Mr. Bill Gripper

Mr. Bill Gripper is a villain that appeared in two episodes of Series 9 of Bodger and Badger.

He was a school P.E teacher who enjoyed showing off and bullying.

He was played by Roger Liddel.

A Mashy Romance
Mr. Gripper is first seen on the sea front doing push ups and press ups. He then call Simon Bodger who is the owner of the Bed and Breakfast he was staying at called Seagull's Rest in Puddleford.

As he was going for a run he fell in love with Puddleford's bossy bad tempered tourist information officer Mrs. Sharona Melly who yelling at some children for playing football around her office. He introduced himself and willing took the ball off the children and gave it to Mrs. Melly.

But the kids have the last laugh when Mr. Gripper trips over his rucksack and bruises his knee.

After arriving at Seagull's Rest, he told Simon all about Mrs. Melly and later decided to go out and see her.

He saw some suntan lotion on the table, he takes it with him not knowing about Simon's pet called Badger, a mischievous animal that loves to mess around with mash potato.

He gives the bottle to Mrs. Melly who rubs it on her face. She then asks him where he is staying. After telling her, Mrs. Melly then finds out that the suntan lotion bottle contains liquified mash potato and warns Mr. Gripper that everything that happens and Simon's place always ends up with a great mess of mash potato. She proves her point by squeezing the contents of the bottle all over the astonished Mr. Gripper's head.

Ready Steady Go!
Mr. Gripper is shown bullying another guest named Mr. Malcolm Wilson by using up all the hot water in the bathroom and stealing most of his breakfast.

However unknown to Mr. Gripper, Badger switches the plates when he isn't looking and Mr. Wilson ended up with Mr. Gripper's breakfast instead.

After boasting that he was in training and that Mr. Wilson wasn't as fit as him, Mr. Gripper than made Mr. Wilson do a challenge of arm wrestling nearly crushing the trainne bank manager's hand. Mr. Wilson declared that Mr. Gripper was hurting him, but Mr. Gripper replied that that was the whole point. However Badger has had enough of Mr. Gripper's bullying and tickles his feet with a feather duster so the P.E teacher loses concentration and his grip, allowing Mr. Wilson to win. Mr. Gripper complains that Mr. Wilson cheated, but Simon who had been watching doesn't believe him.

Mr. Gripper then challenges Mr. Wilson to a running race around the sea front at 1 o'clock and calls him a chicken if he doesn't take part. Later he is in his room, working out vigorously, determined to beat "that miserable little trainee bank manager."

Mr. Gripper then hurries with Simon to meet Mr. Wilson where they meet China, Mille the Milkwoman's dog. Mr. Gripper is keen to get started as is Mr. Wilson but the P.E. teacher teases him saying he has no chance against him.

The race to the end of the prominade begins and China who is in Simon's arms, blows the whistle as he is telling the runners to go. Mr. Gripper than pushes Mr. Wilson to one side and races away. Mr. Wilson shouts "Cheat!" with Mr. Gripper mockingly telling him to catch him up and tell him that.

Thinking he has the race in the bag compared to the slow Mr. Wilson, he stops at a cafe for a coffee. Mr. Wilson arrives at last and Mr. Gripper teases him again saying he has been here ages and that he should give up now. He then boasts that he will drink his coffee, overtake Mr. Wilson easily and then win the race. However he doesn't see Badger swap round the salt and sugar containers so Mr. Gripper ends up taking an enormous sip of salt enduced coffee which he spits out in disgust. After hearing Mr. Wilson laugh, Mr. Gripper assumes that he did it and vows to get his own back.

The race begins again with Mr. Gripper in front, he then passes a train station and decides to cheat for the rest of the way. He calls out mocking to Mr. Wilson as the train goes past and rubs his hands together, chuckling. However Badger and his companion Mousey see what he is doing pulls a lever that switches the points. As Mr. Gripper prepares to get off, the train suddenly goes backwards instead and despite Mr. Gripper demanding that the driver stop, the train goes further and further backwards down the line.

When the train finally stops, Mr. Gripper has to run as fast as he can to catch Mr. Wilson up. They finally make to the finish line where Simon and China are waiting. Mr. Wilson is in front with Mr. Gripper close behind, but with one last ounce of strength, Mr. Wilson wins. As a triumphant and exhausted Mr. Wilson collapses with relief, Simon and China go over to Mr. Gripper who is catching his breath on a nearby stone bollard.

Simon tells Mr. Gripper to cheer up and admire the lovely sandcastle nearby. It had been built around another bollard and was made from pebbles and mash potato that Badger and Mousey had constructed earlier, but no one knew it. Furious at losing and without thinking, Mr. Gripper takes his anger out on the supposed sandcastle by kicking it hard, making him scream and hold his broken foot in pain. He then suddenly loses his balance and fall face-first into the mash potato around it, while China, Badger and Mousey all laugh themselves silly.

Throughly humilated, he then faints from exhaustion. Simon feels sorry for Mr. Gripper and tells China that it isn't funny while Badger and Mousey continue to laugh.

Personality
Mr. Gripper  has a funny way of talking as he calls himself "us" which may indicate that he is refering to himself and his fit body. He aslo seemed to enjoy being mean to children as he mentions that he had confiscated balls from kids many times and willing took one off some children to impress Mrs. Melly nad later told Simon how he delighted in the kids being disappointed.

He also bullied anyone he seemed weaker than him which explains why he was bullying the emotional Mr. Wilson by playing nasty tricks on him.