CBBC Unveils Three New In-house Commissions
Children’s BBC (CBBC) Productions has revealed details of three upcoming new factual and entertainment commissions.
The first is Dick And Dom’s Absolute Genius, a 10x30-minute series executive produced by Newsround editor Owenna Griffiths, in which the popular CBBC presenters investigate the work of important inventors and scientists in history.
According to the Beeb, the show “takes the CBBC audience on a fun, irreverent, fact-laden, explosion filled journey into our past and future. From Da Vinci to Galileo, from Brunel to Stephenson, this series will explore their amazing work and conduct experiments on inventions and scientific theories.”
Next up is another 13x30-minute commission called DareDevils. Executive produced by Simon Marsh, kids’ families and friends are set challenges by the ‘DareDevil’ to win money-can’t-buy prizes. “The DareDevil will research his contestant’s family and friends, digging deep to uncover their passions, likes, dislikes, phobias and fears and will then craft a devilish dare for each individual. This is chaos and calamity with heart, testing whether contestants’ families will go that extra mile and face their fears to help them win a prize.”
CBBC’s in-house production team has also secured a two series deal for factual series Earthshock, executive produced by Gurdip Bhangoo, which fuses experts, experiments and personal testimonies, showing the true power of planet Earth. “From hurricanes to earthquakes, from tsunamis to lightning strikes, Earthshock will show children what it would be like to experience nature’s most destructive forces. Shot on location, Earthshock presenters travel the globe to tell the stories and science behind extreme weather & natural events.
Head of CBBC Productions Helen Bullough says: “We're really excited about these latest commissions - they're fresh and different in their subject matter and approaches, and in tune with what fascinates and entertains our young viewers. They underline the team's commitment to bringing fresh talent to the channel as well as delighting kids by developing established presenters like Dick and Dom in new ways.”
All three shows have been developed by CBBC Productions' in-house development team, led by Creative Director Bill Hobbins. They were ordered by former Children’s Controller, Damian Kavanagh, and will all broadcast next year.
