The Furchester Hotel

Did You Know?

• The Furchester Hotel is set in a city in England and is owned by the Furchester-Fuzz family.
• The hotel is described as a half-star hotel.

Characters

The Furchester Hotel is run by Funella, a monster portrayed by Louise Gold. She is married to Furgus, mother to Phoebe, and aunt to Elmo. As the main proprietor, Funella greets guests and does everything she can to make their stay excellent. Ed Christie designed her. Her husband Furgus, played by Andrew Spooner, is the hotel's jack-of-all-trades, focusing on repairs but also taking on many other jobs when needed, much like Grover. Ed Christie also designed him. Their daughter Phoebe, performed by Sarah Burgess, is the series' protagonist. This seven-year-old violet monster is cousin to Elmo. Her main job is answering the hotel phone. Whenever she gets a monster idea, her pigtail stands up and she exclaims "Fuzzawubba!" In the episode "Animal Talk," she shows she can understand many animal languages. In "Phoebe's Key," the key on her necklace is revealed to unlock every door in the hotel, including the safe. Ed Christie designed her as well. Elmo, played by Ryan Dillon, is Phoebe's cousin and the nephew of Funella and Furgus. He stays at the hotel for an extended period because he finds it so fascinating. Elmo's father, Louie, is Funella's brother. Cookie Monster, performed by David Rudman, works as a room service attendant and a waiter in the hotel dining room. As usual, he cannot resist eating any cookies he sees. In "Cookie Confusion," it is revealed he has a British cousin named Biscuit Monster who eats biscuits. Abby Cadabby was originally planned to be a main character, but she was removed just before production began due to budget limitations. Isabel is a pink, furry, bell-shaped monster who looks like a call bell. She is related to the Dingers and can only communicate through ringing sounds. Isabel alerts Funella when a new guest arrives, always knows what is happening throughout the hotel, and cues the musical breaks in episodes. Her puppeteers are Sheila Clark and Lesa Gillespie, who alternate in the role. Ed Christie designed her.

Production

The Furchester Hotel is a British-American co-production focused on problem-solving, as its monster characters work through challenges created by their unusual guests. The first season, consisting of fifty-two 11-minute episodes, was filmed at dock10 studios in MediaCityUK over about three months, starting on 24 February 2014 and wrapping on 23 May 2014. On 14 November 2014, full episodes began appearing weekly on the Sesame Street YouTube channel. A second season was announced in February 2016, with production running from 16 May 2016 to 19 August 2016. This season includes 50 episodes plus a double-length Christmas special, featuring guest appearances from Big Bird, Count von Count, and the Yip Yips. It premiered on 31 October 2016. In Canada, the show started airing on CBC Kids on 23 December 2017. On 26 September 2016, Sprout began weekday broadcasts, with reruns continuing until 2 March 2019. Each episode opens with a character’s face forming a river, then zooms down to a bird flying between buildings toward the hotel, where the Furchester Family sings alongside Elmo and Cookie Monster. The next scene moves to a restaurant with Furgus, Funella, and Cookie Monster. The show concludes with all guests joining the Furchester Family, Cookie Monster, and the Tea Time Monsters in song.

Broadcast

The Furchester Hotel can be seen in the United States on YouTube, Sesame Street Go, and iTunes. It started airing on Sprout on September 26, 2016, and by 2017, some episodes from its first two seasons were included in Elmo’s World home video releases. In Australia, it began on ABC Kids on April 13, 2015, at 7:30 am. The show also aired on CBeebies in South Africa, Poland, and Australia. Netflix carries it in the USA, UK, Canada, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Canadian viewers can watch it on Knowledge Kids, TVOKids, and CBC Kids. An Irish-language version, “Óstán Furchester,” debuted on Cúla 4 on June 6, 2018. In Mexico, it premiered as “Plaza Sésamo: El Hotel Furchester” on Azteca 7 on June 20, 2022. It aired on e-Junior in the United Arab Emirates, and on Disney Junior Southeast Asia across Asia.