Misplaced Pages

Tweenies: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 21:47, 23 August 2020 editJJMC89 bot III (talk | contribs)Bots, Administrators3,671,430 editsm Moving Category:TVNZ 2 shows to Category:TVNZ 2 original programming per Misplaced Pages:Categories for discussion/Log/2020 August 15#Television series and network original programming← Previous edit Latest revision as of 14:30, 22 December 2024 edit undoMoondragon21 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users66,455 edits Expanding articleTag: Visual edit 
(592 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}} {{Short description|British children's television show}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=February 2021}}
}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox television {{Infobox television
| name = Tweenies | image = Tweenies logo.png
| image = tweenies logo.JPG | caption = <!-- A caption is not required if the image is the title card. -->
| creator = ] <br /> Iain Lauchlan
| caption = <!-- A caption is not required if the image is the title card. -->
| creator = ] <br> ] | developer = ] for ]
| starring = ]<br />]<br />Sally Preisig<br />Emma Weaver<br />Colleen Daley<br />Sinead Rushe
| developer = ] for ]
| opentheme = "''Tweenies'' Theme (Are You Ready to Play?)"
| starring = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]
| opentheme = "Are You Ready to Play?" | endtheme = "''Tweenies'' Theme (Are You Ready to Play?)" (instrumental, short version)
| endtheme = "Are You Ready to Play?" (instrumental, short version) | country = United Kingdom
| country = United Kingdom | genre = Comedy<br />Educational<br />Musical<br />Puppetry
| music = Liz Kitchen<br />Graham Pike<br />Barrie Bignold
| genre = Educational
| language = English
| music = Liz Kitchen<br>Graham Pike<br>Barrie Bignold
| language = English | num_episodes = 390
| num_episodes = 390 | list_episodes = List of Tweenies episodes
| executive_producer = Judy Whitfield <br /> Clare Elstow
| list_episodes = List of Tweenies episodes
| producer = Kay Benbow <br /> Robin Carr <br /> Iain Lauchlan <br /> Will Brenton <br /> Karl Woolley
| executive_producer = Judy Whitfield <br> Clare Elstow
| camera = Davy Johnson
| producer = Kay Benbow <br> Robin Carr <br> Iain Lauchlan <br> Will Brenton <br> Karl Woolley
| camera = Davy Johnson | runtime = 18–20 minutes
| runtime = 18–20 minutes | company = ]<br />]
| company = ]<br>] | network = ] and ] (])<br>
]
| distributor = ]
| first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|1999|09|06}}
| network = ]<br>] (])
| picture_format = 576i (16:9 SDTV) | last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|2002|07|25}}
| audio_format = Stereo | image_size = 250
| first_aired = {{Start date |df=yes|1999|09|06}} | num_series = 3
| last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|2002|07|25}}
| website =
| image_size = 250px
| num_series = 7
}} }}


'''''Tweenies''''' is a British ] children's entertainment series created by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan. The programme is centred on four pre-school aged characters, known as the "Tweenies", playing, singing, dancing and learning in a fictional nursery in ]. They are cared for by two adult Tweenies and two dogs. '''''Tweenies''''' is a British ] puppet children's television series created by ] and Iain Lauchlan. The programme was focused on four preschool-aged characters, known as the "Tweenies"; Bella, Milo, Fizz & Jake, whilst playing, singing, dancing and learning in a fictional playgroup based in England. They are cared for by two adult Tweenies; Max & Judy and their dogs; Doodles and Izzles.

''Tweenies'' first premiered on September 6th, 1999 on the ]'s children's block and consisted of a total of 390 episodes, with the final episode airing on July 25th, 2002. Repeated episodes of the series aired on ] from 2002 to 2016. In 2000, the show won a ] for Best Pre-school Live Action Series, and singles featuring exclusive songs spent several weeks in the charts during the early 2000s.


''Tweenies'' also released music in the early 2000s and achieved five top 20 singles on the ].
390 episodes were broadcast between 6 September 1999 and 25 July 2002. In 2000, the show won a ] award for Best Pre-school Live Action series, and singles featuring exclusive songs spent some weeks in the charts during the early 2000s. The series premiered on the ]'s children's block, and was repeated on ] from the channel's launch in 2002 until 2016. It was also shown on ] in the United States and in other countries worldwide.


==Overview and history== ==Overview and history==
The idea for the programme came from ] and Iain Lauchlan , a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming. Together they set up Tell-Tale Productions at Elstree Film Studios in Hertfordshire. Iain Lauchlan was a presenter on '']'', '']'' and '']'', meeting Brenton, a ], writer and also a ], during the latter. Together they started producing two of the '']'' strands before forming their own production companies Tell-Tale Productions and, more recently, Wish Films. They also created '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. The idea for the programme came from ] and Iain Lauchlan, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming. Together they set up Tell-Tale Productions at Elstree Film Studios in Hertfordshire. Iain Lauchlan was a presenter on '']'', ''],'' and '']'', meeting Brenton, a ], writer and also ], during the latter. Together they started producing two of the '']'' strands before forming their own production companies Tell-Tale Productions and, more recently, Wish Films. They also created '']'', '']'', '']'', and '']''.


''Tweenies'' is a production of Tell-Tale Productions in association with the BBC. Animation for the show was produced by A Productions, an animation studio based in ], England, with Ealing Animation providing some animation in a few early episodes. ] for the series was provided by ''Clockwork Digital'', with Ben Mars animating Mungo, the computer creature who appears in some later episodes. ''Tweenies'' is a production of Tell-Tale Productions in association with the BBC. Animation for the show was produced by A Productions, an animation studio based in ], England, with Ealing Animation providing some animation in a few early episodes. ] for the series was provided by ''Clockwork Digital'', with Ben Mars animating Mungo, the computer creature who appears in some later episodes.


Episodes consist of a mixture of story, song and creative activity. Music plays an important part in the programme and children are encouraged to join in with songs and actions. Episodes consist of a mixture of story, song, and creative activity. Music plays an important part in the programme and children are encouraged to join in with songs and actions.


The programme is set in a nursery in ] attended by the four Tweenies themselves: Bella, Milo, Fizz and the youngest, Jake (originally Jack). They are in the care of two adults, Max and Judy, and two dogs, Doodles and Izzles. The programme is set in a nursery in England attended by four puppet characters called The Tweenies: Jake, Fizz, Milo and Bella. They are in the care of two adult helpers, Max and Judy, and their dog, Doodles. And later joined by another dog, Izzles.


The show includes a "Tweenie Clock", with five circular lights arranged in a ]al shape with the lights denoting "News Time" (Circle Time in the US) – Orange, "Messy Time" – Blue, "Song Time" – Yellow, "Telly Time" (Video Time in the US) – Green and "Story Time" – Red. "Surprise Time" is a special time determined when all five lights glow. A button at the centre of the clock (Purple) is pressed to select the activity that will be undertaken next. The show includes a "Tweenie Clock", with five circular lights arranged in a ]al shape with the lights denoting "News Time" (Circle Time in the US) – Orange, "Messy Time" – Blue, "Song Time" – Yellow, "Telly Time" (Video Time in the US) – Green and "Story Time" – Red. "Surprise Time" is a special time determined when all five lights glow. A button at the centre of the clock (Purple) is pressed to select the activity that will be undertaken next.


It was formerly shown on ], from 11 February 2002 until 1 April 2016. Like a number of other CBeebies programmes, a live stage version of the show has toured in the UK. The most recent tour, ''Top of the Tots'', toured the British Isles during 2009, the series' 10th anniversary. In addition, the tour also played several shows in Hong Kong in late September and early October 2009. The Tweenies were also regulars on the annual CBeebies Live tours around the British Isles. Between 2003 and 2005, there was also a ''Tweenies'' theme park, at ] in the Cred Street section aimed at younger children, which replaced the '']'' section and then was removed in favour of '']''. In 2000, ''Tweenies'' won two awards: Best PreSchool Educational Program and Best Live Action PreSchool Programme. It was formerly shown on ], from 11 February 2002 until 1 April 2016. Like several other ] programmes, a live stage version of the show has toured in the UK. The most recent tour, ''Top of the Tots'', toured the British Isles during 2009, the series' 10th anniversary. In addition, the tour also played several shows in Hong Kong in late September and early October 2009. The Tweenies were also regulars on the annual CBeebies Live tours around the British Isles. Between 2003 and 2005, there was also a ''Tweenies'' theme park, at ] in the Cred Street section aimed at younger children, which replaced the '']'' section and then was removed to be replaced by '']''. In 2000, ''Tweenies'' won two awards: Best Pre-School Educational Program and Best Live Action Pre-School Programme.


The original prototypes for the Tweenies characters were designed by Sally Preisig of Mimics Productions; they were later re-scaled into two sizes for the characters shown on the series. In addition, Preisig also designed the character costumes and was co-constructor/developer for the Tweenies' full-size puppets. The costume fabric comes from the UK and was imported and dyed into their present colours; it is about the same thickness as fleece jumpers. The original prototypes for the Tweenies characters were designed by Sally Preisig of Mimics Productions; they were later re-scaled into two sizes for the characters shown in the series. In addition, Preisig also designed the character costumes and was co-constructor/developer for the Tweenies' full-size puppets. The costume fabric comes from the UK and was imported and dyed into their present colours; it is about the same thickness as fleece jumpers.


] Studios (Babe, Star Wars, etc.), made the Animatronic Tweenie heads. ] Studios made the animatronic Tweenie heads.


==Characters== ==Characters==


===Main characters=== ===Main===
* Bella (operated by ], Emma Quintin, Esther Collins; voiced by Sally Preisig 1999–2000, Emma Weaver 2000–2002 in the UK, ] in the US) is a 5-year-old blue-skinned girl with blonde hair and a red hair bow. As the oldest and tallest of the Tweenies, Bella has a sense of superiority over her younger friends. She projects a bossy and boisterous attitude and likes to take the role of leadership in the Tweenies' games. Sometimes she causes things to go wrong with her arrogance – for instance, in the episode 'It Wasn't Me', Bella accidentally breaks one of the strings from Max's marionette puppet despite everyone having been told not to play with it as it was "special", and she hides it in Doodles' bed and tries to blame him. Despite this, she always apologises for her wrongdoings eventually. Although Bella comes across as domineering, she has a caring heart and likes to help the younger Tweenies. She loves acting, dressing up, fairies and reading. Her favourite colour is red. Her best friend is Fizz.
The Tweenies consist of Bella, Milo, Fizz, Jake, Doodles, Izzles, Max, Judy, and are sometimes joined by Max's sister Polly. Other characters have appeared occasionally, including Milo's uncle, Mickey, his father, Jake's mother, Fizz's mother and father and Bella's grandmother. There have also been several animated characters.
* Milo (operated by C.H. Beck 1999–2000, Matthew Lyons/Kate Ryan 2000–2002; voiced by ] in the UK, ] in the US) is a 4-year-old purple-skinned boy with black hair. The loudmouth of the Tweenies, he is energetic and loves telling jokes and playing pranks. Sometimes his impulsiveness and hyperactivity may result in him upsetting the other Tweenies, but he is ultimately friendly and good-hearted. He is quick to argue with Bella due to their loud, clashing personalities. He often adds the suffix "-a-rooney" to words. He loves football and magic. His favourite colour is blue. His best friend is Jake.
The four main characters appeared in the first episode "Tweenie Band", which was filmed on 3 August 1998 at ] and aired on 6 September 1999.
* Fizz (operated by Jenny Hutchinson 1999–2000, Angela Reynolds 2000, Francesca Anderson 2001–2002; voiced by Colleen Daley in the UK, Lisa Yamanaka in the US) is a 4-year-old yellow-skinned girl with reddish brown beaded hair. She is usually mild-mannered and laidback but can become stroppy when she doesn't get her way. Fizz is somewhat introverted; when something upsets her, she often retreats to the playhouse for peace. She loves dancing (especially ballet), painting, singing and playing with dolls. Her favourite colour is pink. Her best friend is Bella.
The Tweenies were played by only one set of actors, while the voices and animatronics were provided by other actors. Unless otherwise indicated, all the following actors and voice talent were in the show from 1999 until its last episode, "What Makes Summer?" on 25 July 2002.
* Jake (operated by Samantha Dodd 1999–2002; voiced by ] in the UK, ] in the US) is a 3-year-old orange-skinned boy with a blond ]. Being the youngest Tweenie, he sometimes feels left out and excluded from the other Tweenies' games when he is not big enough to join in. He is the kindest of the Tweenies and has a close bond with Doodles, often turning to him for comfort or advice when unhappy. He is also very sensitive and is prone to tears when frustrated. He will sometimes get words mixed up. He loves playing pretend, using his imagination, and dressing up, especially as his superhero alter-ego, Dotman. His favourite colour is green. His best friend is Milo.

* Bella (operated by ] and sometimes Esther Collins; voiced by Sally Preisig 1999-2000, Emma Weaver 2000-2002 in the UK, ] in the US) is a five-year-old blue-skinned girl with blonde hair, usually accompanied with a red hair ribbon. As the oldest and tallest of the Tweenies, she is bossy although she tries to deny this and likes her own way. Sometimes she causes things to go wrong with her overconfidence, but she apologises for her mistakes. Her favorite colour is red. Although Bella comes across bossy she is very helpful and caring to the younger Tweenies, in particular Jake; who she tends to look after whenever he is upset or in need. She loves reading, painting and acting. Her best friend is Fizz.
* Milo (operated by C.H. Beck 1999-2000, Matthew Lyons/Kate Ryan 2000–2002; voiced by ] in the UK, ] in the US) is a four-year-old purple-skinned boy with black hair. He is energetic, friendly and cheerful, though sometimes impulsive. He loves football and magic. His favorite colour is blue. He has a brother named Dean and an uncle named Mickey. He is best friends with Jake and often treats him like a little brother.
* Fizz (operated by Jenny Hutchinson 1999-2000, Angela Reynolds 2000, Francesca Anderson 2001–2002; voiced by ] in the UK, ] in the US) is a four-year-old yellow-skinned girl with brown beaded hair. She is mild-mannered and sometimes shy, but can get whiny and stroppy for the smallest reasons. Fizz's best friend is Bella. She loves ballet, dressing up, the colour pink and playing with dolls.
* Jake (operated by Samantha Dodd 1999-2002 voiced by ] in the UK, ] in the US) is a three-year-old orange-skinned boy with a blonde ]. Being the youngest Tweenie, he sometimes feels left out and excluded from the other Tweenies' games when he is not big enough to join in. He is sweet and has a close bond with Doodles, but he sometimes shows signs of being homesick and is prone to temper tantrums when frustrated. His favorite colour is green. He will often turn to Bella or Doodles for support or advice when sad or upset. He sometimes gets words mixed up. He loves being a superhero, playing pretend and catch. His best friend is Milo.
* Max (operated by Simon Grover/Matthew Lyons (some episodes); voiced by Bob Golding in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a pink-skinned, middle-aged man who is one of the two managers of the playgroup of the Tweenies. He speaks with a slight ] accent. He loves trains, animals and exploring the outside world. Max is the stricter one of the grown-ups.
* Judy (operated by Simon Grover/Sinead Rushe (outside); voiced by Sinead Rushe in the UK, Caroly Larson in the US) is a green-skinned woman who is the other of the playgroup managers. She loves gardening, reading and being creative. She speaks with a ] accent.
* Doodles (operated by Alan Riley and John Tobias; voiced by Justin Fletcher in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a red and yellow male dog. Doodles is a very friendly, calm dog. His favorite colour is yellow. His voice is based on ]'s voice. He loves going for walks with Max and can often be seen looking out for Jake.
* Izzles (operated by Fiona Watkins; voiced by Colleen Daley) is a purple and white female dog, who was first introduced in 2001. Unlike Doodles she is a puppy and therefore much younger and very energetic. Her favorite colour is purple. At first her antics were not to the Tweenies liking, more so Jake but she has since calmed down and settled in. The girls often like to dress her up in fancy stuff. She is also a companion for Doodles.

===Recurring characters===
* Bella's Grandma (operated by Matthew Lyons; voiced by Tamsin Heatley/Colleen Daley) is another blue-skinned Character who only appeared in Jake And The Beanstalk, "I Can't Get To Sleep" (voice only) and "Weddings are Fun" (physical appearance). She has the responsibility for Bella when her parents got divorced. They go out on days out on the weekend because she is wealthy. She also had a keyworker/husband named Peter, who speaks with a ] accent and has seen Bella a lot of times since she was born.
* Bella's Grandpa (operated by John Tobias; voiced by Bob Golding) is also a blue-skinned character who only appeared in "Happy Grandparents Day". He shares the same voice with Max but with a lowered voice and a Cockney accent instead of a Northern one. He also has much money and pennies and they go on days out during the weekends. He also has magic fingers for when he says snap the magic will begin, he also has the responsibility for Bella.
* Polly (operated by Kathy Ryan; voiced by Colleen Daley) is a pink skinned character that appeared in "Oh I Forgot", It's The Thought That Counts", "Teamwork", "Weddings are Fun" and "Happy Grandparents Day". She is Max's sister and also a keyworker to Fizz's mum and dad. When they were kids, they lived by the seaside and often went to the pier for the promenades the pier holds. When she goes to the playgroup for visits, she brings a story and some sweets along with her.


===Supporting===
* Doodles (operated by Alan Riley and John Tobias; voiced by ] in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a red-and-yellow male dog. Doodles is a very friendly, relaxed and calm dog. His favourite colour is yellow. His voice is based on that of ]. He loves going for walks with Max and can often be seen looking out for Jake.
* Izzles (operated by Fiona Watkins; voiced by Colleen Daley) is a purple-and-white female dog, who was first introduced in 2001. Unlike Doodles, she is a puppy and therefore much younger and very energetic. Her favourite colour is purple. At first, her antics were not to the Tweenies' liking, more so Jake but she has since calmed down and settled in. The girls often like to dress her up in fancy stuff. She is also a companion for Doodles. She was originally going to be called Squiggles until it was realised that someone already had the rights to that name and that small children find it hard to say 'SQU'.
* Max (operated by Simon Grover/Matthew Lyons (some episodes); voiced by Bob Golding in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a pink-skinned man who is one of the two workers of the playgroup of the Tweenies. He speaks with a ] accent. He loves animals, trains, fixing different things around the playgroup, and exploring the outside world.
* Judy (operated by Simon Grover/Sinead Rushe (outside); voiced by Sinead Rushe in the UK, Caroly Larson in the US) a green-skinned woman who is the other of the playgroup workers. She speaks with an ] accent. She loves reading, gardening, being creative and giving good advice to the Tweenies.
==Episodes== ==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Tweenies episodes}} {{Main|List of Tweenies episodes}}
{{:List of Tweenies episodes}} {{:List of Tweenies episodes}}


The ''Tweenies'' aired its first episode ''Tweenie Band'' on 6 September 1999 on its original programme block ] and last aired on 25 July 2002 with ''What Makes Summer?'' on its former channel ]. In total, there are 390 episodes. There have been special episodes, such as a series of ''Be Safe with the Tweenies'' and expanded 40 minute episodes. The ''Tweenies'' aired its first episode ''Tweenie Band'' on 6 September 1999 on its original programme block ] and last aired on 25 July 2002 with ''What Makes Summer?'' on its former channel ]. In total, there are 390 episodes. There have been special episodes, such as a series of ''Be Safe with the Tweenies'' and expanded forty-minute episodes.

Episode 252, ''Favourite Songs'' (first aired in March 2001) was withdrawn from further airing in January 2013, after the ] received 216 complaints about a scene within the episode, themed as a parody of an episode of '']'' where Max appears dressed as disgraced host ]. The episode aired three months after claims of ] committed by Savile came to light. The ] removed ''Tweenies'' from the ] schedule altogether for four months. The episodes then came back to the schedule from June 2013 until April 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21108337|title=BBC receives 216 complaints for Tweenies Jimmy Savile spoof|date=2013-01-21|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-07-25|language=en-GB}}</ref>


==Telecast==
Episode 252, ''Favourite Songs'', which first aired in March 2001 was banned by the ] in January 2013 after the corporation received 216 complaints about a scene in a repeat of a '']''-themed parody episode where the character Max appears dressed as the late disgraced TV presenter ]. The BBC had stopped the ''Tweenies'' from being repeated altogether on CBeebies for four months due to the controversy. The episodes then started being repeated again from June 2013 until April 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21108337|title=BBC receives 216 complaints for Tweenies Jimmy Savile spoof|date=2013-01-21|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-07-25|language=en-GB}}</ref>
In the USA, ''Tweenies'' was shown on ] from 2003 to 2005. Noggin showed a different version of the show where most characters are dubbed over with Canadian actors. This American version also briefly aired on ]'s ] from 18 July to 25 September 2003.


==Discography== ==Discography==
===Albums=== ===Albums===
<small>Data from AllMusicCharts.com</small>


{|class="wikitable" border="1" {|class="wikitable" border="1"
!Title !Title
!Entered chart (UK) !Entered chart (UK)<ref name="uk charts" />
!Peak position (UK)<ref name="uk charts">{{cite web |url= https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9873/tweenies/ |title=Tweenies |work=The Official Charts Company }}</ref>
!Peak position (UK)
!Weeks on chart (UK) !Weeks on chart (UK)<ref name="uk charts" />
|- |-
|''Friends Forever'' |''Friends Forever''
|25 November 2000 |25 November 2000
|align=center|56 |align=center|56
|align=center|4 |align=center|6
|- |-
|''The Christmas Album'' |''The Christmas Album''
|1 December 2001 |1 December 2001
|align=center|34 |align=center|34
|align=center|5 |align=center|6
|- |-
|''Everybody Dance'' |''Everybody Dance''
|23 November 2002
|align=center|--
|align=center|-- |align=center|83
|align=center|-- |align=center|1
|- |-
|''Greatest Hits''<br/>(double CD) |''Greatest Hits'' <small>(double CD)</small>
|align=center|-- |align=center|—
|align=center|-- |align=center|—
|align=center|-- |align=center|—
|} |}


===Singles=== ===Singles===
<small>Data from AllMusicCharts.com</small>

{|class="wikitable" border="1" {|class="wikitable" border="1"
!Title !Title
!Entered chart (UK) !Entered chart (UK)<ref name="uk charts"/>
!Peak position (UK) !Peak position (UK)<ref name="uk charts"/>
!Weeks on chart (UK) !Weeks on chart (UK)<ref name="uk charts"/>
!Sent to ] Album !Sent to ] Album
|- |-
Line 145: Line 139:
|align=center|9 |align=center|9
|align=center|6 |align=center|6
|No
|-
|"Bananas"
|14 September 2001
|align=center|23
|align=center|5
|No |No
|- |-
Line 161: Line 149:


==Live shows== ==Live shows==
The ''Tweenies'' have had huge success in live performances from when they first premiered to the mid-2000s.
The ''Tweenies'' went live on various occasions during the height of the programmes success from 1999 until 2003. They made their first live show debut in 1999 after the show's release, then again in 2000 and in 2002 for the Christmas special. These live appearances also include '']'' specials with them performing their singles, including ''No.1'', ''Do The Lollipop'' and ''Have Fun Go Mad!''.

===Television===
In November 2000, the Tweenies appeared on a few episodes of the show '']'', performing their single ''No. 1''.

In December 2000, the Tweenies starred in their dedicated special of the series which featured more of their singles like ''Do The Lollipop'' and ''Have Fun Go Mad!''. This episode was later released on VHS and DVD as ''Music is Pop-a-Rooney!'' in July 2002, with new wrap-around segments recorded in the Playgroup.

===Arena tours===
Beginning in 2001, the first ''Tweenies Live!'' show went on tour around arenas around the United Kingdom, produced by Tell-Tale Productions and BBC Worldwide, the show featured the Tweenies singing their favourite songs. A live recording of this tour from the ] was released on VHS in July 2001. A follow-up show – ''Tweenies Live! 2: The Fab-a-Rooney Tour'', toured from February–July 2002 and featured the live debut of Izzles.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/anticipations-at-fever-pitch-1674956| title = Anticipation's at fever pitch – Chronicle Live| date = 30 January 2002}}</ref>

In December 2001, a follow-up show titled ''Tweenies Live! The Christmas Present'' was presented at the ] for the Christmas period and was later given a wide arena tour in December 2003 – January 2004, where Izzles joined the cast. A recording of the 2001 version was released on VHS in November 2002 and was later released on DVD in November 2006 as part of the ''Tweenies: The Ultimate Christmas Collection'' DVD compilation.

The fourth tour – ''No Sleep 'til Bedtime'', toured the UK from March–May 2005. This tour was notable for featuring covers of licensed tracks sung by the Tweenies.

The fifth tour – ''The Enchanted Toyshop'' toured the UK in the Spring and Summer of 2007. It was the first Tweenies live tour to be solely produced by BBC Worldwide and the first to be shown in theatres instead of arenas.

The most recent tour – ''Top of the Tots'', toured the UK in Early 2009 to celebrate a milestone of the show's 10th Anniversary.

===Alton Towers===
From 2003 to 2005, the Cred Street Theatre was renamed The Tweenies Theatre where the characters spent three seasons performing live shows daily. There was also a Tweenies themed playground area. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.towerstimes.co.uk/history/past-rides/the-tweenies-theatre/ | title=The Tweenies Theatre – TowersTimes – Alton Towers Resort from another point of view! }}</ref>


==Merchandise== ==Merchandise==


===DVDs and videos=== ===DVDs and videos===
{{Main|List of Tweenies episodes}}
{{:List of Tweenies episodes}}
These were released by BBC Worldwide and some various DVDs are still available in retailers. These were released by BBC Worldwide and some various DVDs are still available in retailers.
{{col-start}} {{col-begin}}
{{col-2}} {{col-2}}
* ''Ready to Play with the Tweenies''
* ''Are you ready to play?'' (1999 VHS, also for PC-CDROM)
*
* ''Song Time!'' (1999, VHS)
* ''This Is Me'' (1999, VHS)
* ''Merry Tweenie Christmas'' (2000, first DVD)
* ''Party Games, Laughs & Giggles'' (2000)
* ''Song Time is Fab-a-Rooney '' (2001 VHS)
* ''Song Time 2'' (2000)
* ''Songs & Surprises'' (2001)
* ''Tweenies Live!'' (2001)
* ''Animal Friends'' (2000)
* ''Colours are Magic'' (2001)
{{col-2}}
* ''Night-Time Magic'' (2003)
* ''Animal Friends/Party Games, Laughs & Giggles'' (2000 DVD)
* ''Let's Play'' (2003 VHS)
* ''Jungle Adventure'' (2004)
* ''Let's All Make Music'' (2004)
* ''Fizz!'' (2005, final VHS)
* ''It's Christmas'' (2005)
* ''Song Time: The Complete Collection'' (2005)
* ''The Ultimate Christmas Collection'' (2006)
* ''Practical Jokes'' (2006)
* ''Messy Time Magic'' (2008)


{{col-end}} {{col-end}}


Many of the above videos have also been dubbed into other languages. In addition, several of the ''Tweenies'' videos were produced in special versions for retailers with additional footage (for example, the "Party Games, Laughs & Giggles" video distributed at Marks & Spencer stores carried two additional segments, adding ten minutes to the video's running time). Many of the above videos were also released as DVDs under different names. iTunes has released a ''Best of Tweenies volume 1'' which consists of the first six episodes of the series.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} Many of the above videos have also been dubbed into other languages. In addition, several of the ''Tweenies'' videos were produced in special versions for retailers with additional footage (for example, the "Party Games, Laughs & Giggles" video distributed at Marks & Spencer stores carried two additional segments, adding ten minutes to the video's running time). Many of the above videos were also released as DVDs under different names. iTunes has released a ''Best of Tweenies Volume 1'' which consists of the first six episodes of the series.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}


===Books=== ===Books===
From 1999 until 2006, various books were released from ''Tweenies'', based on the episodes that were mostly aired. There were also annuals that were released from 2001–2006 and other books, based on each character from ''Tweenies''. From 1999 until 2006, various books were released from ''Tweenies'', based on the episodes that were mostly aired. Some annuals were released from 2001 to 2006 and other books were based on each character from ''Tweenies''.


===Toys and games=== ===Toys and games===
From the late 90s into the early 2000s, the Tweenies were one of the most popular set of children's TV characters at the time, which led to a wide range merchandise being sold. Many toys were sold in various retailers, such as ], ], & ]. Merchandise included soft toys, playsets, collectible figures, board games, jigsaws and puzzles, talking toys, the video games '']'' and '']'', and many other products. From the late 1990s into the early 2000s, the Tweenies were one of the most popular set of children's TV characters in the UK at the time, which led to a wide range merchandise being sold. Many toys were sold in various retailers, such as ], ], & ]. Merchandise included soft toys, playsets, collectible figures, board games, jigsaws and puzzles, talking toys, the video games which were ''Tweenies: Doodles' Bones'' for ] and ''Tweenies: Game Time'' for ], and many other products.

====Game Time====
]
{{Video game reviews
| PSM = 1/10<ref>''Tweenies'' game review, ''Official UK PlayStation Magazine'', ] issue 75</ref>
}}
'''''Tweenies: Game Time''''' is an ] kids ] released in ] on 30 March 2001 for ], published by ]. It takes the form of a ]. The player controls Milo, Jake, Fizz and Bella through a series of 4 scenarios inspired by the show, one for each character.

The game was developed by ]. The direction of the game was partially based on research by ] of children who watched the Television show, which found that "singing and dancing are major factors in the success of the show". according to a BBC article from before the game launched.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web |last1=Gibbon |first1=David |title=Tweenies set to conquer PlayStation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1248050.stm |website=BBC News |access-date=7 June 2022 |date=30 March 2001}}</ref>
{{Clear}}


==Awards and nominations== ==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" |- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Year
Line 213: Line 211:
! Lost to ! Lost to
|- |-
| 2000<ref name="bafta-2000">{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations/?year=2000|title=Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2000|publisher=]|accessdate=3 July 2010}}</ref> | 2000<ref name="bafta-2000">{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations/?year=2000|title=Past Winners and Nominees – Children's – Awards – 2000|publisher=]|access-date=3 July 2010}}</ref>
|rowspan="2"| ''Tweenies'' |rowspan="2"| ''Tweenies''
|rowspan="2"| ] |rowspan="2"| ]
Line 223: Line 221:
|{{nom}} |{{nom}}
|'']'' |'']''
|-
|} |}


==See also== ==See also==
* ] * '']''
* ] * '']''
* ] * '']''
* ] * '']''
* ] * '']''
* ] * '']''
* '']''


==References== ==References==
Line 238: Line 236:


==External links== ==External links==
{{sister project links|display=''Tweenies''|c=no|q=Tweenies|d=Q1569073|b=no|m=no|n=no|s=no|v=no|mw=no|voy=no|wikt=no|species=no}}
* {{BBC programme}} * {{BBC programme}}
* {{IMDb title|0289832}} * {{IMDb title|0289832}}
{{Portal bar|2000s|Television|Education|Music|BBC|United Kingdom|United States}}
* {{tv.com show|the-tweenies|Tweenies}}

{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


]
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 14:30, 22 December 2024

British children's television show
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Tweenies" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Tweenies
GenreComedy
Educational
Musical
Puppetry
Created byWill Brenton
Iain Lauchlan
Developed byTell-Tale Productions for BBC
StarringJustin Fletcher
Bob Golding
Sally Preisig
Emma Weaver
Colleen Daley
Sinead Rushe
Music byLiz Kitchen
Graham Pike
Barrie Bignold
Opening theme"Tweenies Theme (Are You Ready to Play?)"
Ending theme"Tweenies Theme (Are You Ready to Play?)" (instrumental, short version)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes390 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersJudy Whitfield
Clare Elstow
ProducersKay Benbow
Robin Carr
Iain Lauchlan
Will Brenton
Karl Woolley
Camera setupDavy Johnson
Running time18–20 minutes
Production companiesTell-Tale Productions
BBC
Original release
NetworkBBC One and BBC Two (CBBC)
CBeebies
Release6 September 1999 (1999-09-06) –
25 July 2002 (2002-07-25)

Tweenies is a British live-action puppet children's television series created by Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan. The programme was focused on four preschool-aged characters, known as the "Tweenies"; Bella, Milo, Fizz & Jake, whilst playing, singing, dancing and learning in a fictional playgroup based in England. They are cared for by two adult Tweenies; Max & Judy and their dogs; Doodles and Izzles.

Tweenies first premiered on September 6th, 1999 on the BBC's children's block and consisted of a total of 390 episodes, with the final episode airing on July 25th, 2002. Repeated episodes of the series aired on CBeebies from 2002 to 2016. In 2000, the show won a British Academy Television Award for Best Pre-school Live Action Series, and singles featuring exclusive songs spent several weeks in the charts during the early 2000s.

Tweenies also released music in the early 2000s and achieved five top 20 singles on the UK Singles Chart.

Overview and history

The idea for the programme came from Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming. Together they set up Tell-Tale Productions at Elstree Film Studios in Hertfordshire. Iain Lauchlan was a presenter on Play School, Fingermouse, and Playdays, meeting Brenton, a director, writer and also presenter, during the latter. Together they started producing two of the Playdays strands before forming their own production companies Tell-Tale Productions and, more recently, Wish Films. They also created Fun Song Factory, Boo!, BB3B, and Jim Jam and Sunny.

Tweenies is a production of Tell-Tale Productions in association with the BBC. Animation for the show was produced by A Productions, an animation studio based in Bristol, England, with Ealing Animation providing some animation in a few early episodes. Computer animation for the series was provided by Clockwork Digital, with Ben Mars animating Mungo, the computer creature who appears in some later episodes.

Episodes consist of a mixture of story, song, and creative activity. Music plays an important part in the programme and children are encouraged to join in with songs and actions.

The programme is set in a nursery in England attended by four puppet characters called The Tweenies: Jake, Fizz, Milo and Bella. They are in the care of two adult helpers, Max and Judy, and their dog, Doodles. And later joined by another dog, Izzles.

The show includes a "Tweenie Clock", with five circular lights arranged in a pentagonal shape with the lights denoting "News Time" (Circle Time in the US) – Orange, "Messy Time" – Blue, "Song Time" – Yellow, "Telly Time" (Video Time in the US) – Green and "Story Time" – Red. "Surprise Time" is a special time determined when all five lights glow. A button at the centre of the clock (Purple) is pressed to select the activity that will be undertaken next.

It was formerly shown on CBeebies, from 11 February 2002 until 1 April 2016. Like several other CBeebies programmes, a live stage version of the show has toured in the UK. The most recent tour, Top of the Tots, toured the British Isles during 2009, the series' 10th anniversary. In addition, the tour also played several shows in Hong Kong in late September and early October 2009. The Tweenies were also regulars on the annual CBeebies Live tours around the British Isles. Between 2003 and 2005, there was also a Tweenies theme park, at Alton Towers in the Cred Street section aimed at younger children, which replaced the Barney section and then was removed to be replaced by Bob the Builder. In 2000, Tweenies won two awards: Best Pre-School Educational Program and Best Live Action Pre-School Programme.

The original prototypes for the Tweenies characters were designed by Sally Preisig of Mimics Productions; they were later re-scaled into two sizes for the characters shown in the series. In addition, Preisig also designed the character costumes and was co-constructor/developer for the Tweenies' full-size puppets. The costume fabric comes from the UK and was imported and dyed into their present colours; it is about the same thickness as fleece jumpers.

Neal Scanlan Studios made the animatronic Tweenie heads.

Characters

Main

  • Bella (operated by Tamsin Heatley, Emma Quintin, Esther Collins; voiced by Sally Preisig 1999–2000, Emma Weaver 2000–2002 in the UK, Alyson Court in the US) is a 5-year-old blue-skinned girl with blonde hair and a red hair bow. As the oldest and tallest of the Tweenies, Bella has a sense of superiority over her younger friends. She projects a bossy and boisterous attitude and likes to take the role of leadership in the Tweenies' games. Sometimes she causes things to go wrong with her arrogance – for instance, in the episode 'It Wasn't Me', Bella accidentally breaks one of the strings from Max's marionette puppet despite everyone having been told not to play with it as it was "special", and she hides it in Doodles' bed and tries to blame him. Despite this, she always apologises for her wrongdoings eventually. Although Bella comes across as domineering, she has a caring heart and likes to help the younger Tweenies. She loves acting, dressing up, fairies and reading. Her favourite colour is red. Her best friend is Fizz.
  • Milo (operated by C.H. Beck 1999–2000, Matthew Lyons/Kate Ryan 2000–2002; voiced by Bob Golding in the UK, Tracey Moore in the US) is a 4-year-old purple-skinned boy with black hair. The loudmouth of the Tweenies, he is energetic and loves telling jokes and playing pranks. Sometimes his impulsiveness and hyperactivity may result in him upsetting the other Tweenies, but he is ultimately friendly and good-hearted. He is quick to argue with Bella due to their loud, clashing personalities. He often adds the suffix "-a-rooney" to words. He loves football and magic. His favourite colour is blue. His best friend is Jake.
  • Fizz (operated by Jenny Hutchinson 1999–2000, Angela Reynolds 2000, Francesca Anderson 2001–2002; voiced by Colleen Daley in the UK, Lisa Yamanaka in the US) is a 4-year-old yellow-skinned girl with reddish brown beaded hair. She is usually mild-mannered and laidback but can become stroppy when she doesn't get her way. Fizz is somewhat introverted; when something upsets her, she often retreats to the playhouse for peace. She loves dancing (especially ballet), painting, singing and playing with dolls. Her favourite colour is pink. Her best friend is Bella.
  • Jake (operated by Samantha Dodd 1999–2002; voiced by Justin Fletcher in the UK, Colin O'Meara in the US) is a 3-year-old orange-skinned boy with a blond mohawk. Being the youngest Tweenie, he sometimes feels left out and excluded from the other Tweenies' games when he is not big enough to join in. He is the kindest of the Tweenies and has a close bond with Doodles, often turning to him for comfort or advice when unhappy. He is also very sensitive and is prone to tears when frustrated. He will sometimes get words mixed up. He loves playing pretend, using his imagination, and dressing up, especially as his superhero alter-ego, Dotman. His favourite colour is green. His best friend is Milo.

Supporting

  • Doodles (operated by Alan Riley and John Tobias; voiced by Justin Fletcher in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a red-and-yellow male dog. Doodles is a very friendly, relaxed and calm dog. His favourite colour is yellow. His voice is based on that of Scooby-Doo. He loves going for walks with Max and can often be seen looking out for Jake.
  • Izzles (operated by Fiona Watkins; voiced by Colleen Daley) is a purple-and-white female dog, who was first introduced in 2001. Unlike Doodles, she is a puppy and therefore much younger and very energetic. Her favourite colour is purple. At first, her antics were not to the Tweenies' liking, more so Jake but she has since calmed down and settled in. The girls often like to dress her up in fancy stuff. She is also a companion for Doodles. She was originally going to be called Squiggles until it was realised that someone already had the rights to that name and that small children find it hard to say 'SQU'.
  • Max (operated by Simon Grover/Matthew Lyons (some episodes); voiced by Bob Golding in the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a pink-skinned man who is one of the two workers of the playgroup of the Tweenies. He speaks with a Yorkshire accent. He loves animals, trains, fixing different things around the playgroup, and exploring the outside world.
  • Judy (operated by Simon Grover/Sinead Rushe (outside); voiced by Sinead Rushe in the UK, Caroly Larson in the US) a green-skinned woman who is the other of the playgroup workers. She speaks with an Irish accent. She loves reading, gardening, being creative and giving good advice to the Tweenies.

Episodes

Main article: List of Tweenies episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
11306 September 1999 (1999-09-06)31 March 2000 (2000-03-31)
2130 + Special24 July 2000 (2000-07-24)9 April 2001 (2001-04-09)
313024 September 2001 (2001-09-24)25 July 2002 (2002-07-25)

The Tweenies aired its first episode Tweenie Band on 6 September 1999 on its original programme block CBBC and last aired on 25 July 2002 with What Makes Summer? on its former channel CBeebies. In total, there are 390 episodes. There have been special episodes, such as a series of Be Safe with the Tweenies and expanded forty-minute episodes.

Episode 252, Favourite Songs (first aired in March 2001) was withdrawn from further airing in January 2013, after the BBC received 216 complaints about a scene within the episode, themed as a parody of an episode of Top of the Pops where Max appears dressed as disgraced host Jimmy Savile. The episode aired three months after claims of sexual abuse committed by Savile came to light. The BBC removed Tweenies from the CBeebies schedule altogether for four months. The episodes then came back to the schedule from June 2013 until April 2016.

Telecast

In the USA, Tweenies was shown on Noggin from 2003 to 2005. Noggin showed a different version of the show where most characters are dubbed over with Canadian actors. This American version also briefly aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block from 18 July to 25 September 2003.

Discography

Albums

Title Entered chart (UK) Peak position (UK) Weeks on chart (UK)
Friends Forever 25 November 2000 56 6
The Christmas Album 1 December 2001 34 6
Everybody Dance 23 November 2002 83 1
Greatest Hits (double CD) — — —

Singles

Title Entered chart (UK) Peak position (UK) Weeks on chart (UK) Sent to CBeebies Album
"No. 1" 11 November 2000 5 24 Yes
"Best Friends Forever" 31 March 2001 12 11 Yes
"Do the Lollipop" 4 August 2001 17 8 No
"I Believe in Christmas" 15 December 2001 9 6 No
"Have Fun, Go Mad" 14 September 2002 20 8 Yes

Live shows

The Tweenies have had huge success in live performances from when they first premiered to the mid-2000s.

Television

In November 2000, the Tweenies appeared on a few episodes of the show Top of the Pops, performing their single No. 1.

In December 2000, the Tweenies starred in their dedicated special of the series which featured more of their singles like Do The Lollipop and Have Fun Go Mad!. This episode was later released on VHS and DVD as Music is Pop-a-Rooney! in July 2002, with new wrap-around segments recorded in the Playgroup.

Arena tours

Beginning in 2001, the first Tweenies Live! show went on tour around arenas around the United Kingdom, produced by Tell-Tale Productions and BBC Worldwide, the show featured the Tweenies singing their favourite songs. A live recording of this tour from the London Arena was released on VHS in July 2001. A follow-up show – Tweenies Live! 2: The Fab-a-Rooney Tour, toured from February–July 2002 and featured the live debut of Izzles.

In December 2001, a follow-up show titled Tweenies Live! The Christmas Present was presented at the Royal Albert Hall for the Christmas period and was later given a wide arena tour in December 2003 – January 2004, where Izzles joined the cast. A recording of the 2001 version was released on VHS in November 2002 and was later released on DVD in November 2006 as part of the Tweenies: The Ultimate Christmas Collection DVD compilation.

The fourth tour – No Sleep 'til Bedtime, toured the UK from March–May 2005. This tour was notable for featuring covers of licensed tracks sung by the Tweenies.

The fifth tour – The Enchanted Toyshop toured the UK in the Spring and Summer of 2007. It was the first Tweenies live tour to be solely produced by BBC Worldwide and the first to be shown in theatres instead of arenas.

The most recent tour – Top of the Tots, toured the UK in Early 2009 to celebrate a milestone of the show's 10th Anniversary.

Alton Towers

From 2003 to 2005, the Cred Street Theatre was renamed The Tweenies Theatre where the characters spent three seasons performing live shows daily. There was also a Tweenies themed playground area.

Merchandise

DVDs and videos

Main article: List of Tweenies episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
11306 September 1999 (1999-09-06)31 March 2000 (2000-03-31)
2130 + Special24 July 2000 (2000-07-24)9 April 2001 (2001-04-09)
313024 September 2001 (2001-09-24)25 July 2002 (2002-07-25)

These were released by BBC Worldwide and some various DVDs are still available in retailers.

  • Ready to Play with the Tweenies

Many of the above videos have also been dubbed into other languages. In addition, several of the Tweenies videos were produced in special versions for retailers with additional footage (for example, the "Party Games, Laughs & Giggles" video distributed at Marks & Spencer stores carried two additional segments, adding ten minutes to the video's running time). Many of the above videos were also released as DVDs under different names. iTunes has released a Best of Tweenies Volume 1 which consists of the first six episodes of the series.

Books

From 1999 until 2006, various books were released from Tweenies, based on the episodes that were mostly aired. Some annuals were released from 2001 to 2006 and other books were based on each character from Tweenies.

Toys and games

From the late 1990s into the early 2000s, the Tweenies were one of the most popular set of children's TV characters in the UK at the time, which led to a wide range merchandise being sold. Many toys were sold in various retailers, such as Toys "R" Us, Argos, & Woolworth's. Merchandise included soft toys, playsets, collectible figures, board games, jigsaws and puzzles, talking toys, the video games which were Tweenies: Doodles' Bones for Game Boy Color and Tweenies: Game Time for PlayStation, and many other products.

Game Time

Tweenies: Game Time
Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
PlayStation: The Official Magazine1/10

Tweenies: Game Time is an educational kids video game released in Europe on 30 March 2001 for PlayStation, published by BBC Multimedia. It takes the form of a minigame collection. The player controls Milo, Jake, Fizz and Bella through a series of 4 scenarios inspired by the show, one for each character.

The game was developed by Intelligent Games. The direction of the game was partially based on research by BBC Worldwide of children who watched the Television show, which found that "singing and dancing are major factors in the success of the show". according to a BBC article from before the game launched.

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated works Award Category Result Lost to
2000 Tweenies BAFTA Children's Awards "Best Pre-School Live Action" Won —
2002 Nominated Teletubbies Everywhere

See also

References

  1. "BBC receives 216 complaints for Tweenies Jimmy Savile spoof". BBC News. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Tweenies". The Official Charts Company.
  3. "Anticipation's at fever pitch – Chronicle Live". 30 January 2002.
  4. "The Tweenies Theatre – TowersTimes – Alton Towers Resort from another point of view!".
  5. Tweenies game review, Official UK PlayStation Magazine, Future Publishing issue 75
  6. Gibbon, David (30 March 2001). "Tweenies set to conquer PlayStation". BBC News. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  7. "Past Winners and Nominees – Children's – Awards – 2000". BAFTA. Retrieved 3 July 2010.

External links

Portals: Categories: