DOT TO DOT SECURES RE-COMMISSIONS FROM BBC CHILDREN’S
Skwigly
Award-winning children’s television producer, Dot To Dot Productions has secured re-commissions from BBC Children’s for two of its most popular shows, FOOTY PUPS and ART NINJA. These commissions serve to highlight the company’s success producing content for children across all age groups.
With the Euros upon us and the World Cup fast approaching, CBeebies has commissioned a second series of FOOTY PUPS (30×15’), which is dedicated to teaching children aged 3-6 basic sports skills.
Inspired by a desire to get children interested in sport and exercise from an early age, the series, focuses on the nation’s favourite game – football – and aims to encourage a new generation of sport’s stars, helping them develop key skills through fun activities and games.
Narrated by John Motson and hosted by one of England’s most capped footballers, Arsenal’s Rachel Yankey OBE, the show’s mission is to put the fun back into kids’ football and celebrate a game that’s all about passing, thinking, developing skills and playing as a team.
Commenting on the commission, Kay Benbow said: “As a passionate football fan myself, it’s great to be inspiring the next generation of players by bringing new episodes of Footy Pups to CBeebies. Rachel is a brilliant coach and presenter and I know our audience will continue to love following the adventures of the Footy Pups while learning football skills at the same time.”
Dot To Dot will also produce a third series of ART NINJA (10×30’), which has proved a huge hit since its launch on CBBC in 2015. The series will see presenter Ricky Martin, a real life animator, return to create more iconic art and epic laughs, hanging out with his friends Sarah, Gavin and Michelle and making his trademark Ninja moves.
The show couples compelling art with sitcom capers as it applies a luminous highlighter pen to make Ricky’s real life even bigger and better. Living in a cool studio flat he makes art you can copy at home with pens, paints, phones and PCs. Meanwhile he tries to avoid the distractions of an even bigger army of real life friends and family who drop by unannounced but end up part of his arty adventures.
Killingley, who created the format with Alan Robinson, said: “We are delighted that Art Ninja is returning to CBBC. It’s fast becoming an iconic brand with children and parents alike getting inspired, and discovering their inner creativity. We want to give all those Ninja apprentices more art to keep them busy and entertained, only this time bigger and better!”
FOOTY PUPS is series produced by Jo Killingley from Dot To Dot Productions and was devised by its head of development Alan Robinson. It has been re-commissioned by controller of CBeebies Kay Benbow and will be executive produced for the BBC by Catherine McAllister.
ART NINJA was recommissioned by CBBC controller, Cheryl Taylor and is executive produced by Hugh Lawton for CBBC and Jo Killingley for Dot To Dot.