BBC Children’s Unveils New Commissions

BBC Children’s has unveiled a roster of new commissions for CBeebies and CBBC, including returning fan favorites and brand-new programs.

From BBC Studios Kids & Family, Rafi the Wishing Wizard is a brand-new animated show for CBeebies in which the spirited titular character and her ordinary family are actually a household of modern-day wizards.

Another new series on the BBC Children’s slate for CBeebies is Mojo Swoptops, a preschool show produced by Blue Zoo and Tararaboom. It follows a little truck whose “cardrobe” allows her to swap her top. She finds creative solutions to problems faced by her local community.

Hey Duggee, from Studio AKA and BBC Studios Kids & Family, is a fan favorite that has been recommissioned, alongside an order for the brand-new Hey Duggee’s Squirrel Club. The spin-off features all of the characters from the original series but invites viewers to be a part of the Squirrel Club. Both series will debut on CBeebies.

Another recommissioned series for CBeebies is Olga da Polga. Maramedia will produce a second season that continues to follow the adventures of Michael Bond’s guinea pig heroine and her animal friends.

Titles from the Blocks universe will make their return as well, as part of a four-year output plan following BBC Children’s and Education’s investment in multiple series in the Blocks franchise. Produced by Alphablocks and Blue Zoo, the order includes a second season of Colourblocks, further seasons of Numberblocks and Alphablocks and the brand-new title Thinkingblocks, which will introduce coding to a preschool audience.

For CBBC, A Kind of Spark will be returning with a second season. Based on the book by Elle McNicoll, the series tells the story of a neurodivergent teenage girl. After successfully getting her town to install a witch memorial, she becomes determined to make the world around her a better place, but she soon learns that helping people in the present day can be more complicated than honoring people from the past.

Famous Five, also for CBBC, reimagines Enid Blyton’s books in three feature-length episodes. Following five daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures full of mysteries and danger, the series is produced by Moonage Pictures and byNWR Originals, in co-production with ZDF.

A co-production between Sinking Ship Entertainment and BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions, Odd Squad UK brings the high-tech organization run by a group of smart kids to the U.K. The new format for CBBC will feature a cast of kids from the U.K.

Lastly, Black Dog Television’s Pickle Storm will be coming to CBBC as well. It details the adventures of 9-year-old Pickle Storm, who has to flee her fantasy world of Kleftania and seek refuge in the everyday U.K. town of Middlington.

“The BBC is one of the biggest inventors of quality children’s programming across all genres,” said Patricia Hidalgo, director of children’s and education. “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 homegrown, relevant programming to the millions of children across the U.K. we entertain and educate every day.”