BBC Children’s & Education has issued an invitation for producers to pitch for a reboot of classic kids show, Play School, for CBeebies.
Originally created to recreate nursery and playgroup experiences at home, the new Play School will be a live-action series inspired by the much-loved original. Producers are being invited to reimagine its blend of songs, stories, movement, music, poetry and imaginative play for today’s audiences, “while retaining the values that made it one of the BBC’s most enduring children’s programmes.”
The commission is for one series of 50 x14 minute episodes and also includes 70 minutes of additional content for CBeebies Parenting, a new YouTube channel supporting parents and carers.
Production companies need a “substantive base” in the Nations or English regions and pre-production would need to begin in February 2027, with half the episodes transmitting in 2027/28 and half in 2028/29. The BBC is open to considering partnerships between UK based production companies.
The commission is offered on a work-for-hire basis and the total budget, inclusive of accompanying YouTube Parenting material, is up to £2,500,000.
The BBC says it’s open to new and modern takes on the classic programme and is looking for “creative visions about how the series can retain the much-loved elements whilst evolving to meet the needs of the audience today and a shorter episode duration.”
Proposals should include suggestions for presenting talent to host each episode. “Previous presenters – including figures such as Chloe Ashcroft, Johnny Ball, Baroness Floella Benjamin, Brian Cant and Derek Griffiths – all had different backgrounds and interests that they could draw on to inform the programme.”
The new show should “bring to life a version of the toys [Humpty, Jemima, Big Ted, Little Ted and Hamble] in a contemporary capacity aligned to the expectations of today’s children.” The BBC is open to “exploring different approaches, whether that involves bringing back the full original line-up or introducing new characters alongside them and representing them through different media including animation.”
“Consideration should be given to modern on-demand viewing habits, meaning that individual episodes are unlikely to reflect specific days of the week or times of the day.”
Jon Creamer
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