The Next Step Gets Seventh Season

Boat Rocker Studios’ tween drama The Next Step is set to return for a seventh season, which will include the series’ first holiday special.

The 26×30-minute season is slated for a global premiere on CBBC in 2020. The new season finds A-Troupe preparing for Nationals with an uncertain future as the studio is bought by someone new.

The Next Step follows the lives of a group of dancers at The Next Step Dance Studio as they compete to be the best in their field. During the course of the series, each of our characters will discover that the true victory is learning to put their individual differences aside to find a way to work together as a team.

The Next Step has been sold to more than 120 markets worldwide. The new season brings the series total to 206 episodes, a milestone achievement and first of its kind for a Boat Rocker Studios’ homegrown production.

The series is produced by Boat Rocker Studios, with the participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canada Media Fund (CMF), and distributed globally by Boat Rocker Studios and BBC Studios.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with CBBC on this exciting new season of The Next Step,” said Jon Rutherford, managing director and president of rights of Boat Rocker Studios. “Since launching the first season in 2013, Boat Rocker has grown The Next Step into a 360-franchise brand, expanding in merchandise and licensing, digital, and live tours. We are excited to bring more stories to life that center on friendship, inclusivity, and teamwork.”

Cheryl Taylor, head of content at BBC Children’s, said: “The Next Step has established itself as a key title on the CBBC slate and our viewers are highly invested in the emotional journeys that the talented dancers have taken them on over the least 6 years. It’s a beautifully made show with all the requisite coming-of-age buttons artfully pressed by the experienced and creative production team. It goes without saying that we are delighted to have a seventh series on CBBC.”