The creator of Bob the Builder has revealed he gained his inspiration after seeing workmen digging up a road off Wimbledon Broadway.

Keith Chapman, 53, from Wimbledon, is known as the 'King of Kids', after working on some of the most famous children’s cartoons of the last 40 years – his latest being Raa Raa the Noisy Lion.

After art college in the 1970s, he worked in advertising but knew his talents were better off in children’s animation and began working with Jim Henson on programmes such as Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies.

Mr Chapman said: "I used to draw cartoons as a kid as it was the only thing I could do.

"I was always getting chucked out of every other lesson because I just wanted to be in the art room coming up with ideas for kid’s books or cartoons. I just knew what I wanted to do from an early age."

But it wasn’t until 1999 that Mr Chapman got his big break with everyone’s favourite builder, Bob.

He said: "Bob was basically created after seeing a digger digging up the road just off the Broadway in Wimbledon Road and me doodling the characters on the tube on the way into work.

"I just created the idea based on that."

Bob the Builder went on to become a worldwide phenomenon resulting in 18 series’ across 30 countries and two UK number one singles.

Following his success Mr Chapman started his own business, Chapman Entertainment, and created Fifi and the Flowertots, designed specifically for young girls, which has been on the air for seven years.

He said: "There were a lot of mums who were telling me there wasn’t anything out there for pre-school girls so I came up with Fifi. She was really popular and became the number one brand in the UK."

More hits followed with Roary the Racing Car, voiced by Stirling Moss, Murray Walker and Peter Kay, and Little Charley Bear voiced by comedian James Corden and his latest creation is Raa Raa the Noisy Lion, voiced by Lorraine Kelly – which is out on dvd next week.

He said: "It’s a show which explores language and communication skills so Raa Raa and his friends solve noisy mysteries and go with his friends and have lots of fun.

"We encourage the kids to shout out words and repetition and rhyme and really be interactive with the show."

But despite several success stories, his favourite is still Bob the Builder, the man who started it all.

He said: "I think he’s done 4.5bn dollars since 1999 - that was a bit of a phenomenon."

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