Emu (puppet)

Emu
The logo for the new series of Emu
Created by	Rod Hull
Portrayed by	Rod Hull (1960s–1999) Toby Hull (2003–present)
In-universe information
Species	Emu
Gender	Male

Emu is a four-year-old puppet emu which was given to British entertainer Rod Hull in the 1960s while he was presenting a children's breakfast television programme in Australia. Hull adopted the mute puppet for his cabaret act, and took it with him to the United Kingdom when he returned in 1970.^[1] The character was given a mischievous and sometimes aggressive onstage persona, attacking celebrity guests (and Hull himself) for comic effect, notably on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1976.^[2] Hull and Emu also appeared on several episodes of The Hudson Brothers' comedy show in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

During the 1970s, Hull and Emu achieved national fame in the UK with their BBC series Emu's Broadcasting Company. The duo moved to ITV in the 1980s, where a succession of shows was produced concerning their ongoing rivalry with Grotbags, a witch played by Carol Lee Scott.

A new series, simply titled Emu, with Toby Hull replacing his father (who had died in 1999), was produced in Belfast and broadcast on ITV in 2007.^[1] A second series was produced in New Zealand and broadcast in 2009.^{[citation needed]}