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Percy the Park Keeper

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Percy the Park Keeper
GenreChildren's Programme
Created byNick Butterworth
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes17
Production
Running time10 minutes per episode (approx.)
Production companyHIT Entertainment
Original release
NetworkCITV (1996–1999)
Sprout (2005–2017)
Release1 December 1996 –
12 December 1999

Percy the Park Keeper is an animated children's series based on the popular books by British author Nick Butterworth. It stars Percy, and many wild animals, such as the Badger, the Owl, the Fox, the Mice, the Mole, the Robin and so on. It started out as four specials airing between 1996–1998 before turning into a series of 13 episodes in 1999.

Characters

  • Percy the Park Keeper - The title character. He maintains the park, and is able to find the time to have fun with the animals.
  • Fox - A fun loving sort, who tends to make others laugh and can be quite sensitive.
  • Badger - A wise and sensible sort, who dislikes water.
  • Rabbit - An excitable sort, who easily gets timid at anything remotely scary.
  • Squirrel - An irritable sort, who often buries nuts and acorns and cannot always remember where they are.
  • Hedgehog - A quiet type, who finds his spines very problematic indeed.
  • Mice - Playful sorts who are always happy to join in various challenges.
  • Ducks - They usually play by the duck pond, and migrate when Winter approaches.
  • Owl - She doesn't hunt at night, like an ordinary owl, but she is active during the day and forgets things easily.
  • Robin - Spends most of his life flying around the park and perching on trees.
  • Mole - He is always in a rush and has trouble finding his way under the ground.

Episodes

Season 1 (1996–1998)

# Title Air Date
1"One Snowy Night"December 1, 1996 (1996-12-01)
It is winter. After his day's work Percy prepares for the coldest night to come. The night is a lot colder than the animals expected and all the snow is making it hard to find shelter. They all decide to spend the night at Percy's hut and finally the Mole and Robin turn up. Also features exclsuive 15 minute programme "The Animals of Percy's Park".
2"The Secret Path"March 12, 1997 (1997-03-12)
It is spring. Percy has a big job to do by pruning a hedgerow maze. The squirrel comes with him after an accident with the hedgehog. When all the other animals come to play with Percy in the maze centre they get stuck in the maze, but the hedgehog provides them the way out. Also features exclusive 15 minute programme "The Seasons of Percy's Park".
3"The Rescue Party"July 20, 1997 (1997-07-20)
It is summer. Percy is taking the day off with a picnic. Everybody else wants to come, but first they have to join in Percy's peace and quiet. Soon one of the rabbits falls in a well, but a toad tells her how to get out and she rejoins the others. Also features exclusive 15 minute programme "The A to Z of Percy's Park".
4"After the Storm"January 1, 1998 (1998-01-01)
It is Autumn. A gale and heavy rain in the night cause damage in the park, especially the animals' oak tree, leaving them homeless. Percy helps the animals find a new home and build a treehouse in an enormous hollow tree. Also features exclusive 15 minute programme "Counting and Colours in the Park".

Season 2 (1999)

# Title Air Date
1"The Hedgehog's Balloon"September 19, 1999 (1999-09-19)
Hedgehog is very upset. He loves balloons but he can never keep them because they always burst on his spines. Then Percy comes up with an ingenious plan, and with the help of some corks from his garden shed, the problem is solved.
2"The Fox's Hiccups"September 26, 1999 (1999-09-26)
Fox gets the hiccups from drinking lemonade while laughing at a funny joke. After an accident bumping into Percy's washing and flower pots, his hiccups are cured, until he laughs and drinks again.
3"One Warm Fox"October 3, 1999 (1999-10-03)
Fox cannot sleep due to cold drafts. He borrows some of Percy's woolen clothes, putting on more than he needs, but Percy finds the extra clothes ideal for his scarecrow, leaving Fox with just a pullover.
4"The Rabbit Who Was Afraid of the Dark"October 10, 1999 (1999-10-10)
Rabbit has become afraid of the dark, and the others don't know what is causing it, but Percy does - she hasn't been eating enough carrots! She then eats some more, and is then able to see in the dark, and is not scared anymore.
5"Sledge Ride"October 17, 1999 (1999-10-17)
Percy is taking the day off and builds a sledge. However Fox and Squirrel borrow Percy's materials to make their own sledge. Then they offer a Percy a ride in it.
6"The Hedgehog's Wings"October 24, 1999 (1999-10-24)
It is a rather windy autumn, so Hedgehog sneaks into Percy's garden shed and borrows his tools to build himself something to fly with - wings. But he then soon discovers that flying is quite frightening indeed.
7"The Owl's Lesson"October 31, 1999 (1999-10-31)
Owl discovers a little bird who doesn't know how to fly, so she attempts to teach him. Then Percy comes along and explains he can't fly because he's only little, which Owl doesn't know.
8"Badger's Bath"November 7, 1999 (1999-11-07)
Badger spends a long time digging, getting himself dirty. Percy tries to give the badger a bath, but he doesn't want one. As Percy has the bath to himself, Badger falls out of his hiding place into the bath tub.
9"Owl Takes Charge"November 14, 1999 (1999-11-14)
When Percy feels ill, Owl offers to help make a rake, plant a tree and paint the roundabout. But she isn't very good at remembering and gets them all muddled up.
10"A Very Useful Little Friend"November 21, 1999 (1999-11-21)
As Badger and Fox help Percy tidy his shed, Mouse joins in the work, but her clumsiness isn't helping. But when the three get locked in the shed, Mouse proves to be very useful to them.
11"Treasure Island"November 28, 1999 (1999-11-28)
Percy uncovers a treasure map and he and Squirrel go and find the island it was buried in. They do find it eventually, but Percy then remembers he left a fruitcake in the oven, and goes back to his hut, leaving Squirrel not knowing where he is.
12"The Cross Rabbit"December 5, 1999 (1999-12-05)
Winter is coming, and poor Rabbit wants some sleep, but the mice are disturbing him with their fun and games. Percy persuades the mice to play elsewhere, but the peace does not last long.
13"The Lost Acorns"December 12, 1999 (1999-12-12)
Percy plants some bulbs in the ground. Unfortunately the squirrel has lost his acorns and mistakes the planted bulbs for possible acorn storages. Mole finds his secret storage by accident and the squirrel replants the bulbs.

VHS Releases

In 1999, Percy the Park Keeper was released on video, broadcast by CITV, owned by Hit Entertainment, and distributed by Hit Video. Apparently, several stand-alone VHS releases were (and still are) available in the United Kingdom.

DVD Releases

In 2000, Percy the Park Keeper was released on DVD, again broadcast by CITV, owned by Hit Entertainment and distributed by Hit Video. Ordinarily, a few stand-alone DVD releases were (and still are) available in the United Kingdom.

References

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