Nick Jr. Australia Announces Plans For A Brand New In-House Produced Preschool Puppet Show Called "Didi and B"

From C21Media:

Nick Jr Oz buzzing for Didi and B

Viacom-owned Nick Jr in Australia is set to launch its latest local original production, with a short-form preschool puppet series featuring an optimistic butterfly and a friendly spelling bee.

Didi and B

Music-themed series Didi and B comes from Nick Australia’s creative director and head of production Kristie Phelan, who also executive produces, while Kala Ellis produces.

It’s the first local production of its kind for the channel since Ollie – a Muppet show spin-off created with Sesame Workshop. May 1 has been pencilled in as the TX date.

Didi will feature the butterfly and bee, which are best friends, in eight musical segments that will aim to help kids wake up, have lunch and go to bed. The episodes will features topics such as the alphabet and days of the week.

The production “fills an ongoing need for unique, locally-produced preschool content in Australia and New Zealand,” said Phelan. “This short-form series is the result of recognising the need for fresh characters for our childhood audience, not only on Nick Jr but within the wider realm of preschool edutainment.”

Jesse Whittock
11-04-2012
©C21Media

GENRES: Children's

SHOWS: Didi and B, Ollie

PEOPLE: Kristie Phelan

COMPANIES: Nick Jr, Nickelodeon, Viacom

SECTIONS: C21 Kids

COUNTRIES: Australia, New Zealand

Also from C21Media:

Disney XD picks puppet comedy

US children’s channel Disney XD has ordered a new puppet show it claimed will offer a “fresh take” on the buddy comedy genre.

Multi-camera live-action series Crash & Bernstein will follow a teenage boy whose toy puppet comes to life to give him a male foothold in a female-dominated household.

It’s a Laugh Productions will begin shooting the series, from Eric Friedman (Austin & Ally), in Hollywood next month ahead of a fall premiere. Bruce Leddy (Mad TV) directed the pilot.

“The series offers a fresh take on the typical buddy comedy and brings together an everyday kid and his ‘know no limits’ puppet as they navigate life’s adventures,” said Disney’s senior VP of original programming Adam Bonnett.

The series continues the renewed trend for original puppet-based children’s series. Yesterday, C21 reported Nickelodeon Australia would use the medium for its latest in-house series, Didi and B.

Meanwhile, UK pubcaster the BBC has been working with The Jim Henson Company on new ideas around the genre and CBBC/Henson series Me and My Monsters was sold to Italian broadcaster Switchover Media.

Jesse Whittock
12-04-2012
©C21Media

TAGS: Puppetry

GENRES: Animation, Children's

SHOWS: Crash & Bernstein, Me and My Monsters

PEOPLE: Adam Bonnett, Bruce Leddy, Eric Friedman

COMPANIES: CBBC, Disney XD, It's a Laugh Productions, Nickelodeon Australia, Switchover Media, The Jim Henson Company

SECTIONS: C21 Kids

COUNTRIES: US

Also from C21Media:

C5 takes to the air with Abby

UK terrestrial Channel 5 (C5) has snapped up a new 3D CGI series from Sesame Workshop, the latest in a spate of shows based on puppet characters.

C5 has added Abby's Flying Fairy School to its roster, and plans to launch the programme later this month on its morning Milkshake! strand.

The Sesame Workshop-produced series is the first to use CGI for a Sesame Street character, originating from a segment in that show. Created by Peter De Séve, Abby’s Flying Fairy School is about a fairy-in-training and her gang of eclectic friends.

The pick-up comes hot on the heels of Disney XD’s acquisition of multi-camera live-action puppet series Crash & Bernstein and Nickelodeon Australia’s move to add short form series Didi and B, also of the genre, to its line-up.

Elsewhere, the BBC has been working with The Jim Henson Company to develop a new Saturday night access primetime puppet series, with the latter having launched its recent Muppets movie. A sequel film is planned.

Jim Henson is also working on a children’s series based on stage musical John Tartaglia’s ImaginOcean, as reported by C21 in March. The show launched at MipTV earlier this month.

Jesse Whittock
16-04-2012
©C21Media

GENRES: Animation, Children's

SHOWS: Abby's Flying Fairy School, Crash & Bernstein, Didi and B, Sesame Street

PEOPLE: Peter De Séve

COMPANIES: BBC, Channel 5, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, The Jim Henson Company

SECTIONS: C21 Kids

COUNTRIES: Australia, UK, US