The Famous Five return to CBBC this Christmas … so does that mean lashings of ginger beer and endless twee adventure? Not in this adaptation, which takes Enid Blyton’s much-loved books and gives them a modern edge while retaining their original 1940s setting.
First on the call sheet is Lola Blue, whose credits include The Worst Witch, and Coronation Street. Series creator Elle McNicoll says of her lead: “Lola is such a powerhouse of a leading actor”; which is apt for the character she embodies.
Addie (Lola Blue, The Worst Witch), is an 11-year-old girl in her first year of high school, who discovers her home town of Juniper used to hold witch trials centuries ago. Her research leads her to Margaret (Hattie Gotobed, Homebound) and Elinor Fraser (Ella Maisy Purvis, Malpractice), two suspected witches from 1597 who had a confusing disappearance. The more Addie researches, she starts to suspect that Elinor Fraser may be neurodivergent like her.
Long-running CBBC drama The Dumping Ground won the prestigious Centre Award for its contribution to jobs and opportunities in the region’s screen sector at the RTS North East and the Border Awards in late February.
The children’s show, which made its debut in 2013 and is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family, is set in a care home and has been filmed across the North East. The series is a continuation of the CBBC drama Tracy Beaker Returns, which was based on the novels of Jacqueline Wilson.
The show follows 16-year-old Hannah Shin (Julia Kim Caldwell), a young Canadian-Korean woman looking to connect with her heritage. She travels to South Korea to tutor at the prestigious K-pop academy OME. After catching the eye of the CEO, Hannah’s life is turned upside down, when she becomes a trainee determined with living up to her potential.
Her older brother Leo is along for the ride, as he learns to take control of his life to stop being such a slacker. A devastating family secret is also uncovered.
Nicolas Winding Refn (byNWR) and Matthew Read (Moonage Pictures) have come together to bring Enid Blyton’s classic children’s novels to the screen. Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ are comprised of George, an only child, whose three cousins, Dick, Julian and Anne come to stay at her home in Kirrin for the summer.
Although initially George is dubious about trusting these new friends, she soon learns that adventuring with them is more fun than without them. The five are completed by George’s loyal dog Timmy.
A new series, Thinkingblocks, will air on CBeebies to teach coding to preschool viewers. The programme is part of the Blocks franchise, for which there is a four-year output plan. A second series of Colourblocks has been commissioned, along with additional series of Numberblocks and Alphablocks. The programmes feature titular blocks who team up to learn essential skills, including literacy and numeracy, and are produced by Alphablocks Ltd and Blue Zoo.
The ten-part series will see Christopher Eccleston (The A Word) star as Fagin, with David Threlfall taking the role of Sir Charles Rowan, the Chief of Police. Billy Jenkins (The Crown) will star as the titular Dodger, with Saira Choudhury (Life) as Nancy.
Written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery, with a guest episode written by Charlie Higson, Dodger will follow the iconic pickpocket and his gang as they weave through London to fulfil Fagin’s light-fingered demands and avoid the hangman’s noose.
I think it’s fair to say that reporting for Newsround is a job like no other in journalism. I know John Craven and all those who’ve followed in his footsteps would agree. This week alone, I’ve gone from explaining the situation in Myanmar to revealing which celebrity was behind the sausage costume on ITV’s The Masked Singer. In case you were wondering, it was Joss Stone… all in a day’s work for a Newsround presenter.
Celebrities such as Gemma Collins, Kimberley Walsh, Bobby Berk, Courtney Act and Bruno Tonioli are set to take part, with Julie Hesmondhalgh providing the voiceover.
The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma Collins will showcase her entrepreneurial flair and give a business studies lesson, sharing advice on how to come up with a killer business idea, plus the best way to create a brand that will stand out.
