Justin Fletcher, the beloved CBeebies star behind the iconic character Mr Tumble, is reportedly in a relationship with his younger co-star Samantha Dorrance. The couple, who have a 21-year age gap, fell for each other last year after reconnecting through their work on children's theatre productions. Fletcher, 55, has historically been private about his personal life, but he has now gone public with Dorrance, 34.
Who Is Samantha Dorrance?
Samantha Dorrance, from Willenhall in Walsall, began dancing at the age of two. She was a fan of High School Musical as a child, which inspired her to pursue musical theatre. She reached the semi-finals of a Blue Peter talent competition broadcast live on BBC1. Her parents, Karen and Stuart, met while playing together in a band, and her father's involvement in music meant their home was always filled with songs. She also has a younger brother named Kurt.
Career Highlights
Dorrance has built an impressive career in television presenting, West End theatre, music production, and children's mental health advocacy. At 15, she won Disney Channel UK's talent search competition, You're The Star, leading to a seven-year role as a leading face of Disney Channel. She hosted My School Musical and Disney Channel Dance Along, and traveled to the US to interview the cast of High School Musical 3 for Movie Surfers.
She moved into professional theatre, playing the lead role of Laura in Bill Kenwright's West End and UK touring production of Dreamboats and Petticoats. She has since appeared in over 20 professional pantomimes across the UK.
Passionate about children's mental health, Dorrance completed a course on The Science of Wellbeing at Yale University in 2020. She founded Sammy & The Sparks, a children's pop band aimed at enhancing emotional and mental well-being through music. She also took her self-written stage show on tour across the UK. During lockdown, she served as Creative Director for ELT Songs, producing over 30 educational episodes and 10 songs in collaboration with Oxford University to help children learn English grammar. She has also worked as a presenter for Sky VIP.
Joining CBeebies
Dorrance officially joined CBeebies in July 2015, where she is best known for playing Tootsie, the silly best friend of Justin's on-screen character Mr Tumble. Since then, she has remained a fixture in the Mr Tumble universe, appearing in numerous seasonal specials and live UK tours. In addition to acting, she is a singer-songwriter who has co-written songs for Justin's live tours, including Justin Time To Rock.
The Romance with Justin Fletcher
Fletcher and Dorrance first met in 2015 when she secured the role of Tootsie in the stage production The Tale of Mr Tumble. They worked together professionally over the years, including appearing in a CBeebies production of Cinderella. Their romantic relationship blossomed last year while working closely on pantomimes and traveling together for live tours. They bonded over their shared passion for musical theatre.
Life Together Now
The couple has kept their relationship largely private, but they have made significant strides in their personal lives. Dorrance has moved into Fletcher's £2.5 million, 17th-century farmhouse in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. When not occupied with stage performances, they lead a peaceful, domestic existence on the farm. Dorrance has shared glimpses of their countryside lifestyle on social media, including a project where they hatched their own chickens using an old incubator. Friends say they are thrilled that the famously hard-working TV star has finally found the one.
Online Presence
Dorrance is not a traditional social media influencer but uses her Instagram page, where she has nearly 9,000 followers, to promote her children's TV work, songwriting, and musical theatre. She also has over 4,000 followers on X, though she has not been active on the platform for several years. Her digital footprint supports her extensive media, production, and performance career.
