Emu's World / Emu's Pink Windmill Show - Childrens TV

Emu’s World / Emu's Pink Windmill Show Emu’s World is a 80’s Children’s TV show, which starred Rod Hull, who had became famous due to the double act he had with an Emu. Even though Emu was a hand puppet, its tendency to become violent with guests made the shows they appeared on become unmissable. One of these unmissable moments was when they were interviewed on the Michael Parkinson Show. Here the Emu attacked the presenter during the interview. This type of exposure meant that children and adults endeared themselves to this double act. So it wasn’t surprising when Rod and Emu turned up in their own TV show on ITV in 1983. The show was written and devised by Rod Hull, and was produced for Central Television, a regional ITV studio for the Midlands area. The show ran under a number of names over the years, such as: - Emu’s World - Emu’s All Live Pink Windmill Show - Emu’s Pink Windmill Show - Emu’s Wide World At one point the show was even transmitted live, which we are surprised at, especially as Emu was very unpredictable. Carol Lee Scott, who played the witch Grotbags, had been working the holiday club scene, when she was spotted by Rod and asked to join the show. Carol wanted to be a fat fairy, but eventually her character evolved into Grotbags. She earned a spin off from the series called ‘Grotbags’ in 1991, which lasted for 3 series. The show concentrated on Grotbags and her minions at Gloomy Fortress. Emu’s World and its various guises, ran from 1983 to 1989. But the end of the show coincided with the financial troubles that Rod was having in the real world, which lead to him losing his home, Restoration House, and declaring himself bankrupt in 1994. In a sad accident, Rod Hull died whilst trying to fix a TV Ariel (at night) on top of his National Trust bungalow he was renting. He slipped and fell off the roof, only to be found by his son. Rod Hull brought so many tears of joy to many people, young and old, and should be remembered as an entertainer of all. His son Toby Hull later took up the mantle of Emu, and starred in a new children’s TV series. This Emu was the son of the original one, just as Toby was the son of Rod. Story Rod was the owner of a pink windmill, which was right in the middle of the countryside. Here he lived with his Emu (a terrifying creature to most) and the Pink Windmill Kids, who would sing and dance at any opportunity. Emu even seemed to behave himself, apart from attacking Rod every so often. We’re not sure why Rod hangs around with the bird, as he’s always on the receiving end of it. But like most places, you can't choose your neighbours, and boy did they have the neighbour from hell....Grotbogs. She was a witch, who had green skin, and hated brats (as she called them). She would do anything to stop them and Rod having a good time and wanted to capture Emu so that she could use his power to control the brats of the world. Grotbags used to plan what she was going to do to Rod, Emu and the kids around her cauldron, with her minions (at Gloomy Fortress). These minions consisted of a couple of wimps that would agree to anything she said and complain about her behind her back. The first 2 were Croc, and Robot Redford. If they stepped out of line, Grotbags would hit them with her bazazzer, which was a golden coloured stick with the end of it shaped like a hand pointing, with stars appearing every time she hit them. Emu’s World / Emu’s Pink Windmill Show Characters Rod Hull (played by himself) He was the owner of the Pink Windmill and just wanted to enjoy life, and dance along with the Pink Windmill Kids. He wasn’t the bravest man, as most of the time he would hide from Grotbags, rather than confront her. But every so often he did face her, but his bravery wasn’t convincing and Grotbags would just laugh at him. When anyone pressed the door bell to the Pink Windmill (which actually sneezed), he would dance around with Emu singing, ‘There’s somebody at the door, there’s somebody at the door’. We’re not sure why, maybe he liked visitors? We’re not sure why Rod dressed from head to toe in pink, maybe it was to go with the pink windmill and blend into the background when Grotbags appeared (or was it to tap into the female market)? Emu (operated by Rod Hull) He was an Emu from Australia, and was Rod’s pet. But this Emu had loads of attitude and would attack anyone just for the hell of it. Mostly he would attack Rod or Grotbags, by wrestling them to the ground or pecking them with his sharp beak. He lived in the Flour Bins in the Pink Windmill, which Grotbags has even stolen in the past. Grotbags (played by Carol Lee Scott) She was the horrible green witch that lived in Gloomy Fortress. Her main aim was to capture Emu and use his powers to control the brats (children) of the world. We’re still not sure how she was going to do this though. When she burst into the Pink Windmill looking for Emu, she would always make a grand entrance, and like to say phrases like ‘You dirty brats’, ‘Play it again Sam’ and was quite upset if there was no one around to see her in action it. You can’t fail to notice her, as she loves to shout at everyone. Gotbags doesn’t accept failure gracefully and would always go around hitting Croc and Redford with her Bazazzer, causing them to see stars. Now you would have thought Grotbags would have worked out Rod and Emu's hiding place (the Flour Bins), but no, we had to go through the routine of 'where's those brats?'. Then finding Rod and Emu, with great surprise. She would go into the audience for hostages, giving the brats a chance to win prizes. In reality she wanted them to lose so she could see their sad faces, to cheer herself her up. For all her evilness, she actually believes in horror scopes, and even treated her minions well when she read that she should do. But she wasn’t pleased when she had found out that Redford had actually rewritten her horror scope to treat both Redford and Croc nicely. To get around, Grotbags uses the Hovergrot, a huge vacuum cleaner that she sat on, which Croc piloted. Croc (played by Freddie Stevens / David Tate) Croc is a huge crocodile, the size of a man, who stood on his back legs and spoke with a squeaky voice. He was quite a timid beast and was easily upset, especially by Grotbags’s cruel words. In reality, Croc would have loved to have played with all the children at the Pink Windmill, but Grotbags wouldn’t let him. He’s always being blamed by Grotbags for things that Emu has done. Robot Redford (played by Freddie Stevens) Initially Croc had to suffer Grotbags on his own, but eventually he was joined by Robot Redford, who had a passing similarity to C3PO from Star Wars. Well they were both golden and robots, but C3PO certainly didn’t look like he was wearing a gold bucket on his head. Also Redford one of the campest characters that you’ll every meet on TV and was certainly in touch with his feminine side. I don’t think he would ever get bored, as it looked like he had the electronic game ‘Simon’ embedded in his chest (for quiet nights?). Pink Windmill Kids (played by various) The Pink Windmill Kids were a group of kids that sang and danced to nearly every 80’s song that was out there (very cheesy). Rod may look a bit scatty, but he knew not to confront Grotbags, so he always ensured that a number of the Pink Windmill Kids kept a lookout for her. When they spotted she was on her way they would burst into the pink windmill screaming that she was coming. The children in the windmill would scatter and hide. Emu's World - The Pink Windmill