September 6, 2017

Second series of Clangers to air on CBeebies featuring brand new characters, sets and magical adventures

The Sound Snatcher, The Tin Bird and The Block are just some of the fantastical new friends joining the Clangers on CBeebies this September with the first 13 episodes from a brand new second series.

International rights owner, Coolabi Group, has produced 26 x 11’ episodes of the BAFTA winning pre-school animation about the loveable, pink, mouse-like creatures who communicate in whistles and eat soup from their little blue planet’s soup wells. Clangers is once again narrated by Michael Palin and the new series explores never seen before parts of the Clangers’ little blue planet.

For the first time families will be able to see Major Clanger’s Workshop, where the enthusiastic inventor’s curiosity continues to flourish. His new creations include a non-gravitational backpack and a mysterious noise machine, which only The Iron Chicken seems to be able to function, both of which cause chaos for the Clangers family.

The concept designs for Major Clanger’s Workshop’s interior were drawn up by Clangers co-creator, Peter Firmin and brought to life by the production team at Factory. Other new sets include more cosy Clangers bedcaves.

Joining the Clangers for the first time will be The Sound Snatcher, an insect-like creature which sucks up music wherever it finds it, causing much destruction to the planet’s prized possessions.

Also making its debut will be The Tin Bird, a peculiar looking metal bird who lands on the planet in search for a place to make a nest, and The Block, a robot that lands on the little blue planet with the intention of building all over it, which causes the Clangers to fight to save their home!

In the new epsiodes, Major, Mother, Small, Tiny and Granny Clanger, and their old friends The Iron Chicken, Soup Dragon, Sky Moos, and the Eggbots, meet some new friends and welcome some unusual visitors. They continue to explore their little blue planet, stumbling upon undiscovered destinations, discovering instruments to practice music and chasing Froglets and Glowbuzzers around Mother Clanger’s Garden. Small Clanger even invents a space hopper, made from puffballs and airfruit, to bounce around but he soon realises it is not safe!

Jeremy Banks, CEO Coolabi Group, comments: “We’re delighted to be airing a second series of Clangers on CBeebies where it has been embraced by little ones and their parents too. In series two we have been able to explore further the little blue planet and make more new friends. We are pleased that we have had the opportunity to work once again with Michael Palin and John du Prez, bringing the whole team back together again.”

Kay Benbow, Controller, CBeebies said “I am delighted to welcome our pink knitted friends back to CBeebies. These new episodes are everything you want from the Clangers and from life actually – lots of fun with friends and family in a community that respects and is kind to everyone. The Clangers show us the way to be.”

The all new second series will bring the total number of episodes to 78. Since the new Clangers whistled “hello” on CBeebies in June 2015, the show has been an instant hit with parents, pre-school children and fans of the original series. It has won numerous awards including the 2015 BAFTA for Best Pre-School Animation and Broadcast Best Pre-School Programme.

The show, which returned to the BBC to huge fanfare 46 years after its initial debut, was universally praised by critics and continues to be one of the top rated shows on CBeebies.

The talented, high-profile team at Factory’s studio in Altrincham (Scream Street, Newzoids) have once again produced the new series alongside Grammy-award winner John du Prez (Spamalot) composing the score.

Peter Firmin, one of the creators of the original series, and Daniel Postgate (son of series co-creator Oliver Postgate) have remained actively involved as executive producers for the new series; Firmin is part of the design process and Postgate writes scripts and storylines and was nominated for a BAFTA for his writing on the show.

Clangers is co-produced by CBeebies, Coolabi Group and Smallfilms with BBC Worldwide for its international channels. BBC Worldwide is also the international distributor for the show.

For more information, please contact:
Fiona McGarva
Sundae Communications
0161 711 0517 / 07786 434313
fiona@todayissundae.co.uk
Twitter @Coolabi_Group