The Furchester Hotel
The Furchester Hotel is a British-American-Canadian puppet series for CBeebies. It is the second British spin-off of Sesame Street that the BBC have made after Sesame Tree 6 years before. The show premiered on CBeebies on 26 September 2014. The show aired in late 2016 on Sprout until early 2019.
After the events of Sesame Street, Elmo and Cookie Monster travel to England to help Elmo's aunt and uncle run a "half-star" hotel whose staff is good at solving problems.
Plot
The Furchester Hotel is a half-star hotel in the United Kingdom that is owned by a monster family called the Furchester-Fuzz Family. The Furchester-Fuzz Family alongside Elmo and Cookie Monster, who travelled to help the family run the hotel, figure out how to solve different issues that are developed by the guests of the Furchester Hotel.Characters
Main characters
- Funella Furchester – A monster who is the wife of Furgus, the mother of Phoebe, and the aunt of Elmo. Funella is the main proprietor of the Furchester Hotel, welcoming guests and making sure their stay is wonderful in any way she can. She was designed by Ed Christie.
- Furgus Fuzz – A monster who is the husband of Funella, the father of Phoebe, and the uncle of Elmo. He serves as the jack-of-all-trades at the Furchester Hotel and specializes in the hotel's repair needs. Similar to Grover, Furgus takes on several other jobs around the hotel as needed. He was designed by Ed Christie.
- Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz – The protagonist of the series. A 7-year-old violet monster who is the daughter of Furgus and Funella and the cousin of Elmo. Phoebe's main duty at the Furchester Hotel is answering the phone. When she gets a monster idea, her pigtail stands on end and she often says "Fuzzawubba!". In "Animal Talk," it is revealed that Phoebe knows lots of animal languages. In "Phoebe's Key," it is revealed that the key on Phoebe's necklace can unlock all the doors in the Furchester Hotel as well as the hotel safe. She was designed by Ed Christie.
- Elmo – Elmo is the cousin of Phoebe and the nephew of Furgus and Funella. He is taking an extended stay at the Furchester Hotel due to his fascination with it. Elmo's father Louie is the brother of Funella.
- Cookie Monster – Cookie Monster has landed his dream job as the room service worker and a waiter in the Furchester Hotel's dining room. As usual, he eats any cookies that come in his sight. In "Cookie Confusion," it is revealed that Cookie Monster has a British cousin named Biscuit Monster who eats biscuits.
- Isabel – A pink furry bell-shaped monster that resembles a call bell. Similar to the Dingers, Isabel can only communicate through a series of rings. She notifies Funella Furchester whenever an incoming guest is arriving and has a general knowledge of what's happening in the hotel at all times, as well as also cuing the musical breaks during the episodes. Isabel's puppeteers alternate between Sheila Clark and Lesa Gillespie. She was designed by Ed Christie.
Recurring characters
- Big Bird – Big Bird is a special guest at the Furchester Hotel. In "A Big Bird Surprise", Elmo and his friends welcome Big Bird to the Furchester Hotel where he meets everyone. In "A Furchester Christmas", Big Bird and his friends are waiting for Santa where he gives everyone special.
- Count von Count - The Count is a special guest at the Furchester Hotel. In "The Count's Vacation", Elmo and his friends meet Count von Count and The Countess to have a break for counting. In "A Furchester Christmas", The Count and his friends are waiting for Santa where he gives everyone special.
- Harvey P. Dull – A Fat Blue Anything Muppet who is a long-term occupant of the Furchester Hotel. In a similar fashion to Mr. Johnson, Harvey P. Dull frequently bears the brunt of the poor service. He cites the one positive thing about the Furchester Hotel is his favorite comfy chair. Harvey claims that the only reason he resides at the Furchester Hotel is a lack of availability in any other nearby hotels.
- Gonger – A small furry pink monster who initially serves as a minor character in the first season. Gonger would bang the large gong at Monster Tea Time, with the large gong occasionally knocking Gonger down or causing him to have a vibration reaction. Sometimes after he bangs the gong, Gonger shouts "Tea Time" to alert the Tea Time Monsters when it's Monster Tea Time. In Season Two, Gonger has a major role and now works as a hotel chef and still bangs the gong for Monster Tea Time from the kitchen. Gonger was later imported to the main show Sesame Street and joined the cast as part of the season 48 segment "Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck."
- The Tea Time Monsters – The Tea Time Monsters are a quintet of colorful monsters that appear whenever Monster Tea Time occurs. When Gonger bangs the gong, the Tea Time Monsters emerge from their rooms and plow their way through the Furchester Hotel to get to their tea. During the credits of each episode, the Monsters are shown enjoying Monster Tea Time while chanting "Ugga wugga tea time, ugga wugga clink. Ugga wugga tea time, ugga wugga drink!"
- * Colonel Mustard – A yellow monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
- * Sorbet – An orange monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters. He is a recycled version of the Live-Hand variant of Narf from Sesame Street that was previously used for Yoyo on 5, Rue Sésame.
- * Ethel Bay-Mertz – A female purple monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
- * Berry – A blue monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters. He resembles a modified version of Herry Monster.
- * Lulu Lemon – A green male monster who is a member of the Tea Time Monsters.
Cast
- Mikey Brett - Mr. Howley, John Lemmon, Sir Sniffalot
- Warrick Brownlow-Pike – Colonel Mustard, Lulu Lemon, Gonger, Mr. Mainbrie, Cactus, Professor Fleece, Mrs. Featherbottom, Broccoli, Carrot, Horse, Inspector Raccoon-seau, Mr. Quackmore, Ice Flipper No. 1, Henry Moo-re, Monster Monster, Big Wolf, Mr. Fuzzlebrush, Beaky the Rooster, Mr. Orange, David Attenborough Muppet, Dot Bot, Chick Swagger, Biscuit Monster, Blue Yip Yip, Mr. Swimalot, Owl Groom
- Sarah Burgess – Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz
- Sheila Clark – Isabel, Bell Pepper, Ms. Marbles, Fox
- Paul Currie – Mr. Lawnmower, Charlton the Champion
- Ryan Dillon – Elmo, Guinea Pig, Mail Bird, Christmas Elf on Phone, Mr. Peckwood, Cat Bride
- Iestyn Evans -
- Damian Farrell –
- Julia Frost - Rabbit, Toby, Miss Baa-Baa, Cheerleader, Singing Birthday Cake, Precious, Horse #3, mum
- Lesa Gillespie – Isabel, Ethel Bay-Mertz, Cookie Delivery Girl, Girl with Package, Guinea Pig, Sheep, Apple
- Louise Gold – Funella Furchester, Feathered-Hat Woman, Ms. Gator, Mrs. Woofberg, Countess, Great Grandmama
- Andy Heath – Pillow, Colonel Mustard, Mr. Director, Taxicab Driver Monster, Elwood, Mr. Pineapple, Mr. Birdie, Cookie Monster
- Rebecca Nagan – Carol, Mrs. Quackmore, Ms. Ling, Broccoli, Mrs. Birdie, Clara
- Colin Purves – Gonger, Sheep, Mr. Squigglebottom, Banana
- David Rudman – Cookie Monster, Gonger, Sorbet, Commercial Announcer, Mr. Smells-a-Lot, Arthur, Mr. Munch, Alan, Mr. Vincent
- Katherine Smee – Mrs. Iceberger, Broccoli, Sheep, Ice Flipper No. 2, Mrs. Inkwell, Mrs. Jangles, Ms. Taylor Penworth, Mrs. Woolly, Squirrel, Miss Grapes
- Andrew Spooner – Furgus Fuzz, Mr. Snowball, The Big Bad Wolf
- Neil Sterenberg – Harvey P. Dull, Mr. Crumb, Pierce the Porcupine, Aubergine, Horse, Penguin Mason, Mr. Screech, Sheldon, Mr. Huggles, Mr. Evergroan, Suite Sheep, Monty, Bobby Bunny
- Matt Vogel - Big Bird, Count von Count
- Julie Westwood – Bebe, Shelly, Rabbit, Dr. RepeatThat, Miss Tuftly
- Mak Wilson – Harvey P. Dull, Gonger, Sorbet, Pink Monster, Griff, Mr. , Rabbit, Little Wolf, Mr. Antoine, Ms. Puffwhiskers, Junior Birdie
- Toby Wilson – Berry, Rooster, Tortoise
- Michael Winsor –
Production
On 14 November 2014 Sesame Street's YouTube channel began airing full episodes of The Furchester Hotel each week.
In February 2016, The Furchester Hotel was renewed for Season 2 which began production in May 2016. It consists of 50 episodes and a double-length Christmas episode as well as guest appearances by Big Bird, Count von Count, and the Yip Yips. The second season began on 31 October 2016.
On 26 September 2016, Sprout started airing The Furchester Hotel on weekdays. Reruns were aired until 2 March 2019.
On 23 December 2017, The Furchester Hotel started airing in Canada on CBC Kids
Opening sequence
The show opens with a different character's face shaped as the river and zooms down into where the hotel is and all the Furchester Family can be seen singing where they are joined in by Elmo and Cookie Monster. At the end, all the guests are singing with the Furchester Family, Cookie Monster, and the Tea Time Monsters.Songs
- Welcome to the Furchester – This is the theme song for this show that the Furchester Family, Elmo, Cookie Monster, the Monsters, and the hotel guests sing.
- A Furchester Never Gives Up – This song depicts the Furchester Family and Elmo never giving up as they drive a hotel trolley down a hallway as various hotel guests load suitcases onto the hotel trolley.
- The Catastrophe Song – The Furchester Family, Elmo, and Cookie Monster sing this song whenever they are faced with a perceived catastrophe at the Furchester Hotel.
- We Can Solve Any Problem - The Furchester Family, Elmo, Cookie Monster and Gonger trying to help the guests while they sing a song.
- Don't Check Out – The Furchester Family, Elmo, and Cookie Monster sing this song telling the guests about visiting and begging them not to leave at the end of every episode.
- Farewell from the Furchester - This was played during the credits as the Tea Time Monsters enjoy Monster Tea Time.
Episodes