CBBC

Event report: An evening with the Chuckle Brothers

The Chuckle Brothers with Louis Barfe

The brothers, Paul and Barry, were interviewed on stage at Holy Trinity Church in Leeds by the author and light entertainment aficionado Louis Barfe.
 
The brothers’ father, Gene Patton, was a well-known Gang Show performer who had worked with a teenage Peter Sellers. Indeed, the brothers think that some of the characters later performed by the chameleon-like Sellers bore a striking resemblance to their father.
 

From the page to the screen

The November London Centre event – “It started with a book” – examined how books are adapted for the telly, drawing lessons from three very different projects.

The Hank Zipzer books for children – written by Henry Winkler, who played the Fonz in vintage US sitcom Happy Days – have been turned into a returning CBBC series.

Walker Productions Managing Director Helen McAleer, who had seen Winkler play Captain Hook in pantomime, was determined to make a version with the actor.

Are children being spoilt for choice when it comes to TV?

To many adults, the choice of viewing options for children is as incomprehensible as the whistling language of The Clangers. There is now a myriad of platforms, apps and subscription video-­on-demand (SVoD) services offering access to children’s shows. They include Amazon, Netflix, Freeview Play, YouView and Sky Go.

Children can watch their favourite CBBC shows, such as The Next Step, via the BBC iPlayer – or catch up with Nickelodeon brands, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, on the app Nick Play.

Crowdfunding: the future of television?

The Crystal Maze

Sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow fundraisers to outline their plans, offering investors benefits such as signed merchandise and exclusive events in accordance with the size of their donation, rather than a financial return.

Nineties game show The Crystal Maze hit headlines earlier this month when its creators launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise £500,000 to bring the show back as a live immersive experience.

The Clangers returns to television

Iconic British children's series, The Clangers, officially returned to the small screen yesterday, 46 years after the first episode aired. 484,000 people tuned in to see the reappearance of the treasured characters.

CBeebies is playing host to 52 episodes of the loveable pink creatures who live on a small blue planet. The classic, which enchanted viewers in the 1970s, has had a £5 million makeover.