BBC Children’s and Education makes new orders

BBC Children’s and Education has ordered comedy High Hoops and drama Primrose Railway Children as well as renewing Malory Towers.

High Hoops, starring Peep Show alumni, Robert Webb and Isy Suttie, is a 10 x 30 sitcom for CBBC by CanCan Productions. Filmed in Halifax, West Yorkshire, the comedy series tells the story of a charmingly reckless high school basketball player and her chaotic pursuit of success, fame, love and the perfect hook shot.

The show is about a failing school basketball team and the arrival of “tall, gaffe-prone but unstoppable” Aoife O’Neill. Aoife and her family move to a new area and a new school and she sees this as an opportunity to change her life. “Aoife soon discovers that the only place she really fits in is the school basketball team – only they’re terrible. Can she turn them around?”

Written and created by Sinead Fagan a lifelong basketball player and coach, High Hoops is a “sharp, witty, and aspirational comedy set in an urban comprehensive.”

The show features a cast including Darci Hull as lead character Aoife and is produced by West Yorkshire based CanCan Productions. International distribution is being handled by APC Kids. The producer is Dominique Molloy and the lead director is Ian Curtis. The show was commissioned by Patricia Hidalgo, Sarah Muller & Melissa Hardinge and Anita Burgess is commissioning Executive for CBBC 7+ audience and family audience space.

Primrose Railway Children is an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s modern reimagining of E Nesbit’s classic The Railway Children.

The popular children’s novel is being bought to life in a 1 x 90’ feature length episode by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions. Filmed in and around Glasgow, the dramatic Scottish Highlands and heritage railways, the story follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow when suddenly they are uprooted from their lives and moved to the remote highlands of Scotland.

Primrose Railway Children is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions with Tali Walters as Creative Lead, Alison Davis as Executive Producer and John McKay as producer. International distribution is being handled by BBC Studios.

The show was commissioned by Patricia Hidalgo and Sarah Muller with Anita Burgess as commissioning executive for CBBC 7+ audience and family audience space.

Filming has started on Series 6 and 7 of the two 10 x 25-minute series of Malory Towers, adapted from the iconic novels by Enid Blyton is being filmed in picturesque locations around Devon and Cornwall in South West England and a studio base in Bristol.

Arriving at the school will be history obsessed Nancy played by Ellie Goldstein, who is an advocate for disability and uses her platform to act as a role model to other people with Down Syndrome.

Jo Sargent, Executive Producer at King Bert Productions said: “We’re excited to be back on location for Season 6 and 7 of Malory Towers. As well as welcoming back old friends and getting to know new characters we’ll be saying goodbye to our original girls at the end of the series as they leave Malory Towers for the world of work or university.’

The series also welcomes newcomer Lily Vernon played by Jodie Steele (Professor T, Eastenders, SIX). Lily is a glamourous ex-Hollywood actress who has ties to Miss Grayling and Malory Towers. The third form’s adventurous antics continue when they learn of a Time Capsule buried by former students, and friendship continues to be at the heart of the show as we experience the last glorious year at Malory Towers for Darrell Rivers and her sixth-form friends.

Series 6 and 7 of Malory Towers are King Bert Productions (Malory Towers, Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!, After Ever After) commissioned for BBC Children’s and produced in association with BYUtv and WildBrain, who are also global distributor for the series. The series has already been sold to the US (BYUtv), France (France TV) and Canada (Family Channel) and Australia (ABC). Adapted for televisions by Rachel Flowerday and Sasha Hails, and produced by David Collier, and executive produced by Jo Sargent and Yvonne Sellins for King Bert Productions. Bruce McDonald and Jack Jameson return to direct.

Malory Towers series 6 and 7 was commissioned by BBC Children’s Head of Content Sarah Muller and is executive produced for the BBC by Anita Burgess. The underlying rights were acquired from Hachette Children’s Group, owners of Enid Blyton Entertainment and publisher of Malory Towers.

High Hoops and Primrose Railway Children will come to CBBC and iPlayer later this year. Malory Towers series 6 &7 will come to CBBC and iPlayer in 2025.

Patricia Hidalgo, Director BBC Children’s and Education said: “Our homegrown dramas continue to be enjoyed by children and their families across the UK and beyond, these three titles are not only brilliant entertainment, but they also represent children’s lives and UK culture in unique ways. Promising big laughs, silly jokes, high stakes drama and intrigue, with stories that resonate across generations and across frontiers, bringing families together watching TV.”