184:... The bits that are always the funny bits are just made up – I'm always just trying to throw the presenter under the bus, really. I have no regard for the presenter, I just throw them under the bus because I think it'd make good telly". Fletcher claims that portraying Hacker is "the best job in the world". He received a further Bafta nomination for best children's performer in 2017 for his work on the CBBC Channel.
33:(born 27 October 1976) is a British puppeteer. He established his puppet manufacturing and performance company, Gluvets, at the age of 11. After briefly working in manufacturing he found summer work performing in holiday camps and became a full-time puppeteer in 2002. In 2009 he was cast by the BBC as the puppeteer for
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as "the most famous snort in the country". Fletcher said "Her reaction was genuine because she didn't know what I was gonna say, nor did I, really. It just threw her over the edge, because what does that even mean? Why would you say that on kids telly?". The scene was unscripted. Although rumours
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in 2016 became a viral meme. A programme trailer featuring an interrogation scene preceded the segment. Fletcher told his sound operator not to play the usual background music during the segment and told
Layfield to move her head close to the Hacker puppet. Fletcher had Hacker look into her eyes
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in Wigan. Whilst at school he was paid to perform at children's parties and founded his puppeteering company, Gluvets, in the break between primary and secondary school. Fletcher moved into making puppets from cloth and foam and retains the first puppet he made in this style, a blue creature named
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Fletcher has always lived in
Hindley, except for his first two years at CBBC when he lived in London, and has two dogs. Fletcher also appears in a Pet Shop Boys tribute band, known as The Pound Shop Boys. As well as the band's hits he sings children's television themes and novelty chart hits.
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for the following year. Fletcher initially declined to audition, stating he was too busy and the contract was short term (four months), but was persuaded to reconsider and was awarded the role. Fletcher has appeared as Hacker since then.
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Fletcher never aspired to appear on television, as he thought it too small a market, and concentrated on live performances. He did put some of his performances on YouTube and was afterwards contacted by the BBC to audition for the role of
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and say "We're just normal men". Layfield asked "What do you mean, normal men?" and
Fletcher, as Hacker, replied "We're just innocent men". Layfield struggled to maintain composure through laughing and snorted loudly, described by the
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In 2018, Fletcher purchased at auction one of the few surviving Emu puppets used by Rod Hull; he paid £8,860 for the puppet, well in excess of its £750–£1,000 estimate. The puppet joined others in his collection, such as George from
83:. Fletcher was given a replica puppet of Emu at the age of four and used it, and puppets made from card and paper, to make performances. His first public show was a performance of Aesop's "
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which ran for 63 episodes and was nominated for eight Baftas, including best children's performer for
Fletcher in 2013. The character has also appeared on breakfast news programming,
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Hacker had only growled and barked but he gained a voice under
Fletcher, who gradually introduced more dialogue to the act. Hacker first appeared alongside CBBC presenter
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arose claiming it was inspired by an interaction between
Fletcher and the police after being arrested in Leeds he says it was not and was "just nonsense".
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and became a full-time puppeteer in 2002. In 2008 he judged Puppet
Contest 2008 : A Space Odyssey, a competition organised by Project Puppet.
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for a year as there were no puppet-making classes available. He continued to make puppet performances whilst working on production lines at
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41:. Fletcher gave Hacker a voice for the first time and the character proved popular, receiving his own 63-episode TV series,
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71:, on 27 October 1976. He developed an interest in puppeteering as a child, after seeing programmes featuring
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from 2009 but was being brought in as a presenter sidekick and continuity announcer on the
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for best children's presenter in 2010. The Hacker character was given his own series
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540:"Emu bought by Hacker the Dog puppeteer to sit alongside George the pink hippo"
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488:"Iain Stirling's sitcom Buffering returning to ITV2 for a second series"
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TV series and replicas of famous puppets such as the
Muppets, and
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226:(2021–) alongside Stirling who wrote and stars in the programme.
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326:"I Interviewed the 'We're Just Normal Men' Puppet on Zoom"
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and
Alphason Design factories. After joining a number of
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Fletcher found summer work at holiday resorts run by
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Fletcher's
Gluvets company has made puppets for the
290:"Meet the Wigan puppet master behind Hacker T Dog"
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257:References
123:Television
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