In the early 1970s, aged 23, married, with children, and having spent £11,000 (the price of a small house) recording half of a heavy rock orchestral album that was never released and which nearly bankrupted him, Batt was asked by the producers of a new children's television programme to write the theme music. Instead of taking his £200 fee, Batt asked for the character rights for musical production. The choice produced his first hits as a singer-songwriter/producer by The Wombles, in 1974. The collaboration produced eight hit singles and four gold albums.