Willo the Wisp Willo the Wisp Willo the Wisp is a British cartoon series originally produced in 1981 by the BBC and narrated by Kenneth Williams. It became popular with children and adults as it bridged the gap between the end of weekday children's programming and the early evening news. The series was written and directed by Nick Spargo and produced by Nicholas Cartoon Films in association with the BBC and Tellytales Enterprises. The character of Willo the Wisp originated in an educational animation created by Spargo for British Gas plc in 1975 and the stories were set in Doyley Woods, a small
Willo the Wisp (based on Noël Coward), with the catchphrase, "My eyes are not first-class, you know", The Moog, a supposed "dog" who is unable to think for himself, Twit, a small bird, The Beast, a former prince turned into a hairy shambling creature by Evil Edna, gnomes, the Astrognats (a group of bugs who explore outer space by means of their toadstool rocket), the Bookworm and a regiment of toy soldiers. Each of the original 26 episodes lasted approximately 5 minutes and were broadcast at 5:35pm on BBC1, continuing a tradition of short cartoons (such as "The Magic Roundabout" and "The Wombles")