Bagpuss and Clangers co-creator Peter Firmin dies aged 89 

Peter Firmin (pictured) has died at the age of 89 after a short illness

Bagpuss and Clangers co-creator Peter Firmin has died at the age of 89 after a short illness. 

The British artist and puppet maker died at home in Kent and leaves behind his wife Joan and six daughters, as well as his many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Along with his co-creators, Mr Firmin brought joy to generations of children with his skilfully-crafted animated creations.

Among his most famous creations were childhood favourites such as The Clangers, Bagpuss, Basil Brush and Ivor The Engine.

Bagpuss was voted the most popular BBC children’s programme ever made in 1999 and Mr Firmin was honoured with a Bafta Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

Mr Firmin is probably best known for The Clangers, complete with its pink, long-nosed, knitted mouse-shaped creatures living on a small blue planet not far from Earth.

Having first appeared on screens in 1969, the BBC programme was relaunched three years ago – much to Mr Firmin’s delight.

Alice Webb, director of BBC Children’s programmes, said: ‘Peter helped to bring to life some of the most iconic children’s programmes of a generation. Working together on the relaunch of The Clangers it was clear to see he hadn’t lost any of his trademark talent or passion.

‘A remarkable man with an incredible ability to create wonderful characters that children have adored for decades he will be fondly remembered and sorely missed.’

The British artist and puppet maker died at home in Kent and leaves behind his wife Joan and six daughters, as well as his many grandchildren and great grandchildren

He is survived by his wife Joan and his six daughters, who often collaborated on many of his works, plus his many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The official home of the Clangers on twitter left a simple tribute which said ‘In loving memory of Peter Firmin’ along with an image of the artist at work.

His death was announced in a statement from Clangers’s production company Coolabi.

It read: ‘We are sad to announce that the artist Peter Firmin has passed away at his home in Kent after a short illness. He was eighty-nine.

Mr Firmin was honoured with a Bafta Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 (pictured)

‘During a career spanning over six decades Peter worked with great skill in a remarkably wide variety of creative disciplines as a fine artist, craftsman and author.

‘Of all his work he will probably be most fondly remembered for the characters he co-created and made.

‘With Ivan Owen he created the cheeky fox Basil Brush, and with his long-time business partner, Oliver Postgate, working as Smallfilms, he devised, created, painted, drew and built the marvellous and diverse worlds of Bagpuss, Clangers, Ivor the Engine, Noggin the Nog and Pogles Wood.

‘TV programmes with such magical and enduring appeal that they remain hugely popular to this day.

‘In 1999 Bagpuss was voted the most popular BBC children’s programme ever made, and in 2014 Peter received a Bafta Lifetime Achievement Award.

‘Peter continued to work with great enthusiasm on creative projects right up until the beginning of 2018, most notably on a new series of Clangers, which won a Bafta in 2015.

‘Peter leaves behind his wife Joan and his six daughters (who often collaborated on many of his works) as well as his many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

‘We kindly ask for the family’s privacy to be respected at this time.’

Mr Firmin’s death was announced in a statement from Clangers’s production company Coolabi

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