Where are they now? – Rainbow’s Bungle

To many he was Thames TV’s go-to bear for children’s entertainment, but behind closed doors, Bungle was a troubled soul. Having been the lynch-pin that won Rainbow the 1975 Society of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Children’s Programme, the pressure to succeed was a cross that he had to bare throughout his professional career.

As with many TV protagonists at the top of their game, it was no surprise that substance addiction was his crutch. In our interview, Bungle bares all…

Monkey Broth: Can we start off with the Rainbow years? We understand that, during filming the addiction was so bad that you could barely go on set some days.

Bungle: Yeah, I won’t fackin’ lie to ya, things were well rough. I mean, Rainbow just did my head in ya know? I had to wander round in the buff all the time so they could play some weak fackin’ joke about me wearing a fackin’ towel when I’d got out of the shower. I mean, Christ on a bike, it was well demeaning. You try going out there every day with that fackin’ smart arse Zippy bangin’ on about chipolatas all the blardy day. I hate that bloke.

MB: Yes, the towels they gave you barely covered anything really. So tell us about the award ceremony. That must have been a high point?

B: To be honest wiv ya, I was in the bogs doin’ some lines with Jane and Freddy. Rod was givin’ it all of that saying we should be on stage but, ya know Jane would put out after a good night so it was worth putting in the time yeah? I missed the whole thing and I was gutted that Zippy got so much of the credit. I really fackin’ hate that bloke.

MB: A lot has been written about the bust up between Zippy and yourself. During the last series of Rainbow, it’s said that you barely spoke to each other. What was the catalyst for the falling out?

B: It was everything about the fackin’ guy. Blah blah all the fackin’ time. Never shut up about who he was bedding and how the girls loved the cuddly gimp look. One day I’d had right enough and padlocked his mouth with Yales finest! At the time he couldn’t talk to me yeah? After he had the lock smiths out, he broke into me locker and smashed up my Simon Says wiv a pipe wrench. Never spoke to him again after that. I really hate that bloke a lot.

MB: At the time, barely a day went past without the tabloids screaming about the George-gate scandal. Over 30 years later, what can you tell us about that?

B: George was a casualty of the scene really. He was a decent enough bloke but he ended up the scapegoat for everyone else’s fackin’ mistake. I mean, the bloke was camp as a row of camping stuff.  Emu knew who was really to blame but he kept stum. Who knew that Soo the panda was under-age? She wore so much eye shadow she looked old enough. Bad times… I blame Zippy for spilling the beans. Never did know when to keep it zipped. Gawd I really do hate that fackin’ bloke.

MB: It sounds like you barely escaped TV with your sanity. So what are you involved in now?

B: It’s funny really, I’d right had enough of TV and me addiction I had to turn me life around ya know? Geoffrey Hayes had a pink MG Midget at the time. Fackin’ lovely thing it was. Anyway, I was looking after it for him as he don’t know the difference between spring compressors and spandex. Tinkering wiv that little motor turned my fackin’ life around. It really did. I stopped the drugs and the grizzly whores and started up my own little workshop under the arches in Clapham. It’s gone from there really. Bear Naked Motors was born and I’ve bin up to my haunches in grease ever since. Happy as a pig in the proverbial init! And where’s that Zippy now eh? Doin’ time for tax evasion! Ha! That’ll fackin’ teach the zippy little fecker! By Christ I really hate ‘im with all me soul.

MB: I bet your friends could barely believe the turn around?

B: Use the word barely again and I’ll fackin’ end you alright?

MB: Sorry. Is my MOT finished yet?

B: Yeah. It barely fackin’ passed. Piece of shite.