BBC Children’s announces new commissions

BBC Children’s has announced a line-up of new titles for CBeebies and CBBC.

Already announced is series 5 of Studio AKA’s Hey Duggee and new spin off Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club. Also for pre-schoolers is Mojo Swoptops produced by Blue Zoo and Tararaboom, the little truck that can “SWOP her TOP!” using her “‘cardrobe’ of swoptops.”

Also ordered is Rafi the Wishing Wizard and her “extraordinary household of modern-day wizards”, produced by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions.

For older children, original dramas include series two of A Kind of Spark, produced by 9 Story Media Group and the return of Odd Squad, a co-production between Sinking Ship Entertainment and BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions, now filmed in Manchester. The new series, Odd Squad UK, “features a brand-new world of oddness and group of agents” with a predominantly British cast filmed exclusively in the UK.

The Famous Five will be back in three feature-length episodes. The first, directed by Tim Kirby will be aired in during the festive period and is produced by Moonage Pictures and byNWR Originals, and in co-production with ZDF in Germany.

BBC Ignite is also to return with a second round of funding opportunities for the UK animation industry “bringing fresh, bold and innovative ideas to life” for audiences across CBBC.

Patricia Hidalgo said: “The BBC is one of the biggest investors of quality children’s programming across all genres. From more Numberblocks, a Hey Duggee spin-off to a new series of A Kind of Spark, our latest commissions demonstrate our commitment to providing home-grown, relevant programming to the millions of children across the UK we entertain and educate every day.”

CBeebies

NUMBERBLOCKS and friends will be returning as part of a four year output plan for the Blocks universe, following BBC Children’s and Education investment in multiple series in the Blocks franchise. Produced by Alphablocks Ltd and Blue Zoo animation studios, the order will include a second series of Colourblocks, further series of both Numberblocks and Alphablocks, as well as brand new title Thinkingblocks which introduces coding to a preschool audience.

HEY DUGGEE from Studio AKA and BBC Studios Kids & Family, follows the adventures of the big friendly dog and the leader of the Squirrels; Roly the hippopotamus, Norrie the mouse, Happy the crocodile, Tag the rhinoceros and Betty the octopus for adventures in the Clubhouse as they learn new skills and earn badges. The hugely popular series that has amassed half a billion streams on iPlayer and counting, returns for series five with series one of its brand-new spin-off Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club.

HEY DUGGEE’S SQUIRREL CLUB also from Studio AKA and BBC Studios Kids & Family, brings all the beloved characters from the original hit series to screen in a brand-new format where viewers at home are invited to be a part of the Squirrel Club.

MOJO SWOPTOPS is a new animated series from producers Blue Zoo and Tararaboom. Mojo is a vehicle with a difference – as she can be anything and everything at the swop of a top. With her fresh and imaginative approach to problem solving, Mojo swops predictable outcomes for exciting adventures – learning and laughing along the way. Together with her best friend, Bo the mechanic, Mojo brings her curiosity and a mischievous sense of fun to every challenge.

OLGA DA POLGA Series Two from Maramedia follows the further adventures of Michael Bond’s loveable guinea pig heroine Olga da Polga and her animal friends, including new companion Daisy the guinea pig, as their stories come to life in this funny, colourful and heart-warming show.

RAFI THE WISHING WIZARD is a new series from BBC Studios Kids &Family. This family sit-com is set in an ordinary town, on an ordinary street – but this is no ordinary family. Rafi and her two Dads are extraordinary because they are a family of modern-day wizards. Rafi is a spirited 7-year-old with her very first wishing wand, and very much like the CBeebies audience, is learning to manage her magic.

CBBC

A KIND OF SPARK a heart-warming story about friendship, courage and self-belief, based the book by Elle McNicol. The second season continues to tell the inspirational story of Addie, a neurodivergent teenage girl. After successfully getting her town to install a witch memorial, Addie is determined to make the world around her a better place. But overwhelmed by people’s expectations, Addie soon learns that helping people in the present day can be more complicated than honoring people from the past.

FAMOUS FIVE reimagines the classic children’s books by Enid Blyton in three-feature length episodes. The series follows five daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger, and astounding secrets in an unforgettable odyssey that evokes the power of camaraderie between the fearless young heroes. Produced by Moonage Pictures and byNWR Originals in made in co-production with German ZDF.

ODD SQUAD UK, now filmed in Manchester is a co-production between Sinking Ship Entertainment and BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions. It brings back the beloved character of the high-tech organisation run by a gang of smart and sassy kids, which investigates all things strange, weird and, most importantly, odd.

PICKLE STORM is a comedy series based produced by Black Dog Television about the exciting adventures of 9-year-old Pickle Storm who has to flee her fantasy world of Kleftania – a world of magic, dragons and warriors – and seek refuge in the everyday UK town of Middlington.