11 SEP 2024

BBC announced new series and global licensing deals

The company will premiere a new series of “Hey Duggee” on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer, as well as signing a global licensing deal with Ty Inc. to produce a line of Beanie Babies for “Bluey.”

11 SEP 2024

Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Linkedin
  • Whatsapp

BBC Studios Kids & Family announced that a brand new series of “Hey Duggee” will premiere on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer from September 9 and will include the show's landmark 200th episode. Series 5 will launch with nine brand-new episodes launching this September and a further 10 being released in early 2025.

The new episodes of the show, made by Studio AKA with BBC Studios Kids & Family and CBeebies, will air exclusively on CBeebies every weekday at 07.05am from September 9. The 200th episode, “The Talent Badge,” will go out on September 11, with episodes landing on BBC iPlayer every Monday.

“Hey Duggee” is a fun, inclusive and educational series for preschoolers, narrated by comedian and presenter Alexander Armstrong. The series also features Sander Jones as the voice of Duggee. Each episode features members of the Squirrel Club exploring, learning and overcoming challenges to earn a new Badge from Duggee - making new friends along the way.

Sander Jones, Director and Writer at Studio AKA, said: “It’s a great honor for us to have created over 200 episodes to date! ‘Hey Duggee’ resonates with fans of all ages and I am incredibly proud of this new series. Duggee and the Squirrels are back with more exciting, engaging and fun episodes.”

Since launching in 2014, “Hey Duggee” has become a seven-time BAFTA and international Emmy award-winning hit. It was the most streamed CBeebies show on BBC iPlayer in 2022, the third year in a row it topped the list. Additionally, “Hey Duggee” has amassed over 3.1 billion lifetime views on its official YouTube channel and over 1.3 billion streams on BBC iPlayer since launching on the platform in 2014. The series has also been successful in making a leap from screen to stage with the “Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show” tour.

Recently, “Hey Duggee” and CBeebies teamed up with IDLES and released a new version of the famous Stick Song, available on YouTube, to celebrate IDLES' headline gig at Glastonbury Festival. The song was commissioned and produced by CBeebies and is also available on BBC iPlayer. Additionally, “Hey Duggee” is part of CBeebies Rainbow Adventure, a fun-packed immersive theatrical experience for children. The guided interactive experience, which runs at Westfield London Shepherd’s Bush, includes Hey Duggee’s Clubhouse where guests can dance at Duggee’s Disco.

Additionally, BBC Studios announced that it has signed a global licensing deal with the plush toy manufacturer Ty Inc. to produce a line of Beanie Babies for “Bluey.” The landmark deal is BBC Studios’ biggest with Ty Inc. to date and will see sisters Bluey and Bingo, plus their dad Bandit and mum Chilli transformed into cuddly and collectable Beanie Baby plush toys. The new line will launch at retail stores across the U.S., Canada and Latam, UK and Iberia in December 2024, and in Australia and New Zealand in January 2025.

Julie Kekwick, Head of Licensing for BBC Studios UK & EMEA stated: "We are thrilled that Bluey will now feature the iconic Ty red tags. This is our largest deal with Ty to date, underscoring the immense appeal of the hit TV series Bluey and its heartwarming characters.”

“Bluey brings joy to millions of fans around the world, exploring themes of family and growing up while celebrating imaginative play and having a lot of high-energy fun. At Ty, we share the same purpose – encouraging kids and, indeed, all our fans to imagine and to dream,” added Ty founder, Ty Warner.

“Bluey” is the #2 Preschool Toys character property in the U.S. and the #1 license in preschool in the UK for 2023. Additionally, 2023 insights revealed that in the UK alone, children aged 3-6 spent 110 million hours playing with Bluey toys.