CHILDREN’S TV stars Callum Donnelly and Robin Hatcher are the stars of popular CBeebies TV show ‘SPOTBOTS’. They also currently join Justin Fletcher on the brand new series of ‘Justin’s House’ for lots of the usual crazy shenanigans!
This loveable duo are also the stars of this brand new adventure that is sure to leave the audience both spell bound and doubled up with mirth!
Q and A’s
Name
Callum Donnelly and Robin Hatcher
Character
Cal: Long John Silver and 4 other random pirates!
Rob: Capt. Jim Hawkins/Ben Gunn
So how is it all going?
Really great! 2016 has been a super productive year and we can’t believe 2017 has come round again already
Have you had a busy year?
C: It has been a very busy year. We’re two thirds of slapstick comedy trio the Three Half Pints and this year we’ve written and toured nationally with our show Bad Guys, performing in over 70 different locations across England, Scotland and Wales. Early in the year we watched with trepidation as our characters the “Oddbods” featured for the first time on Cbeebies’ Spotbots, and we also spent time over the summer writing and filming some episodes of Justin’s House, one of which aired in October and the other will go out in March.
R: Callum also got engaged to Amy, his girlfriend since the age of 14 – so lots of events on all fronts in 2016, and more to look forward to on the horizon!
Why do you think ‘Treasure Island’ is going to be such a magical show?
C:There is such a unique atmosphere in the world of theatre, a kind of unity and shared excitement between audience members despite most of them being complete strangers. Add into the mix that myself, Richard and Robin absolutely LOVE performing live, we love performing comedy, and we have an excellent script full of silliness, songs and slapstick, and you have the makings of a fantastically funny and festive frollick on the high seas!
R: Great alliteration work
C: I thank you
It looks like you have a busy tour ahead – how do you “pace” yourself for the run?
R: We’re both fairly used to touring now, and I think it’s just a case of making sure you get your down time. We all have naturally very high energy, physical performers so it’s important that we make the most of our opportunities to rest so we can feel confident giving it everything as soon as we step out on stage. Basically just making sure we get enough sleep, chill out playing video games, reading, watching football etc. Also one of the best things about touring is seeing new places and meeting with friends who have gently dispersed around the country over the years…
C: And sampling the local ale offerings…
R: Yes and that… so we do try to get out and about where we can.
Do you have any superstitions before you go on stage?
C: Robin has an annoying knack of running to the toilet at the last possible moment before the show starts – so far he’s always made it back in time but one of these days…
R: It’s better than the possible alternative if I DONT run to the loo last minute…
What is the best thing about performing?
Well we’re comedians at heart so I guess we have to say laughter. making people laugh (and in particular children) gives you such a buzz and if audience and performers alike can all share in the joke together, it just makes for such an electric atmosphere.
Do you get nervous?
We’re always nervous before performances, but the feeling tends to drop in intensity as the run goes on and we become more confident in the show. Nerves are good though because firstly they show you really care, and secondly they give you an extra little burst of energy before you step out.
FUN QUESTIONS
If you could be invisible for a day what would you do?
C: I’d follow Robin and Richard around all day pretending to be his conscience
R: I’d put a 10 pound note on the floor and stand with it and then whenever someone bent to pick it up I’d just move it so they kept missing it.
What was the last picture you took on your phone?
C: It was of a snap picture frame which had been hung on a wall and was only being used to display how to correctly use a snap picture frame
R: For me it was a photo of a can of hot dogs…my girlfriend HATES them and so whenever she goes away I always buy them and taunt her with photos of them from afar.
What have you always wanted? Did you ever get it?
C: I’ve always wanted to have a Season ticket to my beloved Southampton FC, but with our job it just wouldn’t be possible at the moment.
R: Cheesy though this may be, I have always wanted to perform for a living, and yes, I am lucky enough to be doing that now! I have also always wanted to write a jingle for the radio…I have no skills in this area, but a dream is a dream.
What is your perfect pizza?
R: I love pizza and I’m a bit like a golden retriever in the sense that whatever I have in front of me at the moment of asking is THE BEST THING EVER so I’m happy with anything. But if you put olives on it you’ll incur my wrath.
What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?
C: “I wonder if my cat, Geoff, has brought in anymore birds overnight?”
If you could wake up in the body of somebody else and be that person for 24 hours tomorrow, who would you be and what would you do?
C: Lionel Messi. I’d just love to know what it would be like to be THAT talented and to play football in front of ninety thousand fans singing my name. then just before my time was up I’d sign a contract with Southampton…
R: I’d be Eminem. I’d love to experience how he experiences words, and language and how he slots it all together.
What type of music do you listen to?
R: I’m a veritable jukebox when it comes to music, I like most things but bizarrely the two genres I listen to the most are soft, mellow folk music or really grimey underground rap.
What is your favourite word?
C: I think elbow is a great sounding word. Also in Spanish a Town Hall is called ‘el Ayuntamiento’ which is like yoga for your tongue.
R: Pamphlet.
Who is your hero?
C: The late Ronnie Barker is always someone I aspire to be like.
R: Mine is also a comic hero- Robin Williams, probably for me one of the funniest men ever to have lived.
Have you ever been stung by a bee?
C: Yes. He asked me for directions then nicked my wallet.
R: I have- I was 3 and honestly it flew up my shorts and stung me on the bum. It REALLY hurt!
Have you had dance lessons?
C: No. I was once in a production of West Side Story and the choreographer removed me from a dance number and said in that scene I could play “the guy who stands still and takes photos at the back”.
R: I don’t need lessons. They don’t call me Michael Flately of Kent for nothing… actually come to think of it they don’t call me that at all.
What is your favourite joke?
C: Two peanuts walking along the road. One was a-salted.
What is your favourite breakfast cereal?
C: Coco-Pops
R: I love any form of cereal primarily aimed at kids so anything chocolatey or marshmallowey
What do you spend most of your money on?
C: My fiancée
R: Callums fiancée…
What is the weirdest thing about you?
C: I can’t wear trousers without socks or else the tickling around my ankles makes my feet go numb.
R: I have a really odd brain when it comes to dates, I can remember basically every gig I have ever done and which date they were on…it’s quite odd. I also am terrified of spiral staircases…
Breath taking view or good tv show?
R: View, any day!
If you could retire tomorrow what would you do for the rest of your life?
C: be very, very bored.
R: I reckon I’d probably do gardening. I don’t have any interest in gardening it’s just the sort of thing I feel like I should do.
What famous person do people tell you that you most resemble?
C: Paul McGann when he was bit younger apparently.
R: I’ve been told I look like Russel Howard
What is the strangest thing you have eaten?
R: I grew up for a long time in Egypt and so ate some odd things there. I suppose brain was quite a weird one…it’s not very nice either
Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with?
C: Margot Robbie. So we can erm… talk.
R: Rachel McAdams, also for the talk.
Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with?
C: The man from the talking clock
R: Callum.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
C: I have a great affinity with the constant frustrations of Donald Duck.
R: Dexter from Dexters Lab. He’s also a short, bespectacled red head. He’s constantly irritated by his sister, I’m constantly irritated by Callum, I just really feel for him.
Which of the four seasons do you most like?
C: Winter, but only pre Christmas – the cold is worth it when there’s something to look forward to!
R: I’m a summer lad, I absolutely love not having to wrap up warm, and everything is better in the sunshine!
Which of the four seasons do you most dislike?
C: Spring promises warmer weather but is always still freezing.
R: For me I’m not a huge fan of winter. I get miserable in the cold. In the run up to Christmas it’s all exciting but come the 27th of DecemberI just want it over with!
If you could be trapped in a tv show for a month, which one would it be and why?
C: Probably Game of Thrones but I’m not sure I’d survive the whole month.
R: Planet Earth 2! I love the outdoors and would love to see all the amazing places they go!
If you joined the circus, which person would you be?
C: The elephant.
R: Knowing my luck, probably the guy who mucks out the elephant.
Best moment on stage?
C: When a Mother told us it was the first time she’d ever seen her autistic 8 year old daughter laugh.
R: Probably when we filmed Justin’s House, it was so brilliant to know how many people would enjoy the show, and how many giggles it would cause!
Worst moment on stage?
C: LUCKILY it was a dress rehearsal but… my trousers were to be pulled down but supposed to leave my pants intact. They weren’t.
R: I was really unwell once with flu and we were performing in Luton, I couldn’t really keep up with what was going on, so Callum and Richard had to do some of my lines, and so in the end I just looked a bit deranged, like I’d stumbled onto the set and was just there to keep the numbers up.
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