Mr Tumble in trouble?!

[Urchin]

this is a year old but I missed it before:

CBeebies character Mr Tumble has been accused of saying “I’m f****** you” on air in sign language.

The presenter, aka Justin Fletcher, opens each of his Something Special programmes with a gesture meant to mean “I’m happy to see you”.

However, according to The Sun, he is provoking anger by mixing it up with a similar sign.

One parent told the paper it had caused confusion between him and his daughter. Jamie Miller, from Yorkshire and who also works for the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, said: "The signs for “happy” and “f******” are quite similar but it was still an awful error to make.

“Katie, who is learning sign language, asked what the gesture meant. I didn’t know what to tell her.”

In British Sign Language, says the paper, “happy” translates to gently brushing the palms together while the swear word is achieved by brushing the area between the thumb and first finger together.

However, the BBC denied there was a mistake and said the mix-up was because it used a system called Makaton, not British Sign Language.

Kate Sidwell, from the RNID, commented: “We advised the BBC that using Makaton would cause confusion. Makaton is used more for children with learning difficulties — it is essentially a different language.”

 

[SarahH]

that guy gives me the creeps anyways!! *shudders*

 

[LaineyG]

that guy gives me the creeps anyways!! *shudders*

Ditto!

And his grammer and enunciation are shocking at times!

 

[LucyBee]

I quite like Justin

 

[SarahH]

that guy gives me the creeps anyways!! *shudders*

Ditto!

And his grammer and enunciation are shocking at times!

He just gives me the creeps..... he looks like a kinda scout leader that you would never allow you child to be alone with

 

[*Star*]

i LOVE justin!!!!

yeah i heard about this a while ago - i don't think anything came of it though

 

[Flame]

It was in the paper again not so long back, my mum showed it to me.

I didnt like Justin but he gets more bareable. My mum thinks he is great

 

[Urchin]

he looks like a kinda scout leader that you would never allow you child to be alone with

 

[rusks]

that guy gives me the creeps anyways!! *shudders*

really?? i love justin!! and so does luke. we watch it every morning and i can't believe he would do such a thing!! i copy the sign language and try and teach luke things!! god knows what i am teaching him!!

 

[fran_23]

I heard that too, a lady with deaf children was in HMV talking about it a few weeks ago, she said she wouldn't buy it because he often swears..i think hes very creepy too...he just looks slimey!!

 

[NIE]

I quite like Justin.

 

[beanie]

aww Sere loves Justin. When she saw himon stage at the ceebeebee show she got all excited, think he's her first crush (as well as Mason, Urchin's eldest)

 

[CH0C0H0LIC]

LOL serves the BBC right for using Makaton and not BSL... I had to learn Makaton many moons ago when I worked in a special school and it can easily get confusing!

If Justin needs to learn the word Bulls**t, I can teach him that

Sarah xxx

 

[Rubys mummy]

Justin is also on Tikka Billa and bearable in that..probaby coz Sarah Jane is such an annoying s**t that I can bear him...He is a bit creepy in Something Special tho

Ruby LOVES him, she stands transfixed watching him signing, and has picked up a few things now too

Has the series finished? I had it on series link on Sky plus but it hasnt recorded any for a while

 

[Debbie B]

i love justin and the proggramme, me and jack are learning makaton as jack doesnt talk, this programme is great 4 helping us learn together, i read about this a while ago and apparently it was said by a sacked worker whom was very bitter about being fired, i know not to believe everything i read otherwise it wouldnt still b on tv!