Pingu voice actor Carlo Bonomi dies aged 85

The original voice actor for Pingu who coined the penguin's iconic "noot noot" phrase has died aged 85.

Carlo Bonomi, from Milan, made many people's childhood as he voiced the loveable, cartoon emperor penguin in the 90's. He worked on the show from 1990 to 2000, helping to bring life to the animation.

The TV star died on Saturday. No cause of death has been announced.

Tributes have poured in across social media for the voice actor. Taking to Twitter, one user said: "Last Saturday Carlo Bonomi the man behind the voices of Pingu and more had died. So to that we say the final noot noot to him…RIP #Pingu."

Another user said: "RIP Carlo Bonomi. The man who voiced one of my most childhood tv programmes, Pingu. Probably the reason why I love penguins, thank you for the memories." Angela said: "RIP to Carlo Bonomi a big part of my childhood #pingu."

The father-of-one, whose daughter Paola also works as a voice actor, never used a script and voiced all the characters in the children's show. The language he used for Pingu, known as Penguinese, was based on Milanese dialect and was inspired by his earlier work on Italian animated series La Linea.

In 2003, Carlo was replaced by London-based voiced actors David Sant and Marcello Magni after HIT Entertainment required the show's rights. The actor went on to provide his voice in Italian radio dramas and also the Italian voice for cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone.

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