The Foxbusters
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Children's entertainment |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Cosgrove Hall |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Animated television series |
| Parent | Cosgrove Hall |
The Foxbusters is a UK-based animated television series inspired loosely by the novel of the same title by Dick King-Smith. Developed by Cosgrove Hall, the production consists of two seasons, each containing thirteen episodes lasting approximately 11 minutes, produced between 1999 and 2000. The scripts were primarily crafted by the animation duo David Max Freedman and Alan Gilbey, with occasional input from Joel Jessup, while Jon Doyle served as director.
Celebrated for its blend of comedy and adventure, the series earned significant recognition in 2000, securing a BAFTA award for "Best Animated Series" alongside the British Animation Awards' accolade for "Best Children's Series." Although discussions took place regarding distribution in the United States, certain voice-over aspects prevented its acquisition, resulting in no broadcast within the US market.
Plot
Set on the fictional Foxearth Farm located in England’s West Midlands countryside, the narrative centers on an animal-dominated farmyard, with chickens as key inhabitants. The Foxbusters—Ransome, Sims, and Jeffries—are three exceptional chickens gifted with flight capabilities. Each bird exhibits a unique character: Ransome excels as the top flyer, Sims stands out for her intelligence, and Jeffries provides humor. Together, they protect the farm from a persistent group of foxes employing inventive defenses such as spitting grit and using hard-boiled eggs as explosive devices.
The Foxbusters
- Ransome – The most skilled aviator and self-assured member of the trio, Ransome enjoys considerable popularity among farm animals and strives to captivate them. She frequently has disagreements with her sister Sims and speaks with an African-American accent, portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg.
- Sims – The eldest sibling and intellectual leader, Sims coordinates the group's protective efforts through careful planning and creative tactics against fox attacks. She maintains a serious demeanor and is voiced by Joanna Lumley.
- Jeffries – The largest in size but weakest flyer among them, Jeffries serves as the team’s comic element. Though hesitant to inflict serious harm on foxes, she actively defends the farm and even forms a friendship with Todd, one of the foxes. Her voice is provided by Jane Horrocks.
The Foxes
- King Voracious – Serving as the fox pack’s chief antagonist and leader, Voracious is a charismatic yet unstable red fox with wolf-like features. He persistently attempts to outwit the chickens but consistently fails. Voiced by Rob Rackstraw.
- Attila – A sly young fox with one eye who acts as Voracious’ deputy. His temperament swings between volatile and playful, often collaborating in schemes alongside his sister Evita. Voiced by Rob Rackstraw.
- Evita – Attila’s sister and accomplice in various plots, Evita is cunning and occasionally cruel but also brings humor to situations. She is sometimes romantically linked to another fox named Vlad. Voiced by Joanna Lumley.
- Todd – Unlike his fellow foxes, Todd is slow-witted and clumsy. Neutral in the ongoing conflict with chickens, he unwittingly assists or disrupts fox plans on occasion. His voice actor is Jimmy Hibbert.
- Queen Voracity – Voracious’ imperious mate who shares a tense relationship with him. Voiced by Joanna Lumley.
- Ghengis – The silent cub son of Voracious and Voracity known for his tendency to bite anything nearby; other foxes avoid caring for him. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert.
- Volpone – Father to Voracious and former leader of the foxes, now often assigned to babysit Ghengis. Unlike others, he resembles a brown coyote and prefers straightforward tactics over elaborate plans. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert.
Recurring
- Rotter – A sly land-dwelling otter who serves as an intermediary between the foxes and the farm animals. Unlike typical otters, he desires chicken eggs and attempts to manipulate the foxes and chickens against each other for his own benefit, though his schemes frequently backfire. He harbors romantic feelings for Carlotta, a female otter who occasionally outwits him. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert.
- Icky – The eldest sibling of Ransome, Sims, and Jeffries, Icky is jealous of his sisters' effectiveness in dealing with the foxes. He is awkward and rash, once engaging in combat with King Voracious before being saved by his sisters. Voiced by Rob Rackstraw.
- Dog – The farmer’s sheepdog who maintains close connections with the farm animals and leads the sheep. Initially chosen as farm leader, he stepped down after realizing he could not meet the expectations, returning leadership to the Foxbusters. Voiced by Jimmy Hibbert.
- Farmer Farmer – The upbeat proprietor of Foxearth Farm, oblivious to the fox menace and unaware of his chickens’ extraordinary capabilities. Most often seen relaxing alongside his dog or performing occasional farming duties. Voiced by Rob Rackstraw.
Cast
- Whoopi Goldberg – Ransome
- Jane Horrocks – Jeffries
- Joanna Lumley – Sims/Evita/Voracity
- Rob Rackstraw – Voracious/Attila/Icky/Farmer Farmer/Various others
- Jimmy Hibbert – Todd/Volpone/Rotter/Dog/Ghengis/Various others
Episodes
Initially set during the Second World War in the 1997 pilot episode, the series was later relocated to a modern-day timeline.
Series 2 (2000)
{{Episode table |background=#81D8D0 |overall=10 |series=10 |title=50 |airdate=30 |episodes=
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|EpisodeNumber=22
|EpisodeNumber2=9
|Title=Some Like It Otter
|OriginalAirDate=
21 May 2000 (Super RTL)
|ShortSummary>Carlotta abandons Rotter for the Foxbusters; Rotter uses this opportunity to pilfer eggs, but Carlotta deceives everyone involved.
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International broadcasts
| Country | Network |
|---|---|
 Australia |
Nickelodeon ABC ABC Kids |
| Template:Country data Republic of IrelandTemplate:Namespace detect showall Republic of Ireland | RTÉ Two (The Den) |
 South Africa |
K-T.V. World |
 New Zealand |
TV2 TV3 |
 Italy |
Toon Disney Italia 1 |
 Singapore |
Kids Central |
| Template:Country data IsraelTemplate:Namespace detect showall Israel | Arutz HaYeladim |
 Germany |
BFBS (Room 785) |
 France |
France 3 (Les Minikeums) |
| Template:Country data SerbiaTemplate:Namespace detect showall Serbia | Happy TV |
Home video releases
On January 13, 2003, two DVDs and video collections of The Foxbusters were launched globally by Cinema Club and Granada Media, encompassing episodes 1 through 6 and 7 through 13 from the initial series.
External links
- 1999 British television series debuts
- 2000 British television series endings
- 1990s British animated television series
- 1990s British children's television series
- 2000s British animated television series
- 2000s British children's television series
- Animated television series about foxes
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming
- BAFTA winners (television series)
- British children's animated comedy television series
- British television shows based on children's books
- British English-language television shows
- ITV children's television shows
- Television series about chickens
- Television series by Cosgrove Hall Films
- Television series by ITV Studios
- Television shows produced by Anglia Television
- ITV animated television series