Bump (TV series)

Bump the Elephant
Genre	Children's
Created by	Charles Mills, Terry Brain
Narrated by	Simon Cadell
Composer(s)	Steve Augarde
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	27
Production
Executive producer(s)	Theresa Plummer-Andrews
Producer(s)	Dennis Hooper
Running time	5 minutes (one 10-minute Christmas special)
Release
Original network	BBC1 TCC CBBC BBC2 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Original release	14 September 1990 – 26 December 1994

Bump was a television programme aimed at young children, created by Charles Mills and Terry Brain (also responsible for The Trap Door and Stoppit and Tidyup), produced by Queensgate Productions and originally aired on BBC1. It was a cartoon that featured an elephant named Bump and a bluebird named Birdie. The first series was aired from 14 September to 7 December 1990, and the second from 10 January to 4 April 1994. The two series ran a total of twenty-six episodes, each 5 minutes long. In 1994 there was a Christmas special which was 10 minutes in length. The programme was narrated by Simon Cadell of Hi-de-Hi! fame, who died in 1996. Bump was known to be very clumsy, a trait that was emphasised by a bandage stuck onto his forehead. Birdie would often give Bump advice on how he could become more graceful. Bump and Birdie regularly encountered animals that had a problem (such as Whizzer the mouse, Munch the tortoise, McDuff the dog, Big Bun and Little Bun the rabbits and Batty the bat) and would help them to find a solution. Most of these animals were recurring characters, and all of the characters' Stoppit and Tidyup-esque sounds were made by analog synthesizers.

Episode list

Series 1 (1990)

• Episode 1: Bump and the Hole (air date 14 September 1990) Birdie offers to take Bump to a place where there are no trees to bump into.
• Episode 2: Bump and the Clouds (21 September 1990) Bump has a dream about sitting on a cloud and floating around the world.
• Episode 3: Bump's Upside Down Friend (28 September 1990) Bump and Batty have something in common - they both like standing on their heads.
• Episode 4: Bump Plays a Trick (5 October 1990) Whizzer turns over a new leaf after a game of hide-and-seek.
• Episode 5: A Ride with Bump (12 October 1990) Bump has something special to share with his friends.
• Episode 6: Bump's Lost Button (19 October 1990) Bump is very upset when he loses one of his buttons, so all of his friends help him to look for it.
• Episode 7: Bump Has a Funny Day (26 October 1990) Strange things happen when Bump finds some stones.
• Episode 8: Bump's New Game (2 November 1990) Bump decides that walking backwards will stop him bumping into things.
• Episode 9: Bump Learns to Fly (9 November 1990) Bump's attempts at flying leave him firmly on the ground.
• Episode 10: Bump and the Monster (16 November 1990) Bump has a big surprise when he and Birdie take a stroll by the river.
• Episode 11: Bump Wants to Help (23 November 1990) Bump is saddened to discover he is too big to help his friends.
• Episode 12: Bump's Loud Song (30 November 1990) Bump's loud trumpeting makes a din and saves the day.
• Episode 13: Bump Goes Away (7 December 1990) When Bump feels he is a nuisance, he finds out who his real friends are.

Series 2 (1994)

• Episode 14: Bump's Umbrella (10 January 1994) Birdie comes to the rescue when Bump has problems with his umbrella.
• Episode 15: Bump and the Talking Tree (17 January 1994) Bump becomes a laughing stock after he is caught talking to a tree.
• Episode 16: Bump and Aunty Doreen's Surprise (US title: Aunty Doreen's Surprise, 24 January 1994) Birdie tells Bump that Aunty Doreen is waiting for him by the river with a surprise.
• Episode 17: Bump and the Bucket (31 January 1994) Bump steps back and plants his foot in a bucket whilst trying to get out of Whizzer's way.
• Episode 18: Bump's First Ride (7 February 1994) Birdie takes his friends for a ride, but then notices that Bump is looking a little sad.
• Episode 19: Bump's Big Ears (14 February 1994) When Bump pulls on a piece of string hanging from a tree, he is surprised to find it belongs to Cousin Jay.
• Episode 20: Bump and the Baby Mountain (21 February 1994) Bump makes a flag and is eager to show it to Birdie.
• Episode 21: Bump and the Statue (28 February 1994) On the way to meet his friends with his truck, Bump encounters a tall, grey figure in the bushes.
• Episode 22: Bump and the Flying Flowers (7 March 1994) Bump loves flowers, especially those with a nice smell.
• Episode 23: Bump's Special Day (14 March 1994) Bump gets very angry with himself because he can't remember something important.
• Episode 24: Bump and the Pouncing Game (21 March 1994) When Bump goes to visit Birdie one morning, he will not leave his tree.
• Episode 25: Bump the Builder (US title: Bump and the Builder, 28 March 1994) Bump is tidying up his house, but decides to go out and play instead.
• Episode 26: Bump and the Windy Day (4 April 1994) Birdie won't come out to play because the wind is blowing too hard.

Christmas special (1994)

• Episode 27: Bump's Christmas Story (26 December 1994) On his way to see Santa Claus at the North Pole, Bump meets a snowman who convinces him that Christmas may never happen.

Credits

Series 1

• Narrated by: Simon Cadell
• Animation: CMTB Animation
• Artwork & Music: Steve Augarde
• Stories by: Christopher James
• Executive Producer: Theresa Plummer-Andrews
• Produced by: Dennis Hooper
• © Bump Enterprises Ltd. 1990

Series 2

• Stories by: Christopher James
• Narrated by: Simon Cadell
• Animated by: CMTB Animation
• Edited by: Nick Upton
• Art & Music: Steve Augarde
• Art Director: Peter Corri
• Executive Producer for the BBC: Theresa Plummer-Andrews
• Executive Producer for Abbey Broadcast Communications Plc: Anne Miles
• Directed by: Terry Brain
• Produced by: Dennis Hooper
• © Bump Enterprises Ltd. 1994
• An Abbey Broadcast Communications Plc. Videal Productions - GMBH Production
• © Abbey Broadcast Communications Plc. Videal Productions - GMBH 1994

External links

• Bump on Toonhound