King Banana TV is producing Yakka Do!, an offshoot of the popular Yakka Dee! series, for CBeebies, with BBC Studios Kids & Family handling distribution and transmission planned for 2027.
The series features animated leads—superheroes Dee, Zee, and Bea—leading kids through live-action adventures rooted in the Early Years Foundation Stage educational framework. Bea is voiced by a deaf child actor and will be shown wearing cochlear implants, with the production team working closely with Camilla Arnold from The Deaf Set. King BananaTV is making the 60×5-minute production with BBC Studios.
“We have always been passionate about the power of well-made, well-researched content to improve children’s lives,” say King Banana’s Katie Simmons and Lotte Elwell. “Yakka Do! targets this need specifically and with care, excitement, and fun. Yakka Do! is not just overt learning; it is packed with activities that encourage language, literacy, physical development, and inspire curiosity in learning and the world around us. Every moment is specifically targeted to aid children’s development and set them up for school. We are especially excited to feature an animated deaf character on CBeebies and what this will mean to deaf members of the audience.”
Kate Morton, senior head of commissioning for CBeebies, added, “Yakka Do! with new characters Zee and Bea is set to be a firm favorite for little ones and their parents. With inspiring adventures that support early years development and promote inclusivity and kindness that are at the heart of our CBeebies community.”
Cecilia Persson, MD at BBC Studios Kids & Family, added, “Yakka Do! embodies everything we aim for in preschool storytelling, it’s joyful, playful, and full of heart, while being firmly rooted in supporting children’s development. It’s been a pleasure partnering with King Banana on this next chapter. Their creativity and commitment to meaningful, research-led content shine through, especially in the care taken in their representation of a deaf character on screen.”
Yakka Dee! consists of some 140 episodes and a popular YouTube channel. BBC Studios handles global sales for the show and runs the Yakka Dee! Toddler Learning YouTube Channel.
