ABC Commercial preschooler’s series The Wonder Gang S1 & S2 (60 x 15’) premiere on CBC (Canada) linear channeland on its streaming service CBC Gem —+400 hours of advertising-free content for kids— is part of a creative and commercial collaboration between the companies since June 2019.
The Wonder Gang is an exciting new series from the ABC commissioning team behind the global success Bluey. Willow, Whyla and Wes are the Wonder Gang – a determined team of inquisitive kids who will do whatever it takes to answer any question about amazing animals and nature, no matter how complicated! With the help of their super cute quokka pals and armed with a dazzling array of glowing gadgets and technology, the Wonder Gang are dedicated to finding out how the natural world works.
Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children’s Production, commented: ‘This ABC Children’s original production is a groundbreaking new series igniting children’s imaginations about the natural world and teaching them the art of enquiry and curiosity. It’s a powerful life skill to know how to ask questions, where to look, how to filter facts and come to a conclusion. The Wonder Gang does all of this – cleverly disguised in a big E for Entertainment format where the Wonder Gang team work together through research, observation and analysis. Our goal is to support kids all over the world to always keep wondering’.
Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids, completed: ‘We’re pleased to bring this fun and fresh series to young audiences in Canada. Canadian kids and families have been asking for more shows about science and animals, and The Wonder Gang is the perfect pairing of both from our friends and partners at ABC Kids’.
ABC Kids also announced the start of the new short form animated series, Ginger & the Vegesaurs (20x’5), produced by Cheeky Little for the ABC and France TV with the principal production funding from Screen Australia with Studio 100 on board as co-investor and international rights distribution by Studio 100 Media. It is set to premiere on ABC Kids and ABC iview in 2022.
Based on the concept created by Gary Eck and Nick O’Sullivan, and co-developed by the team at Cheeky Little, preschoolers will fall in love with the adorable and delicious new characters and entertaining storylines. The series will immerse young children in a comic and colourful alternative prehistory dominated by the juiciest and crunchiest vegetable creatures ever to rule the planet – the mighty Vegesaurs – with lead characters Ginger, a young Tricarrotops and her baby Pea-Rex buddies Minty, Wasabi and Split driving the stories.
Doherty explained: ‘This gang will take the ABC Kids audience on a hilarious and wild ride through the crunchiest period of natural history. Congratulations to Gary, Nick and the Cheeky Little Team for developing a series that kids will immediately fall in love with and quite possibly make them hungry too – in a good way’.
Lee Naimo, Screen Australia’s Head of Online, added: ‘The talented team at Cheeky Little are back with yet another lively and engaging story that is sure to appeal to kids here on ABC and around the world online. We were so impressed with the original world they’ve created in Ginger & the Vegesaurs and can’t wait to see the cute and crunchy creatures brought to life’.
Patrick Egerton, Executive Producer, Cheeky Little, concluded: ‘It’s been a wonderful journey developing and producing this completely fresh take on the dinosaur genre, packed with action, comedy and heart and we can’t wait to introduce kids to the creatures, sights and sounds of Vegesaur valley’.
Last but not least, ABC Kids confirmed the return of Bluey with new episodes. Created by creator/showrunner Joe Brumm, it is executive produced by Doherty and Henrietta Hurford-Jones, Director of Children’s Content for BBC Studios. Series 3 is a Ludo Studio production for ABC Kids with main investment coming from BBC Studios in association with the ABC and Screen Australia, as well as The Queensland Government through Screen Queensland and the Australian Government.
Premiered on November 22, on ABC Kids and ABC iview, Bluey shows the loveable and inexhaustible little six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, Mum Chilli, Dad Bandit and little sister Bingo are back with more endearing and elaborate games and adventures that are set to take Australian families by storm.
