Work For TV

Robot Wars – ( BBC 2 )

Series 4

John entered a robot called “Banana-R-Armour”.... yes, crazy silly name. Inspired by the destruction created by Hypnodisc, he decided to build a disc weapon fitted robot. However it failed to qualify for the actual TV series. Still a novice in robots and more importantly radio control, the aerial wasn’t sticking out of the top of the robot enough and it lost signal and stopped.

Series 5

John entered two robots. Ripper (the first generation) and a robot called T-Bone.

T-Bone actually qualified for series 5 after winning all 3 of its qualifying heats in the Robot Wars Live Tour in Manchester.

In the actual TV show it faced a robot called Beast (8645T) which coincidently or not was John’s friend’s robot! T-Bone lost in the first round!

Series 7 Onwards

This was the big one. Ripper was created and managed through to get to the heat final, where during its run it made a name for taking on the house robots and showing them who’s boss. Well, until the arena flipper got it and it was pitted by Sir Killalot!

During the filming, Ripper also took part in the Annihilator, where it got through four rounds to the grand Final, before the drive chain broke and left it going round in circles. It gained a respectable second place, though!!

Since Robot Wars the TV show, Ripper has had several new incarnations, as the original one got old and tired. In the championships that have taken place since the TV show, here’s how it has performed:

  • 2007 – 5th Place
  • 2008 – 4th Place
  • 2009 – 3rd Place
  • 2010 – 2nd Place
  • 2011 – 1st Place

Yes, it was only a matter of time, and it is the current UK Champion, winning the last championships at the O2 quite convincingly. Check out our YouTube video for lots of videos of Ripper in action!

Mechanoids – ( BBC 3 )

This involved two weeks in Glasgow, filming for the BBC. The challenge - to build a robotic torso to take on various challenges, such as running through a maze with a stick of dynamite while flame throwers try and light it and firing a paintball at aliens while they attack it.... all good fun !!

Geronimo – ( BBC )

John was invited to take part in a new show called ‘Geronimo’, presented by Dick Strawbridge and Fearn Cotton. The challenge was to build a football kicking machine. Powered by CO2, John’s machine did well and finished in third place.

Guinness World Record – Highest Popping Toaster

John was asked to build the world’s Highest Popping Toaster... yes, how bizarre! It was for a student at the London College of Art, and after two weeks of building and bread flying all over the workshop, eventually the ‘Moaster’ was born! Want to see it in action? See the picture below!

Sadie J – ( BBC 1 )

The BBC asked John to build robots for a UK version of Hannah Montana called Sadie J. As is normal in the world of TV, there was little time and little money, but ten days later the robots were created. The episode was about Sadie J’s best friend and her dad building a robot for ‘Robot Fight Night’.

Epic Win – ( BBC 1 )

Another TV show by the BBC - Epic Win - is a ‘YouBet’ spin off, where contestants are set challenges. The team’s challenge was to use two robots (Ripper and Thor) inside a caravan, to destroy five items and then break out through the walls. The rehearsal went well and the robots did it easily, so they made it much harder on the day!

Put your money where your mouth is

A strange request… would John be interested in buying some Antique robots? During the episode, Paul Hayes tries to convince John that it would be a great idea to buy his Robots, but is it?

Gadget Geeks – ( Sky 1 )

Summer 2011 was spent away from the office, on a farm, working behind the scenes helping Bulls-Eye Productions with the TV show ‘Gadget Geeks’. John was involved in the majority of the builds and his work can be seen on the TV show. Apparently, the best gadgets were the washing line which retracted the washing inside when it rained, a remote control jet ski, and a vending machine which sold t-shirts with your very own unique logo on the front!!