For many who grew up in the 1980s and ’90s, John Hasler is a familiar name, best known for his role as ‘T-shirt’, the mischievous sidekick in the popular CITV series T-Bag. Although the show’s colourful costumes and wacky plot may be a distant memory, Hasler’s voice continues to be heard by millions, albeit in a different context.

T-Bag first aired in 1985, when Hasler was just 11-years-old. The show revolved around a witch-like character who gained magical powers from a special drink, but relied on T-shirt to brew it, as she was unable to do so herself.

In return, T-shirt received a share of her powers. Each series typically began with T-Bag attempting to increase her power, while the main character, a young girl, would try to thwart her plans by collecting artefacts from across space and time. Despite working for the “baddie”, T-shirt often acted as a hero, secretly helping the girl to foil T-Bag’s plans.

Hasler was the only actor to appear in all nine seasons of the show, growing from a young boy to a teenager who towered over his witch-like boss. After T-Bag ended its run in 1992, Hasler went on to become a renowned voice actor, lending his voice to numerous characters in TV shows across the UK, although his connection to T-shirt may have gone unnoticed, reports the Daily Record.

No longer a staple of Saturday mornings, Hasler’s career has seen him go from the imagined Pride Lands of Africa to being the voice behind a cherished train.

To many younger followers today who may not recall T-Bag’s spellbinding time-travel escapades, Hasler is now known for voicing Thomas the Tank Engine, captivating young English-speaking audiences globally with his part in the beloved series Thomas and Friends.

Discussing his role as Thomas with Red Carpet News, Hasler commented: “Thomas is an enduring character so it makes it even more pressurised to play the lead role, you think ‘oh my gosh lots of people have loved this character for a long time’ and to take on the mantel is an extreme privilege.”

Yet, Hasler’s talents extend beyond the railway; he’s also voiced Timon, the adored meerkat, in The Lion King’s hit West End production and toured across the UK, portraying the iconic character originally brought to life by Nathan Lane.

Age 51, Hasler has graced shows such as the teenage drama Renford Rejects and the classic BBC series Casualty. In 2012, he brought his voice acting talents to Fireman Sam, giving life to James Jones, Sam’s nephew.

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