Bob the Builder

This page is about the original television series. For the reboot television series, see Bob the Builder (2015 TV series). For the title character, see Bob the Builder (character).

Bob the Builder is an animated children's television series created by Keith Chapman for HIT Entertainment which ran from 12 April 1999 (1999-04-12) to 31 December 2011 (2011-12-31) in the United Kingdom through the CBBC programming block. The series centres on the adventures and escapades of a general contractor named Bob who owns a team of five anthropomorphised construction vehicles that go about their day helping out with construction work in several towns.

Bob the Builder
Also known as	Bob the Builder: Project: Build It (seasons 10–16) Bob the Builder: Ready, Steady, Build! (seasons 17-18)
Genre	Children Comedy Fantasy
Created by	Keith Chapman
Directed by	Sarah Ball Liz Whitaker Brian Little Nick Herbert Gilly Fogg Andy Burns Geoff Walker
Voices of	Neil Morrissey Rob Rackstraw Kate Harbour Rupert Degas Colin McFarlane Maria Darling Emma Tate Richard Briers June Whitfield Greg Proops
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Kate Fawkes Theresa Plummer-Andrews Peter Curtis
Producer	Jackie Cockle
Editors	Zyggy Markiewicz Jane Hicks Bruce Marshall
Camera setup	Single camera (1999—2004) Multi-camera (2005–2009)
Running time	10 minutes
Original release
Release	31 December 2011 (2011-12-31)

The series used stop-motion animation for most of the series as well as Project: Build It, provided by Hot Animation in Manchester. The series changed to CGI animation in 2010 for its final two seasons; titled Ready, Steady, Build!, of which SD Entertainment completed animation production.

Following the series' conclusion, HIT Entertainment was purchased by American toy company Mattel for $680 million. In October 2014, the company announced a revival series that would feature changes in the setting, casting and character designs. The revival aired on Channel 5's Milkshake! for three seasons from 1 September 2015 to 30 December 2018, and was severely criticised by fans of the original version. An animated theatrical film adaptation of the series was announced in January 2024; which will be produced by Jennifer Lopez's Nuyorican Productions and star Anthony Ramos as the voice casting of Bob.

A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

Cast and characters

Voice actors who have contributed to the original British version include Neil Morrissey, Rob Rackstraw, Kate Harbour, Rupert Degas, Colin McFarlane, Maria Darling, Emma Tate, Richard Briers, and June Whitfield.

Celebrities who have provided voices for the series (usually for one-off specials) include John Motson, Sue Barker, Kerry Fox, Ulrika Jonsson, Alison Steadman, Stephen Tompkinson, Elton John, and Noddy Holder.

Episodes

Main page: List of Bob the Builder episodes|List of Bob the Builder episodes|List of Bob the Builder episodes

List of Bob the Builder episodes

International broadcasts

Bob the Builder is broadcasted internationally broadcast and available in several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Slovene, German, Dutch, Hebrew, Hindi, Serbo-Croatian, and others.

Versions

Country	Language	Title	Network
Argentina	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor	Discovery Kids
Australia	British English	Bob the Builder	ABC Kids
Austria	German	Bob der Baumeister
Belgium	Dutch	Bob de Bouwer	Ketnet
	French	Bob le bricoleur
Bolivia	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Brazil	Brazilian Portuguese	Bob o Construtor
Canada	American English	Bob the Builder	YTV (3 September 2001―February 2014) TVOKids (8 September 2006―31 August 2008)
	Canadian French	Bob le bricoleur	Télé-Québec (2001―2012)
Chile	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Colombia	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Ecuador	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
France	French	Bob le bricoleur	France 5
Germany	German	Bob der Baumeister
Ireland	British English	Bob the Builder	RTÉ TWO
Italy	Italian	Bob aggiustatutto
Mexico	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor	Discovery Kids
Netherlands	Dutch	Bob de Bouwer
Paraguay	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Peru	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Portugal	European Portuguese	Bob o Construtor
New Zealand	British English	Bob the Builder
Romania	Romanian	Bob constructorul
Scotland	Scottish Gaelic	Calum Clachair	BBC Alba
Spain	European Spanish	Bob y sus amigos
South Africa	British English	Bob the Builder
Switzerland	Swiss German	Bob de Boumaa
United States	American English	Bob the Builder	Nicktoons (13 January 2001—24 November 2003) PBS Kids (1 January 2005—13 November 2018) Qubo (7 October 2020―28 February 2021) BabyFirst (since 6 February 2025)
Uruguay	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor
Venezuela	Latin American Spanish	Bob el constructor

Impact

Bob the Builder was nominated in the BAFTA "Pre-school animation" category from 1999 to 2009, and won the "Children's Animation" category in 2003 for the special episode "A Christmas to Remember". Of the series's success, Sarah Ball said:

I think diggers and dumpers fascinate kids in the same way that they are drawn to dinosaurs. They both have a timeless appeal. The technique of stop motion is very tangible―the characters look like you can just pick them up and play with them. It's a safe, lovely, bright, colourful world, which is very appealing. Curtis Jobling did a fantastic job designing the show―it's very simple and stylised but has such charm.

— 

Reboot series

On 1 September 2015, a reboot series first aired on Cartoonito and Channel 5's Milkshake block and dub American aired on 7 November 2015 with no funding and programmed during weekdays (twenty-first series does not aired and reruns) until three years Cartoonito was left. In 2021, Channel 5 left as it has since ended it's run. Two years after the 2015 series ended, the original Bob the Builder also aired on Qubo but it ceased operations on 28 February 2021. A new titled Bob the Builder revival series is yet to be announced.

Other websites

• Official Website