Mr Noseybonk
A masked character who terrified and amused children alike.
Mr. Noseybonk (originally known as Noseybonk) was a character on the BBC children's television show Jigsaw, first appearing in series 2. Performed by mime artist Adrian Hedley, he wore a dinner suit and a white face mask with a prominent nose and toothy grin. The character is noted for allegedly terrifying children as much as amusing them, and has proven the most enduring figure from the programme.
- first_appearance
- Series 2 of Jigsaw
- performer
- Adrian Hedley
- show
- Jigsaw (BBC, 1979–1984)
- known_for
- Terrifying and amusing children; inspiring later horror characters
- costume
- Dinner suit and white face mask with prominent nose and toothy grin
Lore & Background
Mr. Noseybonk joined Jigsaw in its second series, performed by Adrian Hedley, who also served as the show's main presenter. The character's appearance—a dinner suit and a white face mask with a large nose and fixed grin—was deliberately unsettling, and reports indicate that he frightened many young viewers even as he entertained them. This dual reaction made him the most memorable figure from the programme.
Decades after the show ended, Noseybonk experienced a revival. In 2008, Stuart Ashen created a series of Noseybonk Returns YouTube videos, which led to Ashen portraying the character on Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe. As recently as December 2025, British actor Mitchel Corrado announced a parody horror series titled "The Noseybonk Incident," scheduled for release in early 2026, bringing new life to the character 40 years after his original appearance.
The character also influenced popular culture beyond direct revivals. The X-Files episode "Familiar" featured a character named Mr. Chuckleteeth, which was explicitly inspired by Mr. Noseybonk. The writer noted that the design of Mr. Chuckleteeth started from the Jigsaw character, though they made it their own. There is also speculation that Noseybonk may have inspired the Jigsaw character from the Saw film franchise.
Reader's Guide
Mr. Noseybonk's significance lies in his unexpected cultural longevity. Originally a minor character on a short-lived BBC children's puzzle show, he became infamous for frightening his target audience—children aged 4 to 7. This unsettling quality, rather than being a flaw, became his defining trait and the reason he is remembered. The character's legacy extends beyond nostalgia: his design directly inspired Mr. Chuckleteeth in The X-Files, a mainstream American television series, demonstrating how a low-budget British children's show character could influence international horror. The 2008 YouTube revival by Stuart Ashen and the 2026 horror series announcement by Mitchel Corrado show that Noseybonk continues to resonate with new generations, often as a figure of parody or horror. His endurance highlights how children's media can produce genuinely eerie icons, and how the internet and fan culture can resurrect and reinterpret such figures decades later. The speculation linking Noseybonk to the Saw franchise's Jigsaw, while unconfirmed, further cements his place in pop culture mythology.
Did You Know?
- Mr. Noseybonk was performed by mime artist Adrian Hedley, who also presented the show.
- The character's white face mask featured a prominent nose and a toothy grin.
- Stuart Ashen created a series of Noseybonk Returns YouTube videos in 2008.
- Mr. Noseybonk inspired the character Mr. Chuckleteeth in The X-Files episode 'Familiar'.
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