CBeebies preps educational toon

BBC Worldwide Channels (BBCWW) and CBeebies’ in-house production team in the UK have started work on a new animated series called Numtums Adventures.

The 52×11′ series is part of an ongoing deal between BBCWW Channels and CBeebies in-house productions and follows the BBC commercial arm’s commitment to invest in programmes that encourage “children around the world to learn through play.”

BBCWW will hold commercial rights to the series, including global channel broadcast, distribution and merchandising. CBeebies will produce, with animation to be done by A Productions in Bristol.

The series will air on the CBeebies network in the UK and around the world, and is slated to debut either later this year or in 2014.

The show is aimed at four- to six-year-olds and is an evolution of a series of five-minute learning shorts that currently air on the preschool channel to help children with their numbers.

“Last year’s shortform Numtums series has performed extremely well, and we all saw great potential in the characters for further development,” said Alison Stewart, head of CBeebies production, animation and acquisitions.