What you should know about The Muppets
A firm fixture of family entertainment, The Muppets have been around for more than 70 years, bringing music, mischief and madness to our homes across a number of media.
From their humble beginnings on a short-form sketch show, The Muppets have gone on to become a vast media empire, which is soon to celebrate a very special anniversary.
So, with a new TV special on the horizon, we thought it was time to take a peek into this particular pack of puppets:
- Who they are
- Who created them
- When you can expect the new special in 2026
- Which celebrity guest will be joining them
And, as a bonus, we've put together a new quiz, so you can find out which of The Muppets is your puppet parallel.
Take the quiz: Which Muppet are you?
What are The Muppets?
The Muppets are a gang of puppets and marionettes featured on a variety of family programmes, known for bringing a musical twist to their variety-sketch acts. They've featured in films, television, advertisements, video games and a whole host other mediums throughout their illustrious history.
First appearing in Sam and Friends, a local TV show in Washington, D.C., this motley crew of puppets rose to prominence on Sesame Street, a children's educational programme known the world over. The Muppets would go on to host their own primetime TV show, The Muppet Show, beginning in 1976. Initially running until 1981, this saw the Muppets team up with a slew of celebrity guests to put on a musical-comedy show in their very own Muppet theatre.
Since then, The Muppets have spun off into further film and TV projects, including famous flicks like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppets Most Wanted and Muppet Treasure Island. During their tenure on screen, the Muppets have run across a who's who of famous faces from the lands of fact and fiction, such as Elton John, Michelle Obama and Ebenezer Scrooge.
Who created The Muppets?
The Muppets were created by puppeteer and director Jim Henson, first debuting in the short-form sketch show Sam and Friends in 1955. Unsurprisingly, the first of Henson's 'Muppets' to take the screen was Kermit the Frog, who has served as the group's leader and figurehead ever since.
Henson developed an interest in puppetry before studying it formally at university, inventing Sam and Friends whilst attending the latter, alongside fellow student and eventual wife Jane Nebel. After university, Henson would ply his trade in advertising and various children's television programmes, before landing a gig on Sesame Street in 1969.
During his time on the show, Henson began to introduce more of the Muppets' roster, who would also appear across other TV properties, such as Saturday Night Live. Eventually, this provided the popularity for the Muppets to strike out on their own, with The Muppet Show officially debuting in 1976, starring characters like Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear.
In addition to creating the Muppets, Henson is responsible for renowned 80s fantasy flicks such as Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, the latter of which served as an inspiration for hit TV series Stranger Things.
When is The Muppet Show 50th anniversary special released?
'The Muppet Show', a special event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the show's initial run, will premiere on 4 February 2026.
Airing on ABC and Disney+, the special sees the return of Kermit, Miss Piggy and the whole Muppet gang, as they take the stage at The Muppet Theatre once more. The special's synopsis promises music, comedy and chaos aplenty, alongside a very special celebrity guest star…
Is Sabrina Carpenter in The Muppet Show?
'Short n' Sweet' superstar Sabrina Carpenter has been announced as the celebrity guest for the upcoming 50th anniversary special of 'The Muppet Show'.
Carpenter will also serve as an executive producer, alongside famed Hollywood actor Seth Rogen, who recently won a Golden Globe for his work on 'The Studio'.
Joining Carpenter, a whole host of veteran Muppet performers will return for the special, including Dave Goelz, who performed on the show's original run 50 years ago! As well as returning performers, there will be a number of new performers joining the cast to make the special a reality.
