JAM Media has secured a commission from BBC and RTÉ for a second season of 52 episodes of BeddyByes, with Blue Ant Media handling global distribution and managing the global consumer products program.
Doubling the available number of episodes to 104, the recommission comes on the heels of increased L&M activity around the brand. The retail launch is set for October, with Moose Toys as global master toy partner and publishing with Penguin Random House Children’s Licensing, under the Ladybird imprint, and Random House Kids.
Kate Morton, senior head of commissioning at CBeebies, remarked, “BeddyByes brings together everything that makes a great bedtime watch for young children: warmth, imagination and a sense of calm. The series has created a beautiful space where little ones can relax alongside MeMo and BaBa as they prepare for sleep, and these new episodes will offer even more comforting adventures for families to enjoy together.”
Suzanne Kelly, head of children’s and young people’s content at RTÉ, added, “BeddyByes is one of the most important series in our animation offering for preschoolers. It is very difficult indeed within this fragmented and content-saturated world to produce a series that feels as if it has always been here. BeddyByes has already achieved this. In one season, it has established itself as a firm favorite with both our preschool audience and, very importantly, their parents. BeddyByes is pitched perfectly and delivers a beautifully crafted warm hug of a series. So much thought and development has gone into this IP, and BeddyByes 2 promises to open up a whole new world of adventures in the Wild Patch and aboard the GoGo Sub.”
John Rice, CEO and co-founder of JAM Media, added, “BeddyByes was created from a simple idea: to make a program that captures a young child’s imagination while respecting the particular rhythm of the end of their day. The response to the first series has shown us how strongly that idea has connected with children and families.”
Season one landed with Disney Jr. in the U.S. and Disney+ globally. Broadcast partners also include YLE in Finland, NRK in Norway, and ABC in Australia.
BeddyByes was produced in Belfast with funding from Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland.
