Kids’ & family entertainment co. WildBrain has signed a deal to bring the witchy new animated kids’ series, Badjelly to U.K. audiences with ITV, Britain’s largest commercial broadcaster and streamer. The series is produced by New Zealand’s Mukpuddy Animation, the U.K.’s Cantilever Media and Canada’s Sphere Media.
“ITV is the perfect partner to introduce — or reintroduce — the world of Badjelly to U.K. audiences,” commented Katie Wilson, VP Global Sales & Acquisitions at WildBrain. “With a weird and wonderful story from comic genius Spike Milligan, beautiful animation from Mukpuddy, Cantilever and Sphere, and a powerhouse cast, Badjelly is an enchanting and hilarious series that ITV’s audiences are sure to fall in love with.”
Based on the book Badjelly the Witch: A Fairy Story, by renowned comedian Spike Milligan, and starring a stellar voice cast including Miriam Margolyes as Badjelly, Rhys Darby as Binklebonk the goblin, Ava Diakhaby as Rose and rising star Malachi Hall as Tim, the series aims to deliver a fresh take on the classic story that preserves Milligan’s crazy humor, bizarre situations and quirky characters from the original story.
“We’re proud to be extending our fantastic kids’ offering with Badjelly, and we’re sure our younger viewers will love spending time with these great characters when the series launches on ITV this autumn,” said Darren Nartey, Senior Acquisitions Manager, Films & Kids at ITV.
Carys Rowan, Head of Creative at Cantilever Media and Producer of Badjelly, added, “We’re delighted to partner with ITV to launch Badjelly in the UK. Spike Milligan’s legacy is a cherished part of British comedy, so it’s only right that the show finds its home here. This has been a dream project, with a team united by a vision to create funny, relatable, and visually stunning content that speaks to children in a meaningful way. We’re so proud to be part of it.”
Distributed globally by WildBrain (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Badjelly (13 x 22’) tells the exciting and hilarious story of two curious kids whose future is in the balance after their beloved cow is cow-napped. Will they be made into boy/girl soup to rehydrate the desiccated has-been, Badjelly? Or will they enlist the help of a paranoid sausage-hatted tree goblin, a rusty metal lion, an inhumanly strong worm and an ex-banana mouse to defeat evil and win a bonus giant?
Commissioned by New Zealand’s TVNZ and WildBrain Television’s Family Channel in Canada, Badjelly is produced in association with Te Puna Kairangi Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund, NZ On Air and U.K. Global Screen Fund.
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