Balamory 20th anniversary: Where are the Balamory stars now? Will the show return? 'Miss Hoolie' comments

Andrew Agnew and Julie Wilson Nimmo (PC Plum and Miss Hoolie) recently went on This Morning to mark 20 years since the hit kids show Balamory was released. The event has fans asking if the show could return, and more importantly, where are the beloved tenants of Balamory’s colourful houses now?

By Thomas Mackay

Published 2nd Sep 2022, 13:09 GMT

It’s been 20 years since the famous kids show Balamory made its debut on BBC. A generation of 90s kids were introduced to beloved characters like PC Plum and Miss Hoolie, learning ‘what’s the story’ in the Isle of Mull’s main village Tobermory with its iconically colourful houses.

Recently, the two joined the This Morning show on ITV to talk to Vernon Kay and Rochelle Humes about the show’s impact since 2002 where it ran for 253 episodes until 2005. The two confirmed they would be up for starring in new episodes of Balamory, but there are no plans for now.

Now, fans are asking what happened to Balamory’s quirky cast of characters.Essentially, what’s the story for the cast of Balamory, wouldn’t you like to know?

To celebrate 20 years of Balamory, here’s a rundown of the show’s spectacular cast and where they’ve been since.

Miss Hoolie was Balamory’s main character who kicked off every episode as she merrily headed off to work at the nursery. She is well-remembered for her green outfits and being the narrator of every episode, as well as summarising them at the end. Nimmo shared that with Balamory’s huge success (even the Vatican tuned in) that she became so popular that even a casual stroll to the park saw her mobbed by fans. She has since had more regular appearances on TV and stage, including the recent Scottish comedy ‘Scot Squad’, where she arrested Lorraine Kelly. Fun Fact: Julie is now married to Still Game legend Greg Hemphill who plays Victor McDade, the two appeared in an episode together in 2018.

1. Miss Hoolie - Julie Wilson Nimmo

Miss Hoolie was Balamory’s main character who kicked off every episode as she merrily headed off to work at the nursery. She is well-remembered for her green outfits and being the narrator of every episode, as well as summarising them at the end. Nimmo shared that with Balamory’s huge success (even the Vatican tuned in) that she became so popular that even a casual stroll to the park saw her mobbed by fans. She has since had more regular appearances on TV and stage, including the recent Scottish comedy ‘Scot Squad’, where she arrested Lorraine Kelly. Fun Fact: Julie is now married to Still Game legend Greg Hemphill who plays Victor McDade, the two appeared in an episode together in 2018. Photo: David Cheskin (PA)

The kilt-adorning inventor is best remembered for his massive pink castle and his ability to produce incredible inventions from simple household items like cardboard boxes and plastic bottles. Jupp moved onto stand-up comedy later in career but had challenges with his audiences due to the assumption he would be child-friendly after his legacy in the iconic kids TV show. According to The Guardian, during his performance at the Edinburgh Festival he noticed 10 children in the front row which he called a “nightmare” and said he “had to keep cutting huge chunks of filth.”

2. Archie the Inventor - Miles Jupp

The kilt-adorning inventor is best remembered for his massive pink castle and his ability to produce incredible inventions from simple household items like cardboard boxes and plastic bottles. Jupp moved onto stand-up comedy later in career but had challenges with his audiences due to the assumption he would be child-friendly after his legacy in the iconic kids TV show. According to The Guardian, during his performance at the Edinburgh Festival he noticed 10 children in the front row which he called a “nightmare” and said he “had to keep cutting huge chunks of filth.” Photo: Balamory (CBBC)

The highly energetic fitness instructor, Josie Jump, kept the primary school kids active by coaching them on a variety of activities from dancing, gymnastics, and various sports. She was well-recognised for her yellow workout outfit she always wore. In 2004, despite great backlash, the actress quit the show and was replaced by Kasia Haddad - much to the confusion of younger viewers. She quit as the show was clashing with her academic ambitions and eventual career into being a stylist and fashion designer. After Balamory, she also starred as Wendy in ‘Doctors’.

3. Josie Jump - Buki Akib

The highly energetic fitness instructor, Josie Jump, kept the primary school kids active by coaching them on a variety of activities from dancing, gymnastics, and various sports. She was well-recognised for her yellow workout outfit she always wore. In 2004, despite great backlash, the actress quit the show and was replaced by Kasia Haddad - much to the confusion of younger viewers. She quit as the show was clashing with her academic ambitions and eventual career into being a stylist and fashion designer. After Balamory, she also starred as Wendy in ‘Doctors’. Photo: Balamory (CBBC)

PC Plum was the police officer in Balamory who, apparently, had very little to do working in such a peaceful area. Generally, he would patrol the village on his bicycle, always available for any citizen in need. Agnew went on to have his own live theatre show with Cbeebies and star in many pantomimes including Aladdin, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan. He also would have appeared on stage in 2020 for ‘Cat Harvey’s Love me Tinder’ but it was cancelled due to COVID-19.

4. PC Plum - Andrew Agnew

PC Plum was the police officer in Balamory who, apparently, had very little to do working in such a peaceful area. Generally, he would patrol the village on his bicycle, always available for any citizen in need. Agnew went on to have his own live theatre show with Cbeebies and star in many pantomimes including Aladdin, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Peter Pan. He also would have appeared on stage in 2020 for ‘Cat Harvey’s Love me Tinder’ but it was cancelled due to COVID-19. Photo: Balamory (CBBC)