Features / Bristol
10 of the best children’s television shows made in Bristol
After Blue Peter was named the best children’s TV show of all time by a Radio Times poll, it got us thinking about Bristol’s role in the production of children’s TV.
Here are just a few of our favourite shows made in Bristol:
is needed now More than ever
1. Wallace & Gromit
Wallace & Gromit wasn’t Aardman Animations’ their first foray into children’s television (see below) but it’s certainly their most successful. A Grand Day Out was first broadcast on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve 1990 and has since been followed by The Wrong Trousers, A Close Shave, The Curse of the Were Rabbit and A Matter of Loaf and Death.
2. Shaun the Sheep
First seen in A Close Shave, Shaun the Sheep proved so popular that he soon had a series to himself and later his own feature film, Shaun the Sheep The Movie released in 2015. It also led to the CBeebies spin-off Timmy Time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ero7YrRmm-A
3. Morph
Wallace, Gromit, Shaun, Timmy and the gang can all trace their history back to Morph, who was created by Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton to feature in the children’s programme Take Hart. This is Morph’s first ever TV appearance from the first episode of Take Hart, broadcast on BBC One on February 15 1977:
He’s certainly changed a bit since that first appearance:
4. The Sparticle Mystery
The Sparticle Mystery, first filmed in Bristol in 2011 and broadcast on CBBC, followed a group of ten children on a mission to save the world’s adult population. Filming locations included Castle Park, Nelson Street, Redcliffe Caves, Central Library and Troopers Hill.
5. Animal Magic
Broadcast for more than 20 years between 1962 and 1983, Animal Magic saw Johnny Morris provide the voices for various animals from Bristol Zoo.
6. Art Ninja
Filmed in Bristol locations including the Paintworks, CBBC’s Art Ninja follows presenter Ricky Martin (also creative director at Aardman) and friends including Aardman colleague Gavin Strange making a wide variety of art ideas viewers can then make at home.
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Read more: Getting to know some of Bristol’s top creatives
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7. Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures & Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures
Made using the green screen technology at Hengrove’s Bottle Yard Studios, these CBeebies shows see Andy Day travelling back in time on an educational adventure. The Victoria Rooms in Clifton also double as the National Museum in the title sequence:
8. Deadly 60
With Whiteladies Road being home to the BBC’s world famous Natural History Unit, it’s only fitting that popular CBBC show, Deadly 60, is made in the city. Presented by adventurer Steve Backshall, it aims to educate children about the world’s deadliest animals.
9. The Really Wild Show
One of the most popular children’s wildlife series of all time, The Really Wild Show was broadcast for 20 years on BBC before being axed in 2006.
10. Doctor Who
Doctor Who’s resurrection back in 2005 saw BBC Wales take the reigns. Subsequently, Bristol’s neighbouring attractions have proved popular for the production team, with locations used including Kings Weston House, Redcliffe Caves, Portland Square and St Nick’s Market.
Have we missed any of your favourites? Please let us know in the comments below.
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