Eerie demise of Noel Edmonds' 90s theme park left to decay with graffiti-covered rides after opening for only 13 weeks
Fans are hoping that his new business ventures are more successful than his Blobbyland theme park, which closed after just 13 weeks.
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The park in Cricket St Thomas, in Somerset, was based on the BBC's hit show Noel's House Party, and first opened in 1994.
Blobbyland welcomed 650,000 guests, making it even more popular than Buckingham Place, which welcomed 200,000 fewer visitors in the same year.
Inside was a mocked-up high street with a Blobby store, but the crown jewel of the resort was Mr Blobby's house.
It was named Dunblobbin and was painted bright pink with yellow spots and had a blue roof.
Locals often complained of a loud doorbell that could be heard for miles - which rang through their houses every time someone visited the little pink home.
But the noise didn't bother guests as young fans went mad for its quirky look, which included a giant stuffed Blobby dog kipping on the ground.
When visitors roamed in they were met with a view of a cake-only dinner that the fictional character and his family ate for tea.
The entertainment show ran for eight years between November 1991 and March 1999, and Mr Blobby became a kids' craze.
Although the bustling fantasy-fueled land attracted thousands of fans, it didn't last long.
According to DorsetLive, when the area was re-discovered by urban explorers in 2009 it rekindled the public's interest, and soon groups of people started trying to break into the forgotten den.
As a result, the land's owners blocked an access tunnel and had the remains demolished in 2014.
Noel, 76, returning to TV screens to document his new life in New Zealand in June - but insisted the ITV show will be nothing like Clarkson's Farm — because he's not as funny as the former Top Gear star.
Noel exclusively told The Sun: 'When we were filming our show, some people who knew about Clarkson's Farm said to me, 'Oh, is it like Clarkson's Farm?'
'And I said, 'No, it couldn't be more different.' First of all, I'm not like Jeremy in many ways, though I wish I were.
"He's brilliant. He can articulate an argument beautifully and deliver a sharp, humorous line like no one else.'
Noel went on to crack a joke about his years in the showbiz wilderness.
His last big gig was on I'm A Celebrity in 2018, when he was voted out after only nine days.
Noel laughed: 'People still ask, 'Noel Edmonds? Didn't he die? Is he still around?'
'Yes, I'm still here — and living life to the full.'
You can stream all the episodes of Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure on ITVX.
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The Guardian
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