Debbie Gates

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Debbie Gates is a UK television writer and producer. She specialised in children's stories told on location by actors taking the parts of various characters without costumes, make-up or props. She is best known for writing and producing Tales From Fat Tulip's Garden , broadcast by ITV in May and June, 1985. This series won prizes at the Chicago International Festival of Children's Films and the Children's Program at the San Francisco International Film Festival. It was followed by the sequel Fat Tulip Too (thirteen episodes shown during the summer of 1987) and then a Christmas special on 25 December 1987.

The Fat Tulip stories were told and co-written by Tony Robinson and included characters such as Thin Tim, Fred the Baddy, Gilbert Harding Sheep, Bunting Tadpole, Anwar and Amita Rabbit, Tracey Bee, a cockle called Jim Morrison, and the Terrible Stinkers - Peter, Paul and Mary. Spin-off books were also published in 1985: Meet a Dog Called Dorian and Never Eat a Tortoise in picture book format, and Tales from Fat Tulip's Garden as a paperback.

Gates' other series included:

All these series were directed by Jeremy McCracken.


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