John Eccleston is an English puppeteer, writer and presenter known for his work as lead puppeteer of Rygel on Farscape,[1] Groove on The Hoobs and his many roles on British children's television alongside Don Austen. He was also behind the character Gilbert the Alien (voiced by Phil Cornwell) on Get Fresh. He also performed Worth the Dog in the Woolworths adverts (again opposite Don Austen as Wooly The Sheep), Mervin J Minky on MTV's Fur TV and Rattus Rattus on the CBBC Horrible Histories series.
His "in vision" television career started as one of the original presenters of the UK version of the Mickey Mouse Club, Disney Club, the success of which led to his presenting Run the Risk, The Big Dish, the children's magazine show Brill and Get The Picture, for Nickelodeon. It took seven years for him to realise he did not like being pointed at in the street and he has remained off screen ever since.
Eccleston, who hails from Cumbria, worked alongside Don Austen on the Saturday morning children's show What's Up Doc?, operating and providing the voices for the puppet wolves Bro and Bro. Their writing skill on this show garnered a spin-off ITV show called Wolf It!. Eccleston was approached to provide new characters for the BBC series Live & Kicking, once again teaming up with Don Austen and Darryl Worbey to create two puppet leprechauns, Mr Sage and Mr Onion. The characters appeared from 1995 to 2001, outliving three sets of presenters.[4] Eccleston, Austen and Worbey teamed up again to create the hyenas Scratch and Sniff (with Eccleston playing Sniff) on The Ministry of Mayhem, later renamed Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown. The characters recorded fifteen episodes of the game show Scratch 'n' Sniff's Den of Doom for Granada Kids. Eccleston also appeared in the award-winning short film The Box, directed by Michael J. Bassett, and also starring Paul Hendy, Richard Orford and Laurence Akers. Between 1996–1997, he participated on the second and third series of Jim Henson's Animal Show, manipulating the puppet Yves St. La Roache, among others.
Music · Comedy
A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during nighttime visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
7.41992
Adventure · Comedy
Young Jim Hawkins and his two best friends, Gonzo and Rizzo, embark on a voyage across the high seas in search of buried treasure, but soon find that not everyone onboard can be trusted.
6.71996
Family · Comedy
Based on the best-selling children's books and liberally splattered with guts, blood and poo, a group of British comedians offer an anarchic and unconventional take on some of history's most gruesome and funny moments, with topics including the Stone Age, the Middle Ages, the Egyptians and the Romans, among others.
8.02009
Kids
The Hoobs is a BAFTA-winning television programme created and produced by The Jim Henson Company and Sesame Workshop. Join Iver, Tula, Groove, and Roma on a friendly, fun-filled, journey as they investigate different worlds and search for answers to everything Hoobs could ever want to know about the universe. “The Hoobs” embraces the power of the question and uses a delightful mix of puppetry, animation, and live-action to help young audiences learn about the world we live in.
6.52001
Music · Comedy
A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during nighttime visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
7.41992
Adventure · Comedy
Young Jim Hawkins and his two best friends, Gonzo and Rizzo, embark on a voyage across the high seas in search of buried treasure, but soon find that not everyone onboard can be trusted.
6.71996
Comedy · Family
Brainy Roman teenager Atti is always coming up with schemes, but one ultimately goes too far, angering Emperor Nero. As punishment, the lad is exiled to the cold wet province of Roman Britain on the fringe of the Roman Empire. Whilst there, Atti is captured by—and eventually befriends—Orla, a feisty Celt. When he's returned to his regiment, he's horrified to find himself pitted against Orla and her tribe at the Boudican revolt's Battle of Watling Street.
Family · Comedy
Based on the best-selling children's books and liberally splattered with guts, blood and poo, a group of British comedians offer an anarchic and unconventional take on some of history's most gruesome and funny moments, with topics including the Stone Age, the Middle Ages, the Egyptians and the Romans, among others.
8.02009
Kids
The Hoobs is a BAFTA-winning television programme created and produced by The Jim Henson Company and Sesame Workshop. Join Iver, Tula, Groove, and Roma on a friendly, fun-filled, journey as they investigate different worlds and search for answers to everything Hoobs could ever want to know about the universe. “The Hoobs” embraces the power of the question and uses a delightful mix of puppetry, animation, and live-action to help young audiences learn about the world we live in.
6.52001
Comedy
Horrible Histories: Gory Games is a television quiz and game show co-produced by Citrus Television and Lion Television for the BBC. It is a spin-off of the Horrible Histories TV show. The first series began on 30 May 2011. The show is hosted by Come Dine With Me host Dave Lamb and Rattus Rattus, the Horrible Histories rat puppet. The show revolves around "horrible facts". Author of the Horrible Histories book series, Terry Deary, sometimes makes guest appearances on the show in the form of a monk.
Family · Reality
Five contestants have been captured by hyenas for a game show. They must answer several pop quiz questions to win or else they get thrown into the cooking pot to be eaten!