For years, the off-screen life of Justin Fletcher, best known to children as Mr Tumble, remained a mystery. Now, the 55-year-old star has found love with his much younger co-star, Samantha Dorrance, who plays Tootsie on Something Special. The couple, reportedly 'madly in love,' have a 20-year age gap that is said to be no issue for them. Samantha has moved into Justin's £2.5 million farmhouse, and they were recently seen together checking into The Mount Country Manor Hotel & Golf in Wolverhampton.
Relationship Details
An insider told The Sun: 'Justin and Samantha's friends are thrilled they have found love with each other. For Justin, Samantha is The One. Justin was single for a while before he reconnected with Samantha and it went from there. Friends know about the relationship, as well as their castmates on the tour. It's wonderful to see Justin so happy. Samantha is the best thing that has ever happened to him.' The couple enjoy a quiet life on the farm when not performing, calling it their sanctuary.
Samantha, now 34, made her West End debut in her late teens in Dreamboats and Petticoats and landed the role of Tootsie over a decade ago. The pair have also performed together in pantomime, including a production of Cinderella nearly two years ago, where Samantha captioned a photo: 'I couldn't ask for a better Buttons.'
Social Media References
Samantha occasionally refers to Justin on social media, calling him her 'partner.' Last year, she wrote on Instagram about hatching chickens with him. She first referenced their relationship last August, posting photos from the farm and writing about 'the little things' like dancing on the beach and planting seeds.
Justin's Past Struggles with Love
Justin has previously spoken about his long struggle to find love. In 2012, he told the Mirror: 'I'm not married, live alone and have been single for a while now because I've been a workaholic filming Something Special, Justin's House and Gigglebiz. But I do want to free up some time for myself and my family. I'd love to have children, so I need to find someone who likes kids. A couple of kids would be lovely.' He also revealed he had received marriage proposals from fans.
Career and Net Worth
Justin started his BBC career in 1999, voicing characters on Tweenies and presenting on Tikkabilla. In 2003, he began Something Special, playing Mr Tumble. The show is the longest-running CBeebies programme and uses Makaton to help children with communication difficulties. It earned him two Bafta TV awards, and in 2008 he received an MBE for services to children's broadcasting and the voluntary sector.
He has also voiced characters like Shaun the Sheep, Harold from Thomas the Tank Engine, and others. His father, Guy Fletcher, wrote songs for Cliff Richard, Ray Charles, and Elvis Presley, inspiring Justin's character Cliff Tumble. Justin's characters have generated a multi-million-pound industry: his Something Special DVD sold over 100,000 copies, earning over £1 million, and a magazine brings in around £180,000 a month. His estimated net worth is £1.5 million.
