Filming Begins on Knee High Spies

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Filming has begun in Melbourne on the new preschool series Knee High Spies for Australia’s ABC Kids.

From Werner Film Productions (Dance Academy) and creator Tim Bain (Kangaroo Beach), the show will showcase a mix of puppetry, VFX and live-action performances. It will follow teddy bear Jeremy Buttons and his team of toy spies as they work to save their human family from the schemes of their Machiavellian pet guinea pig.

The cast includes Christie Whelan Browne, Mark Samual Bonanno and Ali McGregor. It is being directed by Jack Jameson (Sesame Street) and produced by Nicole Minchin (Fisk).

Knee High Spies will premiere on ABC Kids and ABC iview in 2025.

The series is made in association with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), Screen Australia and VicScreen.

“This is such a wonderfully fresh action-comedy preschool show,” said Mary-Ellen Mullane, acting head of children and family at the ABC. “We love the way the team is playing with genre and form. Knee High Spies is a sophisticated, ambitious offering, bringing together one of the best teams working in preschool content production on the planet right now.”

Executive producer Joanna Werner commented, “We are so delighted to be in production for our most technically ambitious production to date, the wonderful preschool series created by Tim Bain, Knee High Spies. Walk-around suited puppets, hand puppets, stunt double toys, animatronics, action and VFX, this show has it all, and at the heart of it are gorgeous characters who we hope our young audience will fall in love with. We have a brilliant cast and crew led by director Jack Jameson and producer Nicole Minchin, and together with the ABC, ACTF, Screen Australia and VicScreen we can’t wait for everyone to see the series.”

“From Tim’s very first pitch, Knee High Spies had us hooked,” noted Bernadette O’Mahony, head of content at the ACTF. “It was original, relatable, clever and funny. Kids around the world are going to love Jeremy, Silver Paw and their friends as they have their own adventures in the family home, right under the noses of their young owners!”

Louise Gough, director of narrative content at Screen Australia, said, “From a powerhouse team with a strong track record of delivering captivating children’s content, Knee High Spies has all the ingredients to inspire a new generation of little investigators! Preschoolers will delight in the action-packed adventures of Jeremy Buttons and his ragtag toy team as they solve puzzles and crack codes in this distinctive series.”

Caroline Pitcher, CEO of VicScreen, added, “VicScreen is thrilled to support Tim Bain and the team to bring Knee High Spies to life. With its distinctive mix of live-action and puppetry, this imaginative new series promises to captivate young audiences. We are proud to continue to back quality children’s entertainment and support the Victorian screen industry to bring this terrific new show to the screens.”