New specials for Caillou and Denis
and Me headline animation slate, alongside new series
Lucas the Spider and Summer
Memories
Exciting new live-action series Ruby &
the Well and Take Note, plus new season of
fan-favourite Holly Hobbie,
join previously announced greenlights for Malory Towers
and The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy
TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - WildBrain Television, one
of Canada's most-loved kids' and
family broadcast networks, is pleased to announce a robust and
diverse slate of partnerships with Canadian producers for seven new
greenlights across animation and live-action, adding to three other
Canadian series announced earlier this year. Exclusive to WildBrain
Television in Canada, the new
titles will premiere across our suite of channels beginning this
October and continue rolling out through 2022. The new slate of
programming features something for every member of the family to
enjoy, including animated comedy, new kids & family dramas and
ground-breaking preschool content.
![Caillou Specials – Five 45-minute WildBrain original specials in CG animation, set to begin airing on Family Jr. in summer 2022. (CNW Group/WildBrain Ltd.) Caillou Specials – Five 45-minute WildBrain original specials in CG animation, set to begin airing on Family Jr. in summer 2022. (CNW Group/WildBrain Ltd.)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1606164/Caillou_1.jpg)
Leading the animation roster are five new WildBrain original CG
specials for Caillou, marking the first new long-form
content for the beloved preschool brand in almost a decade. Young
kids will also be delighted by Lucas the Spider (Fresh TV),
a new CG-animated series about a curious and cute four-year-old
arachnid, based on the popular YouTube shorts. Likewise, YouTube
hit Denis and Me (Headspinner Productions) sees four new
specials greenlit, following WildBrain Television's order for
season two of the series earlier this year. Also, the brand-new
series Summer Memories (Aircraft Pictures, A&N
Production and YETI Farm Creative), chronicles the sweet, funny
friendship of Jason and Ronnie as Jason looks back on the most
pivotal summer of his life.
Heading up WildBrain Television's live-action lineup are two new
family series: Ruby & the Well (Shaftesbury), which
explores the wonder that follows a girl's discovery of a mystical
source of wishes, and Take Note (Lambur Productions),
tracking the fictional roller-coaster life of a talented musical
teenager competing in a Hollywood
reality show. Also newly greenlit is season three of the
award-winning tween-favourite, Holly
Hobbie (Aircraft Pictures). These new series and
seasons join previously announced greenlights for 26 new episodes
of Malory Towers (WildBrain & BBC), and The Fabulous
Show with Fay and Fluffy (Lopii Productions), which teaches
preschoolers about the importance of inclusivity and kindness.
Katie Wilson, VP, Channels and
Content, WildBrain Television, said: "We're delighted to partner
with such a talented, diverse group of producers and creators,
reflecting our deep commitment to commissioning best-in-class
Canadian content. These greenlights and renewals, feature an
exciting mix of animated and live-action content, building on our
network's promise to offer Canadian families a place to share
compelling and entertaining stories together."
ANIMATED GREENLIGHTS
Caillou Specials – Five 45-minute
WildBrain original specials in CG animation, set to begin airing on
Family Jr. in summer 2022.
Adored by preschool kids 2-5, Caillou chronicles the
daily life of an imaginative and curious four-year-old boy, who –
like most preschoolers – is learning and growing a little more each
day and doesn't usually get things right on the first try, despite
his best efforts. Thankfully, he is supported and encouraged by his
parents, friends and neighbours to never give up and keep pursuing
his goals until he succeeds. Together, these supporting characters
in Caillou's life serve as a calm and comforting presence, a gentle
guiding hand leading him to new understandings and discoveries. The
stories chosen for these stand-alone specials are to be enjoyed as
family-friendly events throughout the year: Christmas, Halloween,
Family Day, Summer Vacation and even tackling the important topic
of bullying for National Anti-Bullying Day.
Lucas the Spider – Twenty-six
22-minute CG-animated episodes, produced in association with Fresh
TV and WexWorks Media, premiering on Family Jr. in fall 2021.
Based on the smash-hit YouTube shorts loved by kids and families
around the world, Lucas the Spider is a brand-new series
that features a happy, inquisitive, impossibly cute jumping spider
who lives in a big, bright house in a city across from a park.
Lucas' passions are to spread love, live in the now and explore his
world – and that's exactly what he does, with the help of his group
of best friends.
Denis and Me – Four 11-minute
2D-animated specials produced in partnership with Headspinner
Productions, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, will be
airing on Family Channel in fall 2021 alongside season two of the
popular series commissioned earlier this year.
For kids 6-11, Denis and Me follows the imagined
adventures of Denis and his chaos-magnet sidekick cat, Sir Meows A
Lot. Denis is friendly and super positive, an upbeat kid who loves
to laugh, mostly at himself and Sir Meows A Lot. He has a big heart
and is both highly excitable and highly entertaining. Through his
misadventures with Sir Meows A Lot, viewers will see that it's okay
to be awkward, to make mistakes, to try again, to push yourself out
of your comfort zone and to always stand up for your best
friend.
Summer Memories – Twenty 22-minute
2D-animated episodes produced by A&N Productions, Aircraft
Pictures and Yeti Farm Creative, with the financial support of the
Canada Media Fund and Shaw Rocket Fund, will begin airing on Family
Channel in summer 2022.
For kids 6-12, the brand-new series Summer Memories
follows the adventures of best friends Jason and Ronnie as Jason
looks back on the most pivotal summer of his life (which was just a
few weeks ago). This is Jason's summer of change…and he fears
change. Lucky for him, he has charismatic, life adventurer Ronnie
at his side. Created by veteran animator/producer Adam Yaniv, Summer Memories transcends time,
space and memory - the good and the bad - as it chronicles Jason
and Ronnie's sweet, fun-filled relationship.
LIVE-ACTION GREENLIGHTS
Ruby & the Well – Ten
44-minute live-action episodes produced in partnership with
Shaftesbury, with the support of the Shaw Rocket Fund, set to
launch on Family Channel in winter 2022.
In the brand-new family drama, Ruby & the Well,
Ruby O'Reilly and her father Daniel
are ready for a fresh start when they arrive in their new hometown
of Emerald. Emerald had a glorious history, but all that's left now
is a hollow echo of its past. That's when the mystery and intrigue
begin. After Ruby discovers a magical well, she starts to change
the lives of the people of Emerald. Wish-by-wish, the power of the
entire town grows behind her. As the town mends, so do Daniel's and
Ruby's hearts. However, when an outside force threatens the town,
it's unknown if the goodwill Ruby has planted will be enough to
take on the biggest challenge they've ever faced.
Take Note – Ten 22-minute episodes
produced in partnership with Lambur Productions, with the support
of the Shaw Rocket Fund, will be premiering on Family Channel in
winter 2022.
Exploring the roller coaster of a reality show in a fictional
setting, the brand-new series Take Note follows Calvin Richards, a talented 14-year-old singing
prodigy, whose wonderful, close-knit family can survive anything,
as long as they're together. Which is a good thing because Calvin
was picked to compete on a tween singing reality show and they're
going to spend the summer navigating the crazy ups and downs of
Los Angeles, California.
Holly Hobbie
– Season 3 for the award-winning tween series rolls out
on Family Channel beginning fall 2021, with ten 22-minute episodes
produced by Aircraft Pictures in association with Cloudco
Entertainment and WexWorks Media, and produced with the financial
support of the Shaw Rocket Fund and Hulu.
A dreamer and a doer, Holly
Hobbie has lived her whole life in the small town of
Collinsville. Holly's a teenaged singer-songwriter who's got her
best friends and close-knit family by her side, but she's dreaming
of ways to save the world – even if it's starting in her own
backyard. In Season 3, Holly launches a social media career to help
pay for her Dad's medical bills when he is hurt in an accident. At
first, Holly loves her newfound fame: she's gaining followers,
making money and is her own boss. But she soon realizes the
influence she has on her younger fans and discovers that with great
fame comes great responsibility. Over the course of the season,
Holly finds herself torn between friends, family, her boyfriend and
her music career all at once. Can she be a supportive friend if she
is truly dedicated to her music career? Can
Holly break out as great musician if she's held back by her
life in Collinsville?
Malory Towers – Twenty-six 22-minute
episodes, produced by WildBrain and King Bert Productions in
association with CBBC, airing on Family Channel beginning in fall
2021.
Set in the late-1940s on the sun-drenched cliffs of the Cornish
coast, Malory Towers explores the nostalgic world
of midnight feasts, lacrosse, ghost stories and lasting
friendships. For a modern pre-teen audience, the show is both
aspirational and inspirational because of the autonomy the girls
have over their daily lives. Trusted to roam the school grounds on
their own, our characters enjoy independence, freedom and
responsibility for their own time. In the new instalments of the
popular show, Darrell Rivers and the
North Tower girls are excited to return to Malory Towers, their
beloved school. The new term brings new drama, new faces and new
adventures!
The Fabulous Show with Fay and
Fluffy – Twenty-six 11-minute episodes for
kids 3-6, produced by Lopii Productions, with the support of
the Shaw Rocket Fund, are set to begin airing on Family Jr. in
early 2022.
With some big wigs and glamorous outfits, drag entertainers Fay
and Fluffy's goal is to share the message of inclusivity with
preschoolers, cheering on children to be proud of who they are and
be kind to one another. Filmed before a live studio audience of
preschoolers, each episode of The Fabulous Show with Fay and
Fluffy features a reading from a favorite picture book and
lively discussions about themes such as celebrating uniqueness;
sadness and loss; self-esteem and expression; making mistakes and
moving forward; sharing; and much more.
For more information, please contact:
Siobhan Girvan
Communications Coordinator – WildBrain Television
416-977-7290
siobhan.girvan@wildbrain.com
About WildBrain Television
WildBrain Television is composed of Family Channel, Family
CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino. Dedicated to making screen time
family time, WildBrain Television delivers best-in-class
programming that appeals to Canadian families. WildBrain Television
is home to world-renowned series and specials including The
Next Step, Ultimate Tag, Miraculous: Tales
of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Just Add
Magic and Trolls: The Beat Goes On.
SOURCE WildBrain Ltd.