ABC3 / ABC4KIDS / ABC NEWS 24: 2014 highlights

The final look at ABC TV’s upcoming highlights for 2014 covers kid’s content on ABC3 and ABC4KIDS as well as returning titles to ABC News 24.

These includes a list of Live Action, Animation and Factual content for the kids’ channels.

ABC3:
BLUE ZOO
BLUE ZOO gives eight remarkable teenagers, four from Australia and four from Ireland, the chance to take over an Australian marine park. Mentored by dolphin and seal trainers, a marine vet and local rescue agencies, the teenagers will learn how to train and care for dolphins and seals, help with marine rescues and rehabilitate injured marine life. The ultimate challenge will be to put their training to the test and design a brand new dolphin and seal show that communicates THEIR message of conservation to the world. BLUE ZOO… A remarkable story, showcasing young people’s ingenuity and care for our world. Air Pig Productions in association with RTE, Screen NSW and Flame Distribution.

THE WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE – AGAIN
Alex King has just had the worst year of his life. A year beset with personal disasters, embarrassments, failures and humiliation, events that have turned him into such a neurotic pessimist that he doesn’t hold out much hope for the next year either… But as he goes to bed on the eve of his fifteenth birthday he does so with the vague hope that whatever upcoming tribulations await him they can’t possibly be as bad as the ones he’s had to endure over the last twelve months… and they’re not… in fact they’re the same – exactly the same. For when Alex awakens the following morning he discovers that somehow it’s his fourteenth birthday again… time seems to have reset itself… the worst year of his life is about to happen all over again! And he’s going to have to relive every single miserable second of it. An ACTF/Reflective Pictures production in association with Screen Australian, Film Victoria and CBBC.

THE FLAMIN’ THONGS
The Big Pineapple, the Big Banana, the Big Prawn… There’s a weird and wacky tradition in Australia of turning local icons into oversized statues to attract tourists. One of the biggest is in the tiny town of Whale Bay, home to the Giant Thong. Sadly the Giant Thong is also one of Australia’s least known tourist attractions. But that may all be about to change – for all the wrong reasons. Because Whale Bay is home to the Thong family; parents Trevor and Brenda, their 12-year-old son Holden and his older sister Narelle. The weird and wonderful plans of the Thong family more often than not go chaotically awry, taking them to the brink of disaster in each episode. In these terrifying-but-hilarious moments, it’s usually up to the kids, Holden and Narelle (and their pet cane toad off-sider, Rerp) to save the day. The Thong family is the luckiest unlucky family in Australia and they’ll do almost anything to put their little offbeat town of Whale Bay on the map! Produced by Media World Productions.

BUSHWHACKED!
SERIES 2
Following the success of BUSHWHACKED! Series 1, Series 2 is bigger and better. With new co-host, Kamil Ellis, Kayne Tremills crisscrosses the country tackling 13 new wildlife missions. Kayne and Kamil travel to even more remote parts of the country, far-flung corners that BUSHWHACKED! Series 1 never got near! The two boys will save native wildlife, work with scientists in their research to understand endangered animals, experience the rites and rituals of Indigenous culture, attempt amazing stunts that have never been attempted before – and engage in some gory and gooey missions that will no doubt turn them green! A Mint Pictures production in association with ACTF.

WACKY WORLD BEATERS
A pumpkin regatta in Germany, haggis eating in Scotland, air guitar world championships in Finland, bog snorkelling in Wales and gravy wrestling in England. This isn’t just a list of weird events, this is the travel itinerary for ABC’s very own Amberley Lobo and Adelaide funnyman William Gill as they tour the globe to become WACKY WORLD BEATERS. Taking trains, planes, buses and the occasional tuk tuk to get to their destinations, Ambo and Gilly will travel through incredible backdrops to compete in as many crazy events as they can. Their ultimate aim? To find and proclaim the World’s Wackiest sport! An Active TV production in association with Film Victoria and ACTF.

MY24
AUSTRALIAN DOCO
13 X 24
MY24 is a factual entertainment format where young people chronicle the impact of a life- changing experience – expressed in their own words and using their own images. In an upbeat, visual feast of social-media inspired storytelling, MY24 is a factual series chronicling the life-changing events that have shaped a diverse and fascinating collection of young Australians. In each plot-driven episode, two individual stories are interwoven, with each of those two heroes taking us on a personal journey to relive their ‘MY24’ event and the transformational impact it’s had on their lives. An Essential Media production.

HORRIBLE HISTORIES
Series 5
COMEDY FACTUAL
20 X 24
Get ready for rotten rulers, gory battles, crazy inventions and gruesome gags galore as the award- winning HORRIBLE HISTORIES – based on the books by Terry Deary – returns. This riotous series sees the Saxon gods form an unlikely team of superheroes, the ‘Real Tudor Hustle’ reveals the cleverest con tricks by naughty criminals and a song special sees some of history’s greatest characters serenade us with tales of their lives, including a rapping cash-loving Crassus, and a very determined Rosa Parks. And if all this isn’t enough horrible history, there are also two horrible specials – Ridiculous Romance and Frightful First World War. A Lion Television production.

RETURNING AUSTRALIAN
WAC: World Animal Championships
Good Game: SP
BTN Extra
News On 3
Studio 3 Australia Day Special: The ABC3 Smackdown Games!

ABC2 4 KIDS
HOOPLA DOOPLA
In the town of HOOPLA live six extraordinary characters each with their own amazing physical skill: MIMI runs the café and looks after everyone in town while juggling muffins and milkshakes; ZIGGY, the shop keeper, does magic tricks which go in surprising directions; ZAP, the town messenger, delivers packages in the most acrobatic manner possible; BOP, Mr Fix-It, is able to lift almost anything; flexible SQUIDGIE looks after the town garden and can often be found inside a potplant, finally JANGO, the street sweeper, is always playing tricks and causing mischief. HOOPLA DOOPLA is a unique and groundbreaking show for 2-5 year olds, using physical action and comedy to drive the story. They tumble, juggle, leap and somersault in and out of trouble. However, whenever anything goes wrong – and it usually does – they always have each other to fall back on. A Beyond Production with CCTV (China).

GIGGLE & HOOT
PIRATE SPECIAL
Jimmy Giggle, Hoot and Hootabelle are back again for more fun, songs and adventures! They’ll be having a giggle and hoot every day from 8am right up until The Goodnight Hour when Hootabelle twinklifies the stars, Hoot goes on the Night Watch and Jimmy Giggle says goodnight to preschoolers everywhere. Giggle and Hoot will also present a brand new Special: The Legend of Pirate Hootbeard. Join our favourite friends as they help Hoot’s great uncle, Pirate Hootbeard, find his legendary treasure in a hootabulous musical pirate tale! YARR! An ABC Children’s Television production.

PLAY SCHOOL
PATTERNS & LET’S PRETEND
In its 48th year on air, PLAY SCHOOL aims to encourage a child to wonder, think, feel and imagine. The program features two warm, caring hosts who address the child viewer directly and personally. Into this relationship are woven the much loved cast of toys, stories, songs and activities that form the fabric of Australian children’s culture. Each program also contains a variety of play ideas with things to make and do. The audience are invited to help tell the time on the Play School clock and take a look through the Windows to the wider world, to people and places both familiar and new. Each series is developed around a theme that’s important to the preschool child’s experience and development. Look out for new series including ‘Let’s Pretend’ which celebrates the joy of imaginative play inspired by everyday situations and fantastical scenarios. Also coming up, ‘Patterns’ which explores and plays with spots, stripes and other visual patterns alongside the routines and rhythms important to a preschooler. An ABC Children’s Television production.

ELLA THE ELEPHANT
Based on the lovable book series by Carmela and Steven D’Amico, ELLA THE ELEPHANT is a bright new animated preschool show following the adventures of Ella, a sweet, kind and generous little elephant with a magic red hat. Ella loves to play and explore Elephant Islands with her friends – Tiki, Frankie and Belinda, but like any little elephant Ella’s fun adventures and attempts to help those around her don’t always go to plan. Luckily with a little imagination, teamwork and her own special ‘hat magic’, Ella solves everyday problems as her red hat transforms to help save the day.

PEG + CAT
PEG + CAT is an animated maths-based series for children ages 3-5 years old. The show follows the adorable, spirited Peg and her sidekick Cat as they embark on adventures, solve problems together, and learn foundational maths concepts and skills. In each 12 minute episode, Peg and Cat face A REALLY BIG PROBLEM, a messy funny crisis they must somehow solve without totally freaking out!

BLUE KANGAROO
Based on the bestselling books by Emma Chichester Clark, BLUE KANGAROO is the story of Lily and her soft toy friend Blue Kangaroo. Through all of Lily’s daily troubles, whether it be tantrums or showing off or over-worrying, Blue Kangaroo helps out! He thinks about what has happened, asks us what we think we can do to help and then he will do it. ‘Blue Kangaroo’ takes a very different approach to many of today’s preschool shows, focusing on the behavioural aspects of the development of preschoolers. Produced by Wish Films and Studio Distract.

DRIFTWOOD BAY
Lily is 5 years old and lives on the Island of Arranish with her dad. They live on the beach in a little hut packed full of jars, knick-knacks, driftwood and some very special friends… all made by Lily from salvage washed up by the sea. Across the way is DRIFTWOOD BAY – another island that Lily can see from her window – and it is here that the characters that Lily has created in her imagination come to life. Every day the sea washes up a new treasure which sparks Lily’s imagination about what might be happening on Driftwood Bay. And so, accompanied by her friend Gull, the clever seagull, an adventure begins as they head off ‘across the way to Driftwood Bay’.

BOJ
BOJ is a free-spirited boy – full of creativity and messy fun! Since popping up as the new kid in Giggly Park, Boj has made a load of new buddies. Everyone loves his zest for life and adventurous spirit. And Boj loves his new neighbourhood too. There’s always something to discover and a problem to solve using his upside-downy, inside-outy, topsy-turvy way of seeing the world! Boj is a Bilby – a rare bandicoot from the Australian Outback. He’s burrowed to Giggly Park with his parents Mimi and Pops and they now live in a simple, quirky underground burrow at the centre of this cosmopolitan community. Life in Giggly Park is way more sophisticated than in the Outback. And life above ground is very different to below ground, so Boj has a unique perspective. His ‘out of the box’ creative thinking provides solutions to even the messiest of problems! Boj shows his buddies how to play the Boj way with his ‘Boj-a-boom’ ideas!

BING BUNNY
Based on the books by author Ted Dewan, BING BUNNY celebrates the realities, learning and adventure of being a preschool child. BING BUNNY dramatises real-life experiences, and celebrates mishaps, mess, energy and wonder with his saying, “It’s A Bing Thing!” Bing also teams up with his best friend – a character called Flop. Each episode of the show will offer a ‘micro drama’ that explores what life is really like for preschoolers and the grown-ups in their lives – from taking a bath to making a smoothie.

RETURNING SERIES
Bananas In Pyjamas
Australian/Animation
Mike The Knight
UK/Animation 52 X 12’
Mister Maker Around The World
UK/Live Action 26 X 19’
Octonauts
UK/Animation 22 X 11’
Peter Rabbit
UK/Animation 30 X 11’ + 2 X 22’ Specials
Peppa Pig
UK/Animation

ABC NEWS 24
RETURNING SERIES
ABC News Breakfast
Afternoon Live
Asia Pacific Focus
Big Ideas
Capital Hill
Future Forums
Grandstand
Mornings
News Exchange
Newsline
Offsiders
One Plus One
State to State
The Drum
The Quarters
The World
The World This Week
Weekend Breakfast