Dougal/DeGaulle? I think not.

Dougal/de Gaulle? Personally, I think not.

I'm assuming you all saw the programme where Gabby Roslyn claimed that The Magic Roundabout is a political satire, with Dougal the Dog representing Charles de Gaulle. This theory is mostly based on the fact that Dougal sounds a bit like De Gaulle.
Well Gabby Roslyn may believe it but I don't. The main problem I have with this theory is that in the French original Dougal is in fact called Pollux. Pollux/de Gaulle? They don't rhyme Gabby!

This is the man who lends his vocal talents to Pollux. One Jacques Bodoin.

In fact the dog Pollux speaks with an English accent (which, I am reliably informed the French find hysterically funny - strange lot), and humour in the French version is derived from Pollux's pomposity, snobbery and yes, English accent.

Pollux had his own song and you can find the lyrics here .

And yes indeedy for those of you struggling with the french he does prefer sugar to cigars, goes looking for aforementioned sugar at 5 O'Clock and is a fantastic actor.

Eric Thompson may have kept the sugar and the pomposity but he christened Dougal for the English series, as all the other characters, and Dougal's Scottish ancestry is a theme running through Thompson's scripts. Dougal as we know and love him is a very British creation.

As we all know Serge Danot created the Magic Roundabout in the early 60's, in his version, there is not a single narrator. Each character has a unique voice and the female characters have female voices. It was a straightforward children's programme: Mr Rusty's roundabout had lost it's magic and Zebedee calls upon Florence (who was called Margote) and her friends to play in the garden and bring the magic back to the roundabout.

Margote (the French Florence) also released a song.

For anyone still with me you can have the lyrics to Manege Enchante by clicking here . To return use your browser 'back' button. As far as I can gather, (what do you want blood?) Jacques Bodoin released this amongst a string of singles released in France based on the series, but in actual fact the theme tune is this . Then again, in this instance I could be as wrong as Gabby Rosyln.