ABSTRACT
One of the most popular shows in the history of children’s television in the United Kingdom is The Sooty Show, in which an adult presenter interacts with a small group of glove puppets. Star of the show is Sooty, a yellow bear, whose sole form of communication is to whisper into the ear of his handler (and occasionally Soo, one of the other puppets), who then repeats verbally what Sooty is supposed to have said. Despite never having uttered a word throughout his 50-year history, Sooty’s popularity with children below the age of 5 or so has continued unabated, outliving both his original handler, Harry Corbett, and his son Matthew, who took up the role after his father suffered a heart attack in 1976.
