Neil Morrissey, the original voice of Bob the Builder, has returned to the role after 15 years away, featuring in a new campaign for E.ON and E.ON Next that promotes sustainable skills and clean energy training.
Morrissey voiced the beloved children's character for 14 years, from 1998 to 2011. The show's iconic theme tune—'Bob the Builder! / Can we fix it? / Bob the Builder! / Yes, we can'—remains a lasting earworm for an entire generation. Now, he's back to solve problems, though not with a hammer in hand this time, but with far more advanced gadgets.
What Bob Has Been Up To Since 2011
In the new campaign, Bob tells viewers what he's been doing over the past decade-and-a-half since putting down the toolbox. He's been doing yoga, taken up birdwatching, and travelled around Australia seeing some of the biggest sites. Now he's back on home turf, 'upskilling' and learning how to install solar panels at the Net Zero Training Academy, with plenty of callbacks to 'fixing things' during the advert.
E.ON explains: 'The facility provides training in technologies including solar panels, battery storage systems, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and low-carbon heating solutions.'
Morrissey Reflects on Reprising the Role
Reflecting on what it means to reprise this role, Neil told Metro: 'It's been an absolute pleasure stepping back into Bob's boots.'
'There aren't many characters who are still recognised and remembered years after they first appeared on screen, so it's been fantastic to revisit a role that means so much to so many people.'
'Bringing Bob back with this E.ON Next campaign has been a real trip down memory lane, and I hope it brings a smile to everyone who grew up watching him.'
'The world has changed a lot since Bob first appeared on our screens, but the need for people to learn new skills and build in a sustainable way is still as important as ever, if not even more so. That's exactly what Bob is all about.'
Why Bob Is Back Now
As for what's next for Bob, we'll have to wait and see. There was a short-lived revival of the show from 2015 to 2018, but since then, the childhood character has been notably off-air. The new campaign marks his first major return since then.
Chief People Officer of E.ON, Helen Bradbury, explained the decision: 'Bob the Builder has always inspired people to solve problems and build things that matter. Today, those same qualities are needed to help deliver the UK's transition to clean power.'
She called him a 'shining example' of 'how we can make new energy work for everyone.'
