What’s a Wot Wot then?

2nd October 2009 1 Comment

I managed to wangle an invite to the Wot Wots toy launch, unfortunately I then got to the launch far too late to see anything. But hey, all is not lost, Daddacool went on time. He is very punctual. I have allowed him the chance to guest blog here. He is grateful, I think he’s brilliant.


I’m a fan of the children’s programmes on Channel 5. Not just thanks to Beth, Jenny and Naomi mind (although to us 30 somethings they’re definitely a boon) but thanks to a lot of the actual childrens programmes too. CBeebies is all very good but it’s just so worthy at times. Every show has to have a representative character and there’s more than a hint of edu-tainment about it all. With the likes of the Little Princess, Rupert, Bottletop Bill and Peppa Pig I get the feeling I’m being entertained rather than moralised at.

So Tuesday saw us hauling bottom up to London Zoo for 10am for the launch of the Wot Wot toy range, and a nice sneaky peek at series two (starts 13 October). The Wot Wot’s have been a particular favourite of M’laddo for a while now, he’s a discerning two year old, and knows the difference between good, average and poor computer generated graphics and since WETA (the bods behind the effects in both the recent King Kong film and the Lord of the Rings trilogy) were involved in the show, the effects are very good. This helps it be a dad friendly show, as there’s little more annoying than watching a TV show that has poor animation. As I said to the creator chap, when I cornered him, just because a shows made for children doesn’t mean it has to cut corners and look a bit crap.

Anyway, we got to the Pavilion by the kangaroo enclosure after being taken a route that was filled with steps (a genius bit of organisation considering there were many many pushchairs involved) and were presented with a room with bean bags, tables and some chairs set out in front of a huge back projection TV screen that was showing the Wot Wots.

We sat next to an elderly gentleman in a very natty blazer who turned out to be Nicholas Parsons. I was paralysed by an inability to remember anything he’d been in other than a couple of episodes of Dr Who in 1989 (The Curse of Fenric, it was very good, he played a vicar which he does very well). M’laddo hasn’t shown an interest in Dr Who yet and to be fair a huge projection screen with the Wot Wots on it was sufficient distraction for him.

Once the great man himself, followed by the top boffin creator chap had given a little talk, the kids got to meet the Wot Wots (some cunning puppetry dontcha know) and then got to have a play with the new range of Hasbro toys.

There were a lot of kids and a slight deficit of toys, but M’laddo is quick on his feet and managed to get a good play with Dotty Wot and her floaty chair in. The look of awe on his chops when he got to play with the actual characters from the programme was worth setting off into London during the early morning rush hour for alone. In fact, the mini Spotty Wot toy he got to take away is the only soft toy he has ever taken to bed along with his beloved BunBun. You see, unlike a lot of programme merchandise, (In the Night Garden, I’m looking at you), the Wot Wot toys actually look pretty much spot on as they do on the screen. This is I’m told a result of the creators making sure they were happy with the toys rather than just licensing it off and raking in the spondoolicks. Whatever it was, it worked and M’laddo is certainly grateful!

Claire Walsh

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1 Comment

  • Rebel Mother 3rd October 2009 at 4:21 pm

    A Wot Wot???<br><br>Wotever will they think of next!<br><br>RMxx

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