Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Sharon Horgan – Programme consultant, performer

Q: How would you describe Big Babies?

Big Babies is Beavis and Butthead meets Steptoe and Son meets Sesame Street meets some very ugly babies.

Q: What is your role in the show?

I am termed the programme consultant. Basically I get the pleasure of watching it while it's still in development and giving my dodgy opinion. I also voice the babies' mum Carole.

Q: What can you tell us about the character of Carole?

Carole is a great mum as long as there's a TV around. She is every over excitable and her baby talk knows no bounds.

Q: How did you come to be involved with Big Babies? What attracted you to the project?

My husband introduced me to Spencer and Jon a while ago and they sent me some of their films and sketches to look at. I thought they were ridiculously talented with great haircuts so I brought them to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and said "look what these boys can do". Luckily the Beeb thought they were great too and Jack Cheshire, who's the head of new comedy, teamed up with CΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Japhet Asher who saw a great kid's show in their Big Baby sketches and it all sprang from then. What I like about working with them is that their inventiveness is always exciting and surprising and I knew that they would come up with a kid's show that would be beyond what was expected of them. And they have.

Q: Have you done children's TV before?

I've never been involved in kid's TV before although I watch a lot of it. I found it hard to know how far you could go with kid's comedy so left that to the experts. My six-year-old daughter provided the best marker for me. Anything that made her laugh I kept a note of.

Q: Where do you get the inspiration for your work?

What I see around me, my own hang-ups and failings and those of my friends.

Q:What do you think children will like best about the series?

That it's funny and silly and they make up brilliant words and sing catchy songs. All kids love a good sing song.

Q: Do you have a favourite catchphrase/scene from the show?

"Oh bongo!" It's a catchphrase I use a lot now. And any scene with Gonch is pretty memorable!

Q: What was the most rewarding thing about working on Big Babies?

Watching the show develop over time. There were so many aspects that had to be added bit by bit before it worked as a whole but that almost made it more exciting because you could just see it getting better and better.

Spencer Jones – co-creator, co-writer and performer (Brooks)

Q: What is your role in the show?

Co-creator and co-writer with Jon Riche. I also play the part of Brooks and the voice of Dave the dinosaur, Gonch's mum, and other voices throughout. I am also a puppeteer, associate producer and second unit director. And I did my own make up, and co-wrote the music.

Q: Tell us about the character of Brooks.

Brooks has some issues, to put it nicely. He thinks he knows best all the time. Sometimes he makes stuff up just to appear important or clever or cool. This always catches him out in embarrassing ways. Brooks often shouts at Rocco, but really he's his best mate and would be lost without him.

Q: Do you have children? If so did you glean any inspiration from them?

I don't have my own kids but I have actually employed my niece Yasmin and nephew Max as "script insultants". While we wrote the show I would regularly phone them up and ask for brand new baby insults. My favourites were: Donkey Bucket and Beanstalk head.

Q: What were the considerations for acting, knowing that your head would be transposed onto a baby's body?

Just before we shoot a take, we look at the babies' body movements our heads will go on to, so we can match our head moves to the body. For example if the baby body is bouncing up and down, then we need to make sure when I say my lines I deliver them with a "bouncy energy". Likewise if a baby is lying down, I should be lying down too.

Q: Who is your favourite character from the show and why?

I can't choose my favourite. I love them all. But I can tell you the character I like the least though, the character I play, Brooks.

Q: What was the most rewarding thing about working on Big Babies?

That my niece and nephews will see it, and my Dad has stopped saying to me: "Why don't you get a proper job?"

Jon Riche – co-creator, director and co-writer

Q: What is your role in the show?

Director and co-writer/creator. At least that's what I got paid for! When budget's are tight you end up doing a bit of everything to get the show you want.

Q: Where did the inspiration come for Big Babies?

I'd wanted to do a music video with the band's heads on babies' bodies for years, Although I came close a couple of times I could never get a band to go for it because tend to take themselves very seriously. One night Spencer and I were making each other laugh by talking about what babies would say if they could speak and decided to make the idea ourselves. We managed to borrow a couple of six month, year old babies off their mums for half-an-hour and we made a 40 second sketch. Jack and Japhet at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ liked it and they gave us a break.

Q: Do you have children? If so did you glean any inspiration from them?

No, I don't have children, although seven babies have been born to various friends of mine while we have been making Big Babies. I sometimes wonder if we "gave birth" to Big Babies so we'd have something to talk about with our mates.

Q: What is your favourite line/scene from the show?

This is a hard question. There is a line in Dinodinodino Town where Brooks says "I'm not scared of anything. I'm king of the Time Train". It is not a funny line but Spencer's delivery makes me crease up every time. It's like when Leonardo DiCaprio shouts "I'm king of the world" in Titanic.

Q: Which is your favourite character from the show and why?

They all have a place in my heart but I would probably say Brooks. Despite being quite spoiled and obnoxious, much of his negativity is justified. I think he gets a raw deal and I guess that’s why I root for him.

Q: What was the most rewarding thing about working on Big Babies?

We are lucky on this job to have worked with a lot of our friends. Most of the cast and crew are our mates. It's been wonderful to watch them rise to the challenge and pull out all the stops to achieve all we asked of them. Spencer and I are indebted to all of them but we are also very proud to have seen them rise to the challenge.