Eerie Noel Edmonds’ abandoned Blobbyland after doomed theme park’s gates were locked

In the 90s families from all over the UK flocked to the crazy theme park in Crinkley Bottom, Somerset but three decades on we take a look at exactly what happened to the once fashionable family attraction

While the nineties will be remembered as the decade that gave us the Spice Girls and shell suits, who can forget Mr Blobby who first made the nation laugh by causing havoc on Noel Edmond’s popular Saturday night show Noel’s House Party in 1991?

Playing pranks on celebrities and wrecking the set, the pink spotty character stole the nation’s hearts with his silly antics despite only being able to utter the word ‘blobby’.

He even stormed to the top of the UK singles charts with his self-titled track Mr Blobby in 1993. Such was Mr Blobby’s popularity that Blobbymania was born and TV presenter Noel Edmonds even went on to create ‘Blobbyland’ in 1994- a family theme park with ball pools, slides and rides. It comes as Noel Edmonds breaks down as he makes emotional confession about his marriage.

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The attraction had a Gunge Factory, a Smell Shop and a pub and in its early days it’s believed to have attracted more than 300,000 visitors a year.

Looking back, there was plenty for families to see and do and a map of the Crinkley Bottom theme park shows a railway, an ‘Animals of Farthing Wood’ attraction alongside sea lion shows, a safari ride, a fun village, a deer park and leopards.

Fans could go and watch Mr, Mrs and Baby Blobby in various live events and have their photo taken with the infamous blob. Two trains took visitors around the grounds and across the valley, allowing them to enjoy picturesque views of the landscape and see the deer.

But the real attraction was Mr Blobby’s house: ‘Dunblobbin’, which allowed adults and kids alike to imagine what Mr Blobby’s life was like when he wasn’t bouncing around on Noel’s House Party.

The house was painted bright pink with yellow spots and a blue roof with windowsills adorned with blooming plastic flowers and was enclosed by a white picket fence. Next to its iconic front door, where everyone wanted their photo taken, visitors could press the doorbell to hear the familiar cry of ‘Blobby blobby blobby!’

But despite its early popularity, visitor numbers dwindled and his home of Crinkley Bottom was closed down five years later in 1999. However, it has become a hot spot for urban explorers who shared images of the abandoned site.

It was finally demolished in 2014.

But while the park is gone, some remnants of Blobbyland can still be seen such as a few ‘blobby bumps’ on the side of the Black Swan pub.

And even though it’s closed, Blobbyland remains a fond memory for many, with nostalgia lovers revisiting the site well after its closure to share photos and videos online.

Younger Brits may remember Noel Edmonds for his stint presenting Deal or No Deal and his time in the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here jungle in the 2000s.

The 76-year-old TV legend has recently returned to our screens after taking a break in 2018 tending to his vineyards on the River Haven estate in New Zealand.

But for many TV viewers it’s his role as the host of the iconic ’90s hit Noel’s House Party and his antics with sidekick Mr Blobby that he’s best remembered.