h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

mums the word

bill and ben started out in watch with mother, the bbcs childrens entertainment section

paul atterbury s mum was the presenter of watch with mother

Indeed, Hilda Brabban (nee Wright) the creator of the Flowerpot men was the sister of William and Benjamin Wright and named the characters after them.

Paul Atterbury's mother worked on the Flowerpot Men programme but he has a more interesting connection.

(Paul Atterbury is one of the antiques experts on The Antiques Roadshow. This has nothing to do with the connection but it might remind someone who he is.)

The "flobablobalob" sound was the sound made by breaking wind whilst in the bath.

RF

Oh, another completely UK-centric one. You should've said

It applies to a rather specific generation, too (not mine, I hasten to add... I'm far too young.)

was he little weed??

actually, my previous comment has stirred a vague memory
was he, not little weed (that would be silly!) but another, far more macho character from watch with mother? (which I am just about old enough to remember )

ANDY PANDY ?

here we go looby-loo.....

re-reading that, I don't mean was Paul Atterbury Andy Pandy. He is quite obviously not a puppet, but I mean did his mum create Andy Pandy and base the lovely little chap (that I always thought was a girl) on Paul?

You've hit the nail on the head, groyut.

Paul's mum was a puppeteer and modelled Andy Pandy on him.

So to sum up:

In the British children's programme Watch With Mother, Bill and Ben the Flowerpot men were based on Bill and Ben Wright whose sister Hilda Brabban (nee Wright) created the characters (Little Weed was Hilda's youngest sister Phyllis) and Andy Pandy was modelled from the infant Paul Atterbury whose mum, Audrey, was a puppeteer (she was also a puppeteer on the Flowerpot Men).

It is a myth that 'Flobalob' has anything to do with breaking wind in the bath. I promised no klaxons but that would definitely have been one since it was the subject of a question on the TV QI. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QI#Corrections.2C_mistakes_and_retractions

Points to follow.

QI - Mum's the word
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Points

Br. Robyn Hoode - Flowerpot men +3
Old Buffer - their sister who wrote/conceived Bill and Ben DGI +1
Taff - bill and ben started out in watch with mother DGI +1
groyut - Andy Pandy +3

ekky - elf +2