Television Programme Previews

Have you ever wondered what is going to happen in the next episode of your favourite TV programme, well now you may have the chance or want to know what is new and coming up on Children's television. Please visit this page regularly as new programmes will be added all the time.

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Ultimate Sports Day Storms out of the Blocks on CBBC

Sports Day is about to be taken to a whole new level as elite sport stars Christian Malcolm, Barry McGuigan, Dean Macey and Sinead Kerr encourage a selection of the UK’s finest young athletes to taste sporting glory in CBBC’s landmark new sports series Ultimate Sports Day (tx New Year, 2012). They are joined by Olympians Amy Williams, Phillips Idowu, Louis Smith, Kelly Sotherton and British Olympic hopeful Harry Aikines-Aryeetey to test the teenagers and help foster the nation’s future medallists.

Transmitting in the run-up to London 2012, the 11x30min series is filmed at Scotland’s state-of-the-art Ravenscraig sports centre, and sees four teams of four young athletes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run, jump, shoot and ride their way to become the Ultimate Sports Day champions.       

Transmission starts on Saturday 28th January on BBC Two and CBBC.

ULTIMATE SPORTS DAY: EPISODE 1

Saturday 28th January

BBC TWO/CBBC

‘Ultimate Sports Day’ is a brand new sports-based competition for the best young athletes in the UK. Presented by Newsround and BBC Sports presenter Ore Oduba the show aims to inspire the next generation of potential Olympians.

350 of Britain’s best young sports stars aged between 12 and 16 applied, 78 made it to boot camp but only 16 make the finals and represent their home nation: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Each team is mentored by a high-profile sports star in their quest to become Ultimate Sports Day champions. Decathlete Dean Macey mentors the English team, boxer Barry McGuigan mentors Northern Ireland, ice dancer Sinead Kerr mentors Scotland, and sprinter Christian Malcolm mentors Wales.

The teams face a variety of sports-based games designed to test their core skills of speed, strength, agility and control, overseen by leading sporting psychologist Professor Greg Whyte.

The series follows the kids’ journeys from the demanding team selection process to the round robin tournament as nation faces nation, through to the nail-biting team finals.

In the opening episode, boot camp gets underway and the search begins. 78 youngsters start the competition but only 32 will remain by the end of the episode!

ULTIMATE SPORTS DAY: EPISODE 2

Saturday 4th February

BBC TWO/CBBC

There are tears of joy and sorrow when 32 become 16 as the rigorous boot camp continues and things get tough as the mentors narrow down their teams in Ultimate Sports Day.

Mentors Dean Macey, Barry McGuigan, Sinead Kerr and Christian Malcolm face some difficult decisions in selecting their team members to represent the four home nations. The competitors face a variety of sports-based games designed to test their core skills of speed, strength, agility and control, overseen by leading sporting psychologist Professor Greg Whyte.

But who will make it through to the finals of Ultimate Sports Day?

SONY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION NOW AVAILABLE ON VIRGIN CHANNEL 193
 
Channel now available in 13.8 million UK households
 
Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has concluded a carriage agreement with Virgin Media to provide its UK channel, Sony Entertainment Television. The service began broadcasting from 6am this morning on channel EPG 193 to Virgin Media’s 3.8 million subscribers on its basic package, TV M+.

The channel is also available on Sky Channel 157.

NEW CONTENT!

New movies coming to Sony Entertainment Television in January include Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Superbad and Mystic Pizza.  See below for individual TX dates.

We also have more BRAND NEW episodes of US crime drama Crossing Jordan Season 3, Strong Medicine Season 3 and Las Vegas Season 2.

LAZY SUNDAY VIEWING
Sunday afternoons are for one thing and one thing only; so kick back and relax as Sony TV have double bills of your favourite period adaptations lined up every weekend throughout January. Cosy up on the sofa, grab a duvet and immerse yourself in the fancy period costumes, the romance and scandal in Tess of the D'Urbervilles (New Years Day, 2pm), Vanity Fair (8th Jan, 4.55pm) and Jane Eyre. (29th Jan, 5.05pm)

SUPERBAD
Don't miss the hilarious comedy Superbad (Mon 23rd, 9pm), following the calamities of best friends and high school misfits: Seth and Evan (Michael Cera & Jonah Hill). After setting themselves the challenge to hook up with their dream girls before they graduate, the two friends spend a disastrous night discovering that overcoming their separation anxiety is going to be harder than getting the girls.

MORNING COMEDY
Start your day with a chuckle or two with Sony TV’s morning line up of US comedies. Join Dave, Jimmy and Matt in Newsradio every morning at 7am for a double bill of office antics. Stay tuned for the chaotic relationship that is Ned & Stacey at 8am. Then at 9am, don’t miss sports journalist P.J Frankin in My Boys, followed by the trials and tribulations of marriage in ‘TIl Death at 10am. Every weekday morning from 7am.

NEW MOVIE DATES
Superbad – 9pm, Monday 23rd; 12.15am, Tuesday 24th Jan
Mystic Pizza - 9pm, Monday 30th Jan

COMEDIAN DAVE LAMB PLAYS ‘PEEKA’ WITH THE PIPLINGS IN CBEEBIES’ ALL NEW WAYBULOO

Cult TV narrator Dave Lamb is floating into the wonderful world of Nara, adding his distinctive, dulcet diction to the brand new series of Waybuloo from Monday, January 9th.  This special new spin off from the hugely popular series will feature Dave narrating each eleven minute episode of the Piplings’ adventures in his own inimitable and humorous way.

Waybuloo, a unique mix of animation and live action, is an innovative approach to pre-school programming focusing on children’s emotions.  It transports children to Nara, a live-action world inhabited by adorable animated characters called Piplings who embody a range of emotions such as Love, Wisdom, Happiness and Harmony. In these new shorter episodes, Dave Lamb will guide children and parents to Nara, sharing adventures and solving problems with the animated Piplings.

Currently delighting on the CBeebies Bedtime Hour, the Piplings – Nok Tok, Lau Lau, Di-Li and Yojojo - will continue to explore the beautiful world of Nara in the New Year, playing games and sharing adventures.  And as ever, the friendly creatures of Nara are on hand to help the Piplings teach children about friendship and co-operation such as the Narmole, The Jumpbug and the Crawly Caterpillar.

Controller of CBeebies Kay Benbow says: “We’re thrilled to welcome Dave to the channel in this delightfully clever extension of the ever-popular Waybuloo.  This new version adds a refreshing dimension to the series and will enhance the viewing experience for both children and parents alike”.

A huge hit in the UK, Waybuloo helps children explore emotions and relationships by taking them on a journey through stories of co-operation, friendship and enjoyment. The series is set in a mesmerising place; a land of happiness and laughter that’s home to the Piplings. When Nok Tok, De Li, Lau Lau and Yojojo are truly happy they achieve Buloo, a warm feeling of emotional harmony that is experienced as flotation.

Waybuloo currently airs in 80 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Italy.  It is produced by The Foundation, part of Zodiak Kids and Decode Entertainment for the BBC.

Rastamouse

CBEEBIES

Rastamouse the cool, crime-fighting, mystery-solving mouse, voiced by actor and BBC Radio 1 star Reggie Yates, returns in a special festive episode on CBeebies.

Rastamouse and the Easy Crew are called in to investigate some strange goings on.  There’s a missing evergreen tree, missing coloured lights and a mouse stocking up on chocolates and string.  As excited orphans wait for some real snow to fall the Easy Crew must find a bredda who's been distracted by a celebration of love an' carin'.

The Adventures of Abney and Teal

CBeebies  
  
Ep: 20 There’s festive fun and excitement in a special Christmas episode of Abney and Teal. With Christmas fast approaching, Abney and Teal search all over the Island to find the perfect tree to put their presents under. They aren’t having much luck, but Bop has a surprise in store.

Ep 21: It’s time for some winter adventures in a special episode of Abney and Teal this week. A thick blanket of snow covers the Island where Abney and Teal live, in the middle of a frozen lake. Abney and Teal are very excited and go out to play… but they can’t find Neep anywhere to join in the snowy fun!

Timmy Time

CBeebies  

  
Timmy, the adorable little lamb, returns with a special bumper Christmas episode full of festive fun.
 
It's Christmas Eve at the Nursery and Timmy and his friends are very excited!

Justin’s House
CBeebies  

There’s tinsel and misteltoe this week in Justin’s House as Christmas is approaching.

Robert and Little Monster are trying to get Justin’s House ready for Christmas. There are decorations to put up, and food to prepare. Justin tries to help, but only succeeds in feeding the Christmas Stockings to moths, burning the Christmas Pud and spoiling Twinkle, the Christmas star. Things get even worse when he tries to wrap a present for Santa!

The Top Names in British Sport Join Forces with Olympic Hopefuls of the Future  To Take Part in CBBC’s Ultimate Sports Day

Elite sportsmen and women Amy Williams, Kelly Sotherton, Phillips Idowu and Christian Malcolm are among the top names in British sport who are encouraging a selection of the finest young athletes in Britain to taste glory in CBBC’s landmark new sports series Ultimate Sports Day (tx New Year, 2012).

Transmitting in the run-up to London 2012, this 11x30min series is filmed at Scotland’s state-of-the-art Ravenscraig sports centre, and will see four teams of four young athletes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run, jump, shoot, paddle and ride their way to become the Ultimate Sports Day champions.       

Hosted by Ore Oduba (BBC Sport and CBBC’s Newsround presenter), each episode will test the teams’ sports skills through a series of specially-devised ‘Ultimate Events’ such as the breathtaking Skywalker and the bouncy Bungee Basketball.  Sourced with the help of the Youth Sports Trust, the young athletes’ stories will have their progress followed from their first sports trial through to the two finals and the crowning of the winning team.

All four teams will be mentored by some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars: decathlete Dean Macey for the England team; seven times British Champion Ice Dancer Sinead Kerr for Scotland; Team GB sprinter Christian Malcolm will be flying the flag for Wales; while Northern Ireland are being led by former World Featherweight Boxing Champion Barry McGuigan.  The mentors and the contestants will all be competing under the watchful eye of top sports Professor and trainer Greg Whyte – who guided Eddie Izzard and David Walliams in their running and swimming marathons for Sport Relief.

As well as the mentors the series will feature a host of top sports talent including Team GB Olympian Triple Jumper Phillips Idowu, current men’s gymnastics star Louis Smith, former Team GB heptathlete and current 400 metres runner Kelly Sotherton and Winter Olympics gold medalist Amy Williams.

“Ultimate Sports Day is a wonderful opportunity for elite sports stars to help and showcase young people in sport,” says Ore Oduba.  “This is about celebrating young sports stars and testing their mettle to see what it takes to be the best.  These competitors are some of the finest young athletes the nation has to offer but it’s not just about their sporting ability.  The challenges are designed to test their minds and temperaments as well as their ability to work as a team to see if they what it takes to taste Olympic glory in the future.”

Ultimate Sports Day is currently in production in Scotland and will premiere on CBBC early 2012 – to coincide with the run-up to the Olympics. Executive Producers for the series are Steven Andrew and Simon Parsons for The Foundation and Kez Margrie for CBBC.  Ultimate Sports Day is created by Jonathan Marks from MTC (UK) Ltd and the Series Producer is Steve Pinhay for The Foundation.

Ultimate Sports Day is produced by The Foundation Scotland, part of Zodiak Media Group for CBBC.  Zodiak Kids holds worldwide rights to the series.

Tati’s Hotel

ITV1

Saturdays, 7.10am

www.tatishotel.com

Shiver me timbers and hoist the mainsail on Saturday 13th August, when Helen Griffin (Doctor Who, Little White Lies) checks in to Tati’s Hotel as the swashbuckling Bonnie Bluebeard, a charismatic female pirate. Mr Snapweazle isn’t terrible keen to welcome her as he’s dealt with pirates before and he objects to their singing and swinging from the chandeliers but Tati insists she should make herself at home in her special cabin room. Bonnie proves to be a fun, adventure loving pirate when she pulls a treasure map from her pocket and guess what! X marks the spot and it’s right in Tati’s Hotel.  But who will be the first to find the gold?

Eight -year-old Tati may look like a normal girl but she has a very unusual job.  For Tati is the manager of her very own hotel  – a colourful, magical place staffed by young people and puppets -where the  number one rule is to have fun.   As guests from all around the  world – and beyond - come through the revolving doors, Tati and her team  dedicate themselves to making them welcome.  Providing snobbish assistant manager Mr Snapweazle (Tom Turner) doesn’t get to them first.

Made by Cardiff-based Machine Productions and Toronto-based Screen Door, Tati’s Hotel is a co-production for CiTV  in the UK and Canada’s TVO.  The director is Delyth Thomas (Tracy  Beaker, The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury, Holby City) and the  producers/exec producers are Jane Dauncey, Jane Steventon, Heather Haldane  and Mary Young Leckie.

Viewers can play along with Tati and her friends on the iPhone and iPad with Tati’s Hotel Magic Muddle.

The Foundation and CBBC put their Stamp on Postcode as filming starts on Tony Marchant’s first drama for children

Production has started on Postcode – a contemporary, urban drama reflecting the realities of life for young people in Britain today. This new series will transmit later in the year on CBBC.

BAFTA-winning playwright Marchant (Holding On, The Mark of Cain, Garrow’s Law) has put pen to paper for this specially-commissioned, three-part drama, which will be filmed entirely on location in South London. Set in a neighbourhood in transition - a cosmopolitan melting pot where kids from well-heeled families live side-by-side with asylum seekers, Postcode will chart the ups and downs of a diverse set of characters as they rub shoulders on a daily basis.

Starring new talent Roger Nsengiyumva, Manpreet Bambra, Robert Eades and Sebastian Nanena and featuring Yusra Warsama (Stolen), Amanda Abbington (Case Histories) and Shaun Dooley (South Riding, Five Days), Postcode will follow the friendships and frustrations among a group of young people - from backgrounds as diverse as Somalian, Polish, Pakistani and Irish – who share a postcode but very little else. With some families facing deportation and others worrying about maintaining their family lifestyle, on the surface they have little in common.  But united by football, music and the laws of the street, the youngsters have to find a way to get along.

Executive producer Elaine Sperber said: “Tony Marchant’s Postcode is a very modern drama about the challenges of breaking down barriers to friendship and a sense of community in today’s urban Britain. It deals with some of the issues and problems that kids face in the twenty first century in a compelling but life-affirming way.”

“This is the first time Tony has tackled these big themes in a drama specifically targeted at young people and I’m delighted to announce the start of filming,” says Nigel Pickard, CEO Zodiak MEAA/UK Family and Kids.

Sue Nott, executive producer for CBBC added: “Postcode offers the CBBC audience a bold look at contemporary Britain seen through the eyes of young people. It deals with the reality of life faced by them on a daily basis, as their neighbourhoods evolve and change”.

Postcode is made for CBBC by The Foundation, part of Zodiak Media Group.  It is executive produced by Elaine Sperber, produced by Tom Mullens and directed by Stuart Orme. The executive producer for the CBBC is Sue Nott.

Laura Hamilton to Hold Viewers Captive On New Kid’s Game-Show  - Fort Boyard

Dancing on Ice finalist Laura Hamilton is gliding back onto ITV to co-present the new CiTV version of the classic adventure game show Fort Boyard. Currently the most successful adventure game show in the world, this new kid’s version of Fort Boyard will be set in the familiar setting of the majestic Napoleonic sea fort, just off the west coast of France.  Laura will co-host alongside American actor Geno Segers (Disney XD’s Pair of Kings) for the bespoke series which sees US and UK contestants compete in a thrilling quest to uncover Fort Boyard’s hidden treasure.

Filming at the famous fortification will start in the summer with the show premiering on CiTV in the UK in early 2012 and on Disney XD in the US this autumn.

“We are thrilled to be opening up Fort Boyard to kids for the very first time.” says Nigel Pickard CEO Zodiak MEAA/UK Family and Kids.  “Laura is one of the brightest and, bubbliest new stars on British TV and alongside well-known US actor Geno Segers, they both create the perfect pairing to introduce this iconic adventure show to a whole new captive audience – let the games begin!”

Fort Boyard is the most successful adventure game show in the world having sold to over 30 territories, whilst dominating France 2’s primetime summer schedule every year since 1990. Zodiak Kids, Zodiak Media Group’s children’s production and distribution arm, has joined up with Disney XD and CiTV in the UK to produce this new kid’s version of the show which will initially consist of two 10 x 30min series. 

Fort Boyard will be produced by Zodiak Media Group production companies The Foundation and Adventure Line Productions (ALP) who created the concept and have been producing the series for 22 years.  Executive producers are Nigel Pickard and Ged Allen for The Foundation, Pierre Godde For ALP and Jamila Metran for CiTV. The producer is Steve Pinhay.

Zodiak Rights hold worldwide rights to the property both finished shows and format.

CBEEBIES LIGHTS UP LITTLE LANGUAGE LEARNERS

CBeebies’ brand new online game The Lingo Show is proving a huge hit with the nation’s little language learners, attracting a massive 238,000 unique users in the week of its launch with nearly a quarter of all unique users on the CBeebies’ site visiting the Lingo Show’s games page.

The new game introduces different languages to a preschool audience.   Following the CBeebies mantra of ‘learning through play’, The Lingo Show features French, Spanish, Mandarin, Welsh, Punjabi, Urdu, Polish and Somali and celebrates the magic of language and different cultures through its collection of colourful Bug characters.

As children play online, the bugs enlist them to prepare for the ‘Big Bug Show’ where, through a series of playful activities, they can learn new words in context and then use them as they sing their hearts out to the finale song.

And The Lingo Show content doesn’t just include the game.  The proposition also features makes, audio clips and songs designed to stimulate creativity and celebrate diversity.  This additional content also attracted 136,000 unique users in the week of launch.

“We are thrilled that our Lingo Show bugs are proving such a huge hit with our little learners,” says CBeebies Controller Kay Benbow.  “We certainly don’t expect children to be fluent at the end of it but we hope they’ll have lots of fun learning about different languages and cultures.” 

The Lingo Show is a CBeebies in-house production.  It is available at www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/lingoshow/.  Currently featuring French, Spanish and Mandarin, the Welsh language game is available from March 1st with the other languages being rolled out later in the month.

CBEEBIES GOES WILD FOR ANDY’S ADVENTURES

Controller of CBeebies Kay Benbow has commissioned a new 40x15min wildlife series from the BBC’s famed Natural History Unit.  Showcasing the talents of BAFTA-nominated CBeebies presenter Andy Day and utilising the NHU’s stunning archive, Andy’s Wild Adventures will use the latest digital CGI and green screen technology to take Andy right into the very heart of the action and bring animal encounters vividly to life for CBeebies’ young viewers.

Andy Day is a keeper at a large, busy animal park. Every day, he does the rounds, chatting to the animals he sees along the way and doing his chores before reporting back to his trusty and curious sidekick, a puppet cat.  Although he’s a very knowledgeable keeper, Andy doesn’t have the answers to all of his feline friend’s questions, and together they decide that a Fact File mission – beyond the zoo - is what’s needed to find out more.

Armed with the kit they’ll need for their trip, Andy and his puppet pal squeeze into their high-spec, all terrain vehicle and are catapulted into the heart of a wildlife hot spot.   And so the adventure begins with Andy as the guide, and his trusted companion back at command central in the buggy…

Taking viewers where no other wildlife presenter has ever dared to go, Andy’s Wild Adventures open up a world of incredible wildlife images and jaw-dropping facts as they explore some of the wildest and most fascinating places on earth.

“Andy’s Wild Adventures is a wonderful combination of great CBeebies talent and amazing Natural History Unit expertise which will really inspire our youngest viewers to learn about animals,” says Kay Benbow.  “They’re going to be transported right into the heart of the wildlife action, without leaving the safety of their sofas!”

Andy’s Wild Adventures is is set to be transmitted on CBeebies in 2012.  The executive producer is Wendy Darke (Deadly 60) and the series producer is Charlotte Crosse.

Blue Peter's latest video POD Cast

Updated Weekly

The Blue Peter video POD Cast is an excellent way of catching up on this weeks event from Blue Peter, not one to miss!!

Cat the POD cast here at the BBC's Blue Peter's web site.

Get the low down on CITV shows

On the CITV web page you'll find information on all current CITV programs as well as web site links to the individual  shows for your to visit.