Hey Duggee live show to tour UK

Hit children’s show Hey Duggee is to tour the UK for the first time ever in a vibrant and interactive stage show.

The smash hit CBeebies series is brought to life through innovative puppetry and storytelling in Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, which will tour across the UK from December through to summer 2023.

Visiting 24 theatres, Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show includes a four-week run at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall (London) from December 14.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday July 1 (regional theatres) and at 10am Monday July 4 (London) from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and direct from theatres.

Since bursting onto TV screens in 2014, Hey Duggee, a BBC and Studio AKA creation, has won no fewer than six BAFTAs and is an international Emmy award-winning hit. It was the most streamed children’s show on BBC iPlayer in 2021.

Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show is presented by award-winning theatre producer Kenny Wax and theatre and live entertainment promoters Cuffe and Taylor in association with Live Nation.

Kenny Wax says: “We are so thrilled to be working with Live Nation, Cuffe & Taylor, Studio AKA and BBC Studios to create a brand new stage show with lots of surprises touring the country with a sit-down month in London over Christmas. I can’t wait.”

Ben Hatton, director of theatre touring for Cuffe and Taylor, adds: “This is an incredibly exciting tour. Hey Duggee is quite simply a phenomenon and has taken the world of children’s entertainment by storm.

“We are delighted to be working with Kenny and his team at Kenny Wax Family Entertainment, as well as all the extended Hey Duggee family at Studio AKA and BBC Studios. We look forward to Duggee and his friends filling theatres around the UK.”

For more information go to www.heyduggee.com

HEY DUGGEE THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW TOUR DATES

Sat 3 – Sat 10 Dec Southampton, MAST Mayflower Studios
Wed 14 December – Sun 8 Jan London, Southbank Centre Royal Festival Hall
Thu 12 – Sun 15 Jan Bradford, St George’s Hall
Fri 20 – Sun 22 Jan Darlington, Hippodrome
Fri 27 – Sun 29 Jan Edinburgh, Festival Theatre
Thu 2  – Sat 4 Feb Liverpool, Empire Theatre
Tue 7 – Wed 8 Feb Brighton, Theatre Royal
Fri 10 – Sat 11 Feb Plymouth, Theatre Royal
Tue 14  – Wed 15 Feb Peterborough, New Theatre
Sat 18  – Sun 19 Feb Canterbury, The Marlowe
Tue 21 – Wed 22 Feb Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre
Sat 25 – Sun 26 Feb Poole, Lighthouse Theatre
Fri 10  – Sun 12 Mar Stoke, Regent Theatre
Thu 16 – Sat 18 Mar Sheffield, Lyceum Theatre
Fri 24 – Sun 26 Mar Salford, The Lowry
Mon 3 – Tue 4 Apr Ipswich, Regent Theatre
Fri 7 – Sat 8 Apr Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre
Mon 10 – Wed 12 Apr Birmingham, Town Hall
Fri 14 – Sat 15 Apr Leicester, Curve
Thu 20 – Sat 22 Apr Bath, The Forum
Mon 1 – Sat 6 May Nottingham, Theatre Royal
Sat 13 – Sun 14 May Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
Thu 25 – Sat 27 May Glasgow, Kings Theatre
Tue 30 May – Sat 4 Jun Kingston-Upon-Thames, Rose Theatre

 

Rainbow names Giochi Preziosi master toy partner for Pinocchio and Friends

Italian content powerhouse Rainbow and Italy’s historic leading toy company Giochi Preziosi have signed a partnership for the master toy line inspired by Iginio Straffi’s latest animated hit Pinocchio and Friends, already airing daily on Rai Yoyo.

Giochi Preziosi will initially distribute the line in Italy with a roll-out strategy that will bring action figures, dolls, playsets, and plush toys based on the show to the shelves starting next autumn, with the option of extending the agreement to other European countries and beyond.

Giochi Preziosi will invest significantly in the development of this new line, as well as in marketing and communication activities to support the launch and raise brand awareness.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Giochi Preziosi, a historic partner and Italian reference point for almost half a century in the toy sector,” says Rainbow’s founder and CEO Iginio Straffi. “Developing together the toy line for a series full of inspiring features like Pinocchio and Friends is a great opportunity and will bring a touch of freshness, colour and fun to the daily lives of our children.”

The toy category’s debut is eagerly awaited by fans of the show, an original adaptation based on Carlo Collodi’s timeless classic and created in high quality CGI animation. Targeted at 4–7-year-olds, Pinocchio and Friends debuted on Rai Yoyo last November and is among the channel’s most watched shows.

After its successful release in Italy, the series will land in the UK this year thanks to a partnership with the BBC, which will broadcast Pinocchio on the leading children’s channel CBeebies, before continuing overseas to Discovery Kids Latin America.

The partnership signed with Giochi Preziosi is part of a broad development plan for the Consumer Products sector inspired by the show, with licensees already confirmed including Mondadori, Ravensburger, Dolfin, Fashion UK and Ciao.

Giochi Preziosi’s chairman Enrico Preziosi says: “When I came across this opportunity, I didn’t hesitate – it’s always a pleasure to create product lines inspired by the great tales of our cultural and literary tradition, as well as to work with Italian companies such as Rainbow, with whom Giochi Preziosi has been building and consolidating solid partnerships for years now. I really appreciated Iginio Straffi’s take on the great classic Pinocchio. I think it is a contemporary, funny, ironic and educational series; it reinterprets tradition in a modern key, without losing the charm and core values of the original version.”

 

 

Alton Towers reveals new CBeebies Land attractions for spring 2022

Three new attractions are coming to CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort in spring 2022: Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge, Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig and JoJo & Gran Gran At Home.

Guests will be able to climb, slide and bounce their way through the Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge, and collect their very own Big Adventure Badge. In addition, a brand new Hey Duggee live show, “The Map Badge”, will be coming to the Land for fans to enjoy.

Youngsters can also let their curiosity run wild in JoJo & Gran Gran At Home, exploring Gran Gran’s house from the hit TV animation show.

Meanwhile, Dinosaur fans can immerse themselves in prehistoric sights and sounds as they dig and discover in the new live interactive show attraction Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig.

The arrival of the attractions is part of a wider re-imagining of the UK’s only CBeebies Land at the UK’s largest theme park, which will also include a new CBeebies Bug interactive trail.

CBeebies fans will enjoy a new live show with Bing and Flop in Big Fun Showtime, with a full schedule of events where children can meet and interact with some of CBeebies’ biggest stars. Furthermore, Bingsters will also be able to enjoy the ultimate sleepover in Bing-themed bedrooms coming to CBeebies Land Hotel at the Resort.

Larry Roles, Marketing Director for Alton Towers Resort, says: “We are really excited to grow the fun-packed programme of entertainment and attractions in CBeebies Land, bringing to life even more TV favourites for families to enjoy together. We know that, like our existing line-up, these new additions will provide a truly immersive experience for young fans and really captivate their imaginations. We’re sure both parents and children will love experiencing these fun additions and we cannot wait to see them being enjoyed by our guests.”

Natasha Spence, Head of Attractions, Live Entertainment, BBC Studios, adds: “CBeebies Land offers a brilliant and unique opportunity for young children and their families to experience some of their favourite CBeebies shows and friends as they are brought to life. The additions of the brand-new Hey Duggee play and adventure land and live show, plus Jojo & Gran Gran and Andy’s Adventures attractions, as well as the new Bing live show and themed hotel rooms are incredibly exciting and add to what is already a rich portfolio of children’s brands in this dedicated Land.”

For more information, visit www.altontowers.com/cbeebiesland

Alton Towers reveals new CBeebies Land attractions for spring 2022

Three new attractions are coming to CBeebies Land at Alton Towers Resort in spring 2022: Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge, Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig and JoJo & Gran Gran At Home.

Guests will be able to climb, slide and bounce their way through the Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge, and collect their very own Big Adventure Badge. In addition, a brand new Hey Duggee live show, “The Map Badge”, will be coming to the Land for fans to enjoy.

Youngsters can also let their curiosity run wild in JoJo & Gran Gran At Home, exploring Gran Gran’s house from the hit TV animation show.

Meanwhile, Dinosaur fans can immerse themselves in prehistoric sights and sounds as they dig and discover in the new live interactive show attraction Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig.

The arrival of the attractions is part of a wider re-imagining of the UK’s only CBeebies Land at the UK’s largest theme park, which will also include a new CBeebies Bug interactive trail.

CBeebies fans will enjoy a new live show with Bing and Flop in Big Fun Showtime, with a full schedule of events where children can meet and interact with some of CBeebies’ biggest stars. Furthermore, Bingsters will also be able to enjoy the ultimate sleepover in Bing-themed bedrooms coming to CBeebies Land Hotel at the Resort.

Larry Roles, Marketing Director for Alton Towers Resort, says: “We are really excited to grow the fun-packed programme of entertainment and attractions in CBeebies Land, bringing to life even more TV favourites for families to enjoy together. We know that, like our existing line-up, these new additions will provide a truly immersive experience for young fans and really captivate their imaginations. We’re sure both parents and children will love experiencing these fun additions and we cannot wait to see them being enjoyed by our guests.”

Natasha Spence, Head of Attractions, Live Entertainment, BBC Studios, adds: “CBeebies Land offers a brilliant and unique opportunity for young children and their families to experience some of their favourite CBeebies shows and friends as they are brought to life. The additions of the brand-new Hey Duggee play and adventure land and live show, plus Jojo & Gran Gran and Andy’s Adventures attractions, as well as the new Bing live show and themed hotel rooms are incredibly exciting and add to what is already a rich portfolio of children’s brands in this dedicated Land.”

For more information, visit www.altontowers.com/cbeebiesland

Rainbow Group’s Pinocchio and Friends joins CBeebies lineup

Italy’s Rainbow Group has inked an exclusive agreement with the UK’s leading free-to-air preschool channel CBeebies to broadcast its new CGI animated series Pinocchio and Friends from early 2022.

The new adaptation featuring the much-loved wooden character ranks as the most watched and top-rated show on Italian channel Rai Yoyo, which premiered Pinocchio and Friends last November.

Produced by Rainbow in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi and Toonz Media Group, the 26 x 12-minute action-comedy show retains the original values that made Collodi’s novel a timeless classic, while taking the audience on brand-new adventures set in the artfully designed, contemporary world.

The puppet is joined on his adventures by Freeda, a pirate doll always ready to board, and grumpy Talking Cricket, appointed by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair to keep an eye on them. Among old and new encounters, modern technology, and surprising twists, Pinocchio aims to take the audience on a funny journey to discover everyday little wonders and universal values such as inclusion, friendship and the power of dreams.

Rainbow’s Founder and CEO Iginio Straffi, who devised the concept for the new show, says: “I have been waiting for the right time to bring this concept to light with the attention and quality it deserves. My new Pinocchio brings out the essence of what makes this story so inspirational while speaking to children in a light-hearted, educational show that empowers their dreams with key life values and exciting dynamics.

“I couldn’t be more delighted that we’ve partnered with top-quality broadcaster BBC to air on CBeebies for British children next year, and we look forward to seeing the series thrive.”

 

 

 

Hey Duggee series 4 gets the green light

BBC Studios and CBeebies have commissioned a fourth series of multi-award-winning hit animation Hey Duggee from Studio AKA.

Duggee and The Squirrels will return for 40 brand new episodes of the much-loved show.

Hey Duggee is a fun, inclusive and educational series devised by Grant Orchard, senior director of Studio AKA, and narrated by comedian Alexander Armstrong.

Each episode features members of the Squirrel Club exploring, learning and overcoming challenges to earn a new Badge from Duggee – making new friends along the way.

Since launching in 2014, Hey Duggee has become a six-time BAFTA and international Emmy award-winning hit on CBeebies and was the most-watched kids’ show on BBC iPlayer in 2020 with over 192 million requests. All episodes of Hey Duggee are available exclusively on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Additionally, Hey Duggee has over 1.2 million fans across its social channels and its official YouTube channel has over a billion lifetime views. Recently Hey Duggee teamed up with The Body Coach Joe Wicks for The Workout Badges series on YouTube, following on from bespoke lockdown-themed content on its social channels such as The Handwashing Badge, while The Parenting Badge, which debuted in December 2020, has had over 1.2M views.

Henrietta Hurford-Jones, Director of Children’s and Executive Producer of Hey Duggee for BBC Studios, says: “Hey Duggee is so popular with both parents and children and I’m sure they’ll be as delighted as we are that a new series is on the way. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved so far and how much people love Duggee and The Squirrels – so we’re delighted to be working with the hugely talented Studio AKA once more and can’t wait for you to see it!”

Sue Goffe, Head of Production at Studio AKA, adds: “We’re thrilled to be continuing our glorious Duggee Adventure with BBC Studios and CBeebies. A huge thank you to our extraordinary creative team for all their hard work, and to all our viewers for your continued love and support for the show. Prepare yourselves for more gems to come!”

Hey Duggee has an impressive footprint in over 150 countries with its global popularity spawning numerous licensing agreements, including Golden Bear as UK master toy partner and Penguin Books publishing under their Ladybird imprint. Recently BBC Studios secured agreements in Spain with Ypislon as licensing agent and Bizak as master toy partner, marking further growth in Western Europe.

Last year, France TV was signed as the French licensing agent for Hey Duggee and product now available in the region includes: toys from master toy Lansay; plush toys, furniture and melamine courtesy of licensee Jemini; puzzles and early learning games from Ravensburger; magazines by Milan; and books by Hachette.

HarperCollins secures exclusive world rights for Cbeebies hit show Tee and Mo

HarperCollins Children’s Books has secured exclusive world rights to publish the tie-in books for the BAFTA award-winning CBeebies hit show Tee and Mo. The deal was concluded by Juliet Matthews, Colour Publisher at HarperCollins Children’s Books, from Plug-In Media via Val Fry and Fryday Brands.

Exploring the relationship between Tee, a little monkey, and Mo, his first-time monkey mum, Tee and Mo is narrated and sung by Lauren Laverne, and is a multi-platform brand that has captured the hearts of parents and children worldwide. Featuring light-hearted storylines and catchy melodies, it has gained huge popularity since the show first aired in 2018. With an album of original music, animated original songs as well as a YouTube channel and apps, there are multiple ways for fans to engage with the brand. Series two launches in spring 2022.

The new range of colour publishing will launch in May 2022 with Are We Ready to Go?, the first in a series of paperback picture books with original stories based on BAFTA-winning animated music-video series Tee and Mo Song Time. This will be accompanied by simultaneous audio downloads of the story and the song.

“I was excited by Tee and Mo the very first time I saw it and have been following its development over the last few years,” says Juliet Matthews at HarperCollins. “Now, with a raft of creative accolades and global ambition, it’s the perfect time to launch a series of books and audio based on the original songs, sung so brilliantly by Lauren Laverne. Tee and Mo embody that wonderful and slightly overwhelming relationship between a first-time mum and her child in such a charming and funny way that you can’t help but fall in love with them.”

Dominic Minns at Plug-In Media says: “Tee and Mo has always been designed as a dual-audience brand, creating opportunities for children and their caregivers to see themselves reflected in the stories, and in doing so laugh and bond together. There has never been a more dual audience platform than picture books and it has always been our dream for Tee and Mo to find a home in print. HarperCollins has the most incredible track record in creating iconic stories that bring people together. We are incredibly honoured that they have chosen to bring Tee and Mo into their wider family of brands, and we look forward to a long relationship together.”

 

B.O.T. and the Beasties agrees publishing deal as the show’s audience grows

Award-winning merchandise, licensing and brand agency Brands with Influence has announced the signing of two new licensing partners for CBeebies show B.O.T. and the Beasties, made by Ragdoll Productions.

Leicester-based Sweet Cherry Publishing, recent winners of Small Press of the Year 2021 at the British Book Awards, is to produce a series of new book formats for the show, with the first release planned for 2022. These will include story books, picture books and creative play books utilising sounds from the episodes.

In parallel, Immediate Media has signed to run regular B.O.T. and the Beasties content in their CBeebies magazine.

“We are delighted to be welcoming two excellent new partners to the B.O.T. family,” says Martin Lowde, MD at Brands with Influence. “The series is proving really popular with the young audiences and with its colourful and eclectic range of characters there is lots of scope for a fabulous new range of books and magazines.”

Sanjee de Silva, Publisher at Sweet Cherry, explained why they were so keen to sign with B.O.T. “This brand is exactly what we have been looking for here at Sweet Cherry. It has longevity, a range of great characters and portrays the fun and educational values that we are proud to align ourselves with. Sweet Cherry’s creative teams have designed a really innovative and exciting new range for the series.”

Brands with Influence will be at BLE next month sharing more details about the B.O.T. and the Beasties licensing programme.

The Clangers announce magical musical plans

International rights owner Coolabi Group and its BAFTA award winning kids show, Clangers, are celebrating a host of musical activations for the much-loved brand including partnerships with Nordoff Robbins, Amazon (for the brand-new Clangers Talk Kids+ Edition), a licensing deal with tonies and an official Clangers album release with Grammy Award winning composer, John du Prez.

Coolabi Group has announced that Clangers will be partnering once again with music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins for a brand new interactive three part series of ‘On Stage at Home Live’.

Launching on Monday 11 October at 10am with its first session followed by two more morning sessions on 18 October and 25 October, the fun and free musical Zoom sessions for preschool children will be hosted by CBeebies presenter and performer Cat Sandion and Nordoff Robbins music therapist Emily Grimes. They will feature dancing from the Clangers and a specially created kindness song for viewers to sing, dance and learn important life skills on how to be kind.

In addition, a new version of Clangers Talk Kids+ Edition, a voice-activated Alexa Skill for Amazon, is now available. Clangers Talk originally launched in 2019 and quickly became one of Alexa’s most popular kids’ skills on the device. It allows children to communicate with Clangers, who respond with whistles and songs, and now includes popular nursery rhymes and Clangers audio stories.

The brand new Clangers figurine from audio box company tonies is now available, with six magical stories voiced by Clangers narrator, Sir Michael Palin. The Clangers tonie is available from selected toy retailers, bookshops and the tonies website.

‘The Clangers Album’ by award winning composer John Du Prez, featuring the magical sounds of the Little Blue Planet, has been released on the Ocean Music label, and is available to buy in all high street and online music shops. John Du Prez has produced 18 magical tracks on the 12” LP version, available in a choice of pink and blue vinyl, and an extra four bonus tracks for the CD and digital download.

Jeremy Banks, CEO of Coolabi Group said: “We are absolutely over the moon to be announcing these brand new Clangers partnerships and product releases which celebrate all the fantastic music and sounds that make Clangers so magical and unique.“

Bluey tops the ratings on CBeebies and iPlayer during first month on its UK free to air home

Bluey has been named the top rating programme on CBeebies in April, the same month that the popular preschool series launched to its free to air home in the UK.

The series also become the number one show in its time slot for 0 to six year old children, and its episodes constitute the top five most requested CBeebies episodes on the BBC iPlayer. So far throughout May, Bluey represents nine of the top ten most requested episodes on CBeebies.

Henrietta Hurford-Jones, executive producer for Bluey and director of children’s content partnerships at BBC  Studios, said: “Working with Ludo and ABC on Bluey is a joy and a privilege, and seeing audiences worldwide respond so positively to the warmth, humour and authenticity of the show is immensely rewarding. The degree to which the CBeebies audience has now embraced Bluey too is equally incredible.”

Bluey has been winning the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018, and the show is fast becoming a global hit. In its home market, Bluey was the number one children’s programme on metro broadcast television in 2020 and is the number one series ever on ABC iview with over 480 million views across series one and two.

In addition to winning over audiences worldwide, Bluey has scooped up multiple awards, such as the  International Emmy Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool category last year. The accolades have continued into 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February.

Multi-award winner Bluey follows a six year-old Blue Heeler dog who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures. Bluey is produced by the multi-Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC Kids Australia and is co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios.