Andy Cunningham, creator of Bodger and Badger, has died aged 67

Andy Cunningham, the creator of popular children's TV show Bodger and Badger, has died at the age of 67.

Mr Cunningham died on Monday at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. He had been battling cancer. As well as creating Bodger and Badger, he also appeared in the show as handyman Simon Bodger and provided the voice for its other main character, Badger - an animal known by the many children that grew up watching the show for its love of mashed potato. Mr Cunningham had also worked as one of the puppeteers in the Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi. "He had a quicksilver brain, a rebellious attitude, boundless compassion particularly for the underdog, unstinting levels of generosity and, of course, a passion for mashed potato," his sister Tessa said. "I adored him and, long before he found fame, was immensely proud to have the funniest, cleverest big brother in the universe." According to the BBC, Mr Cunningham's former partner and close friend Jane Bassett, was with him when he died, as well as his sister and nieces. Ms Bassett provided the voice of Mousey in Bodger and Badger, which ran on the BBC for a ten year spell from 1989 to 1999.