Gus Honeybun returns!

Fans of all ages flocked The Box in Plymouth on Saturday, 4th November, as West Country icon Gus Honeybun returned from his three decade hiatus to wish people happy birthday again                    with none other than his former TSW sidekick, Fern Britton.

Honeybun, 64, was last seen being released onto Dartmoor by Ruth Langsford when TSW lost the ITV broadcasting franchise in 1992. Westcountry TV refused to work with the rabbit and a decision was made to cut Gus.

However, his myth as an icon of the region has lived on and he has been on display in

Plymouth’s The Box since it opened in 2020.

Gus resides in the museum’s Media Lab which celebrates the South West’s film and photographic heritage. He sits alongside fascinating examples of film from the area, including the earliest film captured in 1898. The Media Lab also includes a back catalogue of Honeybun himself.

Now Honeybun has been freed from behind his display case as he made a one-off appearance to wish happy birthday to those in attendance from across Plymouth, Dartmoor and beyond, many of whom had been waiting for this moment for decades.

To mark the occasion, Honeybun was joined by his old sidekick Fern Britton who delighted fans old and young when reading the birthday message alongside her bunny friend.

“The magic sprinkled by Gus across people’s childhood and memories is infinite,” said

Britton, who spoke fondly of her time on screen with Honeybun.

It wasn’t just Britton who had the time of her life; Honeybun’s magic was still as strong with fans as it was when John Major was Prime Minister. Amanda, Pippa and Chrissie met in the queue and traded stories, with Amanda saying Gus had never wished her a happy birthday as  her parents were too tight and said: “I’m genuinely emotional, a bit choked up”.

Britton, who remains a consummate professional, referred to the fans as “Gus’s front row groupies”. One of the crowd of fans called it “a thrill, and rather the high spot for the year”.

People were abuzz with many bringing along their own well kept Honeybun memorabilia to the event; stuffed versions of the popular puppet were a favourite.

Gus started life on TV in the early 60s when Westward Television needed to fill in the schedule as they didn’t have enough adverts, reading out viewers’ birthdays and matching their age in number of bunnyhops.

However, he became the biggest thing on the channel and ended up as a West Country institution. He released his own single, had his own bus covered in pictures of carrots and was loved everywhere he went. His set also developed to include ear waggles, headstands, winks and later “putting out the lights” and a colour distorting magical button.

After the event, Gus was put back behind the glass by The Box’s resident archivist, “Gusologist” Stacey Anderson. Anderson, who was brimming glee after having her own birthday message read out just moments before to a round of applause, reflected on the

special morning. “It’s been so much fun: what Gus represents. People deserve a bit of Gus in their lives.”

Is this a one-off return for Gus, or is it the start of something bigger? Judging by today’s

reaction, the public demand is there for a Honeybun return.