CBeebies Orders Slate of New & Returning Shows

BBC Children’s has commissioned a host of new shows for CBeebies, including Lochside, as well as several returning series such as Yakka Dee.

The commissions include shows made in-house and by independent partners. CBeebies recommissioned several preschool series, including Time for School (season three), Yakka Dee (seasons two and three), Magic Hands (season three), Gigglebiz (season five), Something Special (season 12), Go Jetters (season three) and My Petsaurus (season two).

A new commission is Lochside, a preschool drama from BBC Children’s set in a Scottish village. The show celebrates modern society with themes of inclusivity and diversity, offering a reflection of the U.K. nowadays.

Another commission is The Tempest, a 50-minute production in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company that brings the Bard’s play to life. The cast will feature a combination of CBeebies and Royal Shakespeare Company talent, as well as mainstream actors who have Shakespearean backgrounds. It will be broadcast for Easter 2018. In Junk Rescue (Hello Halo), Danny Sebastian, Zoe Pocock and their team of Junkyard Helpers give a fun and practical new life to day-to-day items found at the Junkyard. Baby Club, produced in conjunction with Three Arrows Media, is set to premiere on CBeebies in January 2018.

Kay Benbow, controller of CBeebies, said, “Bringing the arts to life for younger audiences is something I have always been passionate about and so to be announcing The Tempest as our second Shakespeare commission is something I am immensely proud of. I am so proud to be leaving CBeebies in such a strong position with a fantastic raft of new commissions made by both our in-house production teams and our dedicated independent partners. CBeebies is now a multi-genre channel and being able to commission such a rich and diverse range of programs for our youngest viewers over the past seven years has been an honor and a privilege. I’ll look forward to watching the continuing success of this very special preschool channel.”