Disgraced former children's hero Willy Fogg was arrested at his London home for possessing 9000 indecent images of young lion cubs and taken to Marylebone station for questioning. The dapper gentleman lion's arrest is just the latest in a long line of tragic and sordid events that have marred the lives of 80s cartoon heroes in the aftermath of their heyday.
"People know about the child star burning out in adult life, but now we're seeing a new phenomenon: the sad cartoon character who can no longer just trade on former glories and has become washed up and potentially dangerous", Heat magazine's Boyd Hilton explained.
"Over the years so many old cartoon heroes seem to have found the pressure of being briefly placed in the spotlight too much to take".
Let's take a look at some of the names on the roll call of shame:
Canine musketeer Dogtanian became an overnight sensation in 1985 when he was followed for nine months by a camera crew for an early reality TV show, the cameras luckily catching an epic tale of love, loyalty and the battle between good and evil by total chance.
But the plucky pup found instant fame hard to deal with, and descended into a life of failed potential, hard partying and sordid gossip before suffering from a massive breakdown in 1991, collapsing at a party held by Count Duckula. He now lives a quiet, reclusive life in the south of France.
Panthro from Thundercats was a popular star around the world in 1988, but his shock decision to quit the hit TV show and try to break into Hollywood backfired. Teamed up with Jean Claude Van Damme for the action buddy comedy Cat and Mouse ("One's a big cat. One's called Mike Mouse"), Panthro found the demands of a live action movie gruelling and struggled to deliver lines in a lighter, more comic way.
He briefly starred in CBS sitcom vehicle "Panthro" ("How will this big cat survive in the suburbs?"), but again critics ripped into his clunky and awkward delivery and the show was cancelled after 3 episodes. Attempts to break into hip hop and professional basketball both also failed, and the star was soon forgotten.In 2005 he featured in MTV reality show Catfight, where former cartoon cats also including Heathcliff and Henry's Cat were trained up to compete against each other in the boxing ring. Controversy surrounded Panthro when an ongoing feud with Rigadon (the former feline butler of Willy Fogg) led to Panthro breaking his rival's arm in rage.
Most of the other Thundercats suffered similar scandals, with Cheetara exposed as a high class escort in 1993 and Lion O committing suicide in 2001. Only Mumm Ra has gone on to better things, now a popular prime time TV host of shows including Mumm Dancing and Ra's in Their Eyes.
Batfink was exposed as a violent rapist in 1995.
But most shocking of all was surely Hank from Dungeons and Dragons, the heroic archer leader in the hit docusoap.
"I promise I won't tell"
At one point the hunky teen was the biggest star in America, until allegations came to light that he had been secretly sexually molesting Dungeon Master for three years. Many more cast members then came forward to reveal that they too had been abused by the brute, even Uni the unicorn.
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