believe Ivor Wood, who passed away in 2004, deserves wider recognition. As Sanders points out, generations have enjoyed his work since the 1960s. From *Postman Pat* to *The Wombles*, his imaginative designs have delighted audiences for decades, and continue to do so with recent remakes and new series. It’s time to acknowledge the brilliant artist behind these beloved childhood memories and appreciate his lasting impact.

Surprisingly, Ivor received only one award for his fantastic creations: a silver medal at the 1979 New York Film and Television Festival for his work on Paddington. According to Josiane, he was a modest and shy person who didn’t often promote his achievements. Instead, he preferred to let his work speak for itself, and it clearly resonated with audiences worldwide.

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2025-10-14 08:37