CBeebies star Justin Fletcher, best known for playing the beloved character Mr Tumble, has reportedly entered into a relationship with his long-time co-star Samantha Dorrance. The couple, who have a 21-year age gap between them, are said to have fallen for each other last year after reconnecting through their work on children's theatre productions.
Private Life Revealed
Justin Fletcher, 55, who hails from Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, has historically been notoriously guarded about his private life. For years, the CBeebies star kept his off-screen world firmly out of the public eye, rarely speaking about anything beyond his television career. He has openly admitted that his gruelling filming schedule for programmes such as Something Special, Justin's House, and Gigglebiz left him precious little time for a personal life. However, it appears all of that has changed since he officially stepped away from his full-time CBeebies commitments back in January 2025. With Fletcher and Samantha going public with their romance by appearing together this week, we take a closer look at Dorrance's career and personal life away from the cameras.
Samantha Dorrance: Family Life and Growing Up
Samantha, who grew up in Willenhall, West Midlands, began dancing at just two years old. As a youngster, she was a devoted fan of High School Musical, which ignited her passion for musical theatre. She also reached the semi-finals of a Blue Peter talent competition broadcast live on BBC1 as a child. Her parents, Karen and Stuart, first crossed paths while playing together in a band. Her father's keen involvement in music meant their family home was forever filled with the sound of songs. She also has a younger brother named Kurt.
Showbiz Career
Samantha has forged an impressively varied career that spans television presenting, West End theatre, music production, and championing children's mental health. At just 15 years old, she triumphed in Disney Channel UK's talent search competition, You're The Star. This catapulted her into a seven-year run as one of the standout faces of Disney Channel, where she hosted My School Musical, Disney Channel Dance Along, and jetted off to the US to interview the cast of High School Musical 3 for Movie Surfers.
She moved effortlessly into professional theatre, securing the lead role of Laura in Bill Kenwright's West End and UK touring production of Dreamboats and Petticoats. Since then, she has appeared in more than 20 professional pantomimes throughout the UK. Fuelled by a profound dedication to children's mental health, Samantha completed a course on The Science of Wellbeing at Yale University in 2020. She went on to establish Sammy & The Sparks, a children's pop band and brand specifically created to help young children strengthen their emotional and mental well-being through music, taking her very own self-written stage show on tour across the UK. During lockdown, she worked as Creative Director for ELT Songs, penning more than 30 educational episodes and 10 songs alongside Oxford University to help youngsters learn English grammar. More recently, she has also undertaken presenting duties for Sky VIP.
Joining CBeebies
Samantha Dorrance officially became part of CBeebies in July 2015. She is familiar to the CBeebies audience for portraying Tootsie, the daft best mate of Justin's on-screen persona Mr Tumble. Since that original 2015 role, she has been a constant presence in the 'Mr Tumble universe,' featuring in numerous CBeebies seasonal specials and live UK tours. Outside of acting, she is a singer-songwriter who has co-written tracks for Justin's live tours, including Justin Time To Rock.
How Did She End Up with Justin Fletcher?
The duo first encountered each other over a decade ago in 2015, when a 23-year-old Samantha secured the part of Tootsie in the stage show The Tale of Mr Tumble. They met professionally on several occasions throughout the years, including performing together in a CBeebies version of Cinderella. Sources disclosed that their romantic connection officially developed last year while collaborating closely on pantomimes and travelling together for their live tours. They formed a strong bond through their shared passion for musical theatre.
The Couple's Life Together Now
The couple have chosen to keep their romance largely away from the public eye, yet they have made significant strides in their personal lives. Samantha has moved into Justin's £2.5 million, 17th-century farmhouse in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. According to reports, when they are not busy performing on stage, the pair enjoy a peaceful, down-to-earth life on the farm. Samantha has offered glimpses of their countryside lifestyle on social media without directly tagging Justin, including a venture in which the couple successfully hatched their own chickens using an old incubator. Close friends of the pair have said they are 'thrilled' that the famously hard-working TV star has at last found 'the one'.
Online Career
Despite not being primarily a traditional social media influencer, Samantha helps promote her children's TV work, songwriting, and musical theatre on her Instagram page, where she boasts nearly 9,000 followers. Her digital footprint serves to support her extensive media, production, and performance career.
