Rupert Degas

Best known as the voices of Zoomer and Scrambler in Bob the Builder[2] from 2004 to 2011, his other animation work includes Chop Socky Chooks,[3] Robotboy,[4] Thomas & Friends[5] Lucky Fred, Groove High, and The Amazing World of Gumball.[6] He also played several characters in the animated feature film Planet 51.[7]

Since moving to Australia, Degas has provided voices for The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill,[8] Kitty Is Not a Cat,[9] The Strange Chores,[10] Maya the Bee: The Honey Games,[11] Bluey, Alien TV, Kangaroo Beach, 100% Wolf, and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.[12] In 2021, he narrated three episodes of The Wheel of Time.

Degas has narrated over 300 audiobooks. He has received particular critical acclaim for his performances of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss,[13][14][15] and Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.[16] Degas says of audiobooks, "I do accents. It's my specialty."[17] The Guardian called his voice performances "shape-shifting".[18]. In 2022, Degas was inducted as a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.

Degas' first film appearance was in Jerry Schatzberg's Reunion,[19] followed by television appearances in Dead Romantic,[20] Over Here,[21] A Touch of Frost[22] and Passport to Murder.[23] Other notable television appearances include EastEnders, Lovejoy, Van der Valk, Waiting For God, Lycée Alpin, Holby City,[24] Love Soup,[25] Shoot the Messenger,[26] Nathan Barley,[27] and Red Dwarf.[28] Degas also provided the voice of the demon in both Exorcist: The Beginning and the 2013 film Evil Dead.

Having been a regular Newsrevue performer at the Canal Café Theatre and at the Edinburgh Fringe, Degas made his West End theatre debut in Stones in His Pockets[29] at The Duke of York's Theatre and the New Ambassadors Theatre,[30] and then in the original Olivier Award winning London cast of The 39 Steps[31][32] at The Tricycle Theatre before transferring to The Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly Circus. He has also performed in several plays at The Battersea Arts Centre, Latchmere Theatre and The Southwark Playhouse.

On radio, Degas has performed in over eighty plays and series, most notably Grovers Mill, and the BBC productions of The Brightonomicon,[33] Dirk Gently,[34][35] The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,[36] and Starship Titanic. He also played Pantalaimon in the full cast audio production of His Dark Materials.[37] Degas is also a regular contributor to the weekly satirical podcast A Rational Fear.