BBC Children’s and Education is backing homegrown storytelling with its new commissions for CBBC and iPlayer.
The brand-new shows have everything for young audiences: an ambitious access series set in one of the UK’s best stage schools, Scottish-based teen adventure drama and the Gladiators taking the competition to the next level in mischievous ways we’ve seen before.
Brand new Epic Pranks for CBBC, from Hungry Bear Media and MGM Alternative UK, the makers of Gladiators, gives viewers exclusive access behind the scenes at the Sheffield Arena and an insight into the world of the much-loved superhumans.
Stage Stars immerses viewers in the world of aspiring singers, actors and dancers at a UK school, following a group of exceptionally talented young students balancing boarding school life with hard work to earn their place in the spotlight.
Gifted is an ambitious action adventure series set in Edinburgh, adapted from the novels by Marilyn Kaye.
The three new commissions demonstrate the BBC’s commitment to backing homegrown stories that bring families together to enjoy high quality productions and much-loved brands.
Patricia Hidalgo, director BBC Children’s and Education said: “We continue to showcase homegrown dramas and series which aim to give our young viewers an insight into the diverse lives of children, characters and settings from across the UK with unique stories to tell which will resonate with them and with their families.”
Epic Pranks is one for fans of Gladiators. Secret prankster Nitro enlists the help of his teammates as they aim to pull off some epic pranks on their fellow competitors: will Bionic wear a bunny costume at a calendar shoot for April? Will Viper fall for a fake influencer’s demands? And behind the scenes at the live Gladiators shows in Sheffield, there are even pranks on unsuspecting members of the public, as well as the Gladiators going head-to-head in games like rock, paper, scissors, and charades. And yes, of course they are just as competitive outside the arena as they are in it.
The series was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+ and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Melissa Hardinge. The Executive Producers are Dan Baldwin and Lou Brown for Hungry Bear Media, and Barry Poznick and Dom Bird for MGM Alternative UK. The original American Gladiators series was created by Johnny C. Ferraro and Dan Carr and developed by Johnny C. Ferraro.
Stage Stars is commissioned for CBBC and BBC iPlayer from Drummer Television. The 15 x 24’ series immerses viewers in the lives of young performers at a UK boarding school specialising in dance and the performing arts. The series goes behind the scenes capturing all the ups and downs, the disappointments and celebrations as the young performers face challenges both inside and outside school. It utilises the wealth of talent available to enhance storytelling within the documentary, through unique, imaginative performance in break-out moments during each episode.
The series was commissioned by Sarah Muller, senior head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+ and the executive producer for the BBC is Fiona Piper. Executive producers for Drummer Television are Tamsin Summers and Rachel Drummond-Hay.
Gifted (10 x 30’) is a new action-adventure series adapted from Marilyn Kaye’s popular novels by award-winning screenwriter Emma Reeves (The Worst Witch, Eve).
Set in Edinburgh, it tells the story of a diverse group of young Scottish teens who discover they each have unique superpowers, from telekinesis to invisibility and mind reading.
With over 3,000 Scottish children applying, Gifted has uncovered a wealth of new talent, bringing fresh faces to the screen.
Gifted is an international co-production between Glasgow-based producer Black Camel Pictures and Paris-based French producer Media Valley. The show has been commissioned by CBBC in association with NDR/ARD via One Gate Media in Germany, with additional support from Creative Scotland. VFX are provided by Lip Sync. Studio 100 International will handle global distribution.
