BAFTA to Honor Blue Zoo with Special Award

U.K. animation studio Blue Zoo (The Adventures of Paddington, Mojo Swoptops, Numberblocks) will be honored with a BAFTA Special Award in recognition of its 25-year legacy in children’s media on December 8.

“Blue Zoo’s work exemplifies the very best of the screen arts—innovation with impact, and entertainment with purpose,” said Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA. “For an incredible 25 years, Blue Zoo has created worlds that educate and empower, reflecting the diversity of modern childhood and proving that animation can be a powerful tool for learning, laughter and lasting change. We are delighted to honor a studio that champions inclusivity and imagination at every level of production.”

Blue Zoo was founded in 2000 by university classmates, Adam Shaw, Oli Hyatt and Tom Box. Since then, the company has developed programs featured across the BBC, Netflix, STUDIOCANAL and its own YouTube channel. It was the first TV and film animation studio to be B Corp certified, achieving the certification in 2021.

Blue Zoo also advocates for the wider U.K. animation and children’s content sector. Hyatt, who serves as managing director, has advocated for and defended creative-sector tax credits and co-founded Animation UK. Box has worked on developing industry skills and training. Blue Zoo is also a key voice in industry initiatives such as the Young Animator of the Year UK competition, NextGen Skills Academy, Animation UK and the Children’s Media Foundation.

“Receiving a BAFTA Special Award is a profound honor,” Hyatt said. “From the start, we’ve believed animation can do more than raise a smile: it can teach, empower and build lovable worlds that matter to children and families everywhere. It’s a huge pat on the back for Blue Zoo, our fantastic staff, our clients and, by extension, to the wider animation community. This award is as much for them as it is for us. 25 years ago, we were just three lads sitting under the stairs of the student union bar, discussing setting up an animation company. We could have only dreamed of moments like this. We hope the Award isn’t just a nod to our past, but it’s a cheer for what we do next at Blue Zoo. We’ll keep giving back, and we’ll keep speaking up for children and for our sector, but most of all, we will keep making high-quality content that inspires and entertains. Thank you, BAFTA.”