Archives for December 2010

Hello!

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas and are managing to enjoy a well-earned rest (or party!) before the New Year. I have been enjoying time at home with my family which has been lovely after such a busy year! .

This year seems to have flown by, yet when I look back at all the fantastic things that have happened here at CBeebies in that time, I am not sure how we managed to cram it all in! My personal highlight of 2010 was becoming Controller of CBeebies - my dream job and a real privilege to serve our youngest viewers.

We launched some fantastic new shows this year including ZingZillas and Octonauts, which have made a real impact on TV, Online and on the iPlayer. ZingZillas is a musical feast and features some of the best musicians from around the world. We know how well young children respond to music and we are delighted that this series has gone down so well with the audience and that the website is as popular with the children as the TV programme. Octonauts is what I call "an underwater Star Trek for pre schoolers" and has been an instant hit on TV and on the iPlayer. I love it's distinctive design and the humour generated by the team of characters. We will have some new episodes in the New Year and I can't wait to see where Barnacles, Kwazi and Peso go next!

It was great to see the return of I Can Cook, Show Me Show Me, Waybuloo and Mr Maker - especially as Mr Maker got out and about to create and make with his biggest fans - the audience. I joined the production team on location in Manchester and was delighted to see how much the children enjoyed being part of the action. It was an inspiring day and I plan to make more shows which feature the most important people of all - our viewers.

The year ended with a terrific Christmas present - CBeebies was named BAFTA Children's Channel of the Year 2010 and we also won

Best Live Action Programme - Something Special

Best Presenter - Justin Fletcher ( and there will be a brand new show from Justin in Autumn 2011!)

Best Interactive - ZingZillas website

Best Pre School Animation - Timmy Time

2011 will be an exciting and challenging year for BBC Children's Department as we move to our new home in Salford Quays and we look forward to making new friends and hosting some special events in our new buildings by the Canal. We have some great new shows coming very early next year. Look out for Little Charley Bear, Rastamouse, Mr Bloom's Nursery, Dip Dap and new series' of Gigglebiz, Nuzzle and Scratch, Grandpa in my Pocket and Kerwhizz.

I do hope that you and your children continue to enjoy all things CBeebies and do let me know what you have enjoyed most on CBeebies this year - we love to hear from you.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Kay

The call came through in October to ask if I would look after this year’s CBeebies panto. Somebody try and stop me!

It’s quite rare for the CBeebies stars to meet up together so there’s much merriment. As I expected, my job was much like that of the rest of you Grown-ups; being the boring parent, reminding them to concentrate - we had a show to rehearse in between the showbiz gossip and chatter!

I knew Chris and Pui would make a great Emperor and Empress. They’ve got such a good double act going. Chris has a thousand voices to call on and Pui has got a really cheeky side to her. (I think she’d like to play the baddy one year.)

The laundry scene is probably my favourite bit. This is when Nana (Justin Fletcher) and Wishy Washy (Mister Maker) decide to wash the royal smalls. You can imagine what happens! Slapstick looks best when it’s done really simply and I enjoyed working with the actors in the basement of TV Centre to get the rhythm of that right. Justin told me that the famous panto dame Jack Tripp taught him how to fall. Justin knows you have to work really hard to make something look effortless. It’s a joy to watch him perform.

And as a northerner, the bits that really make me giggle are asides like Nana’s line, “The bus fare will cost a fortune!" when Aladdin announces he will go and seek the princess. It’s the kind of thing my Mum would say too and Justin’s delivery is perfect. Not bad for a bloke from Reading!

If you haven't seen it yet, you can catch it on iplayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbeebies and you can also watch a special behind the scenes film of what went on the day we filmed it, exclusively on CBeebies Grown-ups: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/about/pantobehindthescenes.shtml

I'd love to know what you think of it so come back when you've checked it out and post your comments on the CBeebies Blog.

Hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it!

Paul

Hello and welcome to the brand new CBeebies Blog! I’m Kay, Controller of CBeebies. It’s a wonderful job – I run the Channel and commission all the programmes and websites that you and your little ones enjoy. I want this blog to be a positive space for us to let you know what is going on here at CBeebies, preview all the amazing new shows and websites that are in production, connect with the producers and presenters of all this great content and to give you the opportunity to discuss CBeebies with us.

Here at CBeebies, we know that no one knows the audience better than you, the people closest to them, so we want to create a hotline between you and the CBeebies team. By connecting with the blog you’ll be the first to know what’s happening and why and we can listen to your opinions and give you a chance to really input into what we do here.

Right now at CBeebies we are really excited about the wonderful Christmas season we’ve got planned for you and your children. The festive schedule includes Christmas specials from many CBeebies favourites, including Grandpa in my Pocket, ZingZillas, Octonauts, Something Special and Gigglebiz. Of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without a brand new CBeebies Pantomine, “Aladdin and the CBeebies Lamp!” I managed to catch a sneak preview and can tell you that it’s funnier and more festive than ever! Oh, don’t forget the Advent Calendar on the CBeebies website – there’s a special surprise every day.

Please check it all out, and as soon as you do, let us know what you think of it here on your blog!

Best wishes and Happy Christmas to all our CBeebies viewers.

Kay

PS CBeebies got an early Christmas present recently when Gary Barlow presented us with the award for BAFTA Children’s Channel of the Year at the annual ceremony!