Bob the Builder (character)

Bob the Builder, also known simply as Bob, is the titular protagonist of the British animated programme of the same name. He is a general contractor with his own construction yard in Bobsville (original series), Sunflower Valley (Project: Build It), Fixham Harbour (Ready, Steady, Build!), or Spring City (2015 reboot) depending on the programme.

Catchphrase
Bob's catchphrase, "yes we can", is a response to other characters saying "Can we fix it?". "Can we fix it?" is also the name of the theme song, which became a top seller in the UK.

Design
The character's appearance was created by Curtis Jobling. His character sketches initially showed him with a moustache but this made him seem too old for the target audience of preschool children and so he was then restyled as clean-shaven. As stop-motion animation requires frequent repositioning of the models, Bob was given large feet for stability.

When the series was sold internationally, some changes had to be made to make him more acceptable to other cultures. For Japan, the character was shown with all five fingers on each hand, rather than his usual four. This was done because, in that society, a missing finger can indicate membership of the criminal Yakuza clans. However, none of the footage was altered.

In 2014, the toy company Mattel bought the rights to the character and gave him a Hollywood-style makeover, making him seem younger and slimmer and more realistically proportioned. This was not well-received on social media, where the new look was described as creepy and unconvincing. Like in Japan, his 2015 redesign has five fingers on each hand, instead of four.

Appearances
Bob has appeared in every episode in the programme and all related media. He officially first appeared in the episode "Scoop Saves the Day" that premiered on 12 April 1999 and has been going ever since 1999.

Bob has five main machines that help him out: Scoop the backhoe loader, Muck the self-loading dump truck, Dizzy the cement mixer, Lofty the mobile crane and Roley the road roller.

Film adaption
In January 2024, Mattel announced that a film adaptation of the animated character will be produced by Jennifer Lopez and Benny Medina. The plot will follow Bob as he visits Puerto Rico for a construction job. Anthony Ramos will voice the character.

Legacy
Bob has helped to change negative stereotypes of construction workers among preschool children.