Big Top Academy to begin shooting spin-off

Apartment 11’s Big Top Academy is produced in partnership with Cirque du Soleil

Broadcasters in Canada and the UK are onboard a soon-to-be-filmed spin-off to the children’s series Big Top Academy from Montreal-based Apartment 11 and supported by the Shaw Rocket Fund.

Marney Malabar

Sony Pictures Television Networks UK channel Pop and TVOntario’s TVOKids in Canada will air Big Top Academy: School’s Out Edition (26×11′), which will begin filming this month.

The show sees the young circus artists from the series Big Top Academy staying connected during the summer break via their online school newspaper. Each episode includes segments filmed on location in and around the actors’ homes, parks, beaches and circus gyms.

“We know viewers will relate to seeing their favourite Big Top Academy characters connecting remotely,” said Apartment 11 executive producer Jonathan Finkelstein.

“It’s incredible what Apartment 11 will be able to produce while following Covid-19 production guidelines. They’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to develop Big Top Academy: School’s Out Edition and we know our audience will love it,” said Marney Malabar, director of kids TV at TVOntario.

Big Top Academy was originally produced by Apartment 11 Productions in association with Discovery Kids, TVOKids and in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil Images. The School’s Out Edition spin-off will also be streamed on Cirque du Soleil’s recently launched CirqueConnect content hub.

The series is receiving support from a consortium of partners including Shaw Rocket Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Quebec Film & Television Tax Credit.