The Basil Brush Show

Image: Basil Brush and "Mr Derek" (Derek Fowlds) in 1969.

Basil Brush, the glove puppet fox, first starred in his own programme, The Basil Brush Show, on 14 June 1968. Basil was already well known to viewers from his appearances on The Nixon Line with David Nixon. He was assisted on the first programme by Mr Rodney, Rodney Bewes. Guests included Manfred Mann, The Niberco Brothers and Robert Bartlett. Basil's posh voice - said to be modelled on Terry Thomas - habit of laughing at his own jokes and his catchphrase "boom boom" exasperated his sidekicks but proved a hit with children and adults.

Basil was created by Ivan Owen from a puppet designed by Peter Firmin. Owen was always at great pains to maintain the illusion that Basil was a real fox and steadfastly kept out of the limelight himself. Basil was supported by a succession of straightmen after Bewes, notably Mr Derek (Fowlds), Mr Roy (North), Mr Howard (Williams) and Mr Billy (Boyle). Later, Basil was a regular on Crackerjack. Basil's popularity was such that he often shared top billing in pantomime and summer season with human stars.

Ivan Owen died in 2000. However Basil outlived him, surviving largely unchanged. In recent years he has teamed up with Barney Harwood to present Basil's Swap Shop and Basil and Barney's Game Show on CBBC.