Tweenies
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| Tweenies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Comedy Educational Musical Puppetry |
| Created by | Will Brenton Iain Lauchlan |
| Developed by | Tell-Tale ProductionsforBBC |
| Starring | Justin Fletcher Bob Golding Sally Preisig Emma Weaver Colleen Daley Sinead Rushe |
| Music by | Liz Kitchen Graham Pike Barrie Bignold |
| Opening theme | "TweeniesTheme (Are You Ready to Play?) " |
| Ending theme | "TweeniesTheme (Are You Ready to Play?) "(instrumental, short version) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No.of series | 7 |
| No.of episodes | 390(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Judy Whitfield Clare Elstow |
| Producers | Kay Benbow Robin Carr Iain Lauchlan Will Brenton Karl Woolley |
| Camera setup | Davy Johnson |
| Running time | 18–20 minutes |
| Production companies | Tell-Tale Productions BBC |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC OneandBBC Two(CBBC) |
| Release | 6 September 1999– 25 July 2002 |
Tweeniesis a Britishlive-actionpuppet children's television series created byWill Brentonand Iain Lauchlan. The programme is focused on four preschool-aged characters, known as the "Tweenies", playing, singing, dancing, and learning in a fictional playgroup inEngland.They are cared for by two adult Tweenies and two dogs.
390 episodes were broadcast between 6 September 1999 and 25 July 2002. In 2000, the show won aBAFTAaward 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 theBBC's children's block, and aired repeats onCBeebiesfrom 2002–2016. In the United States, it was shown onNogginfrom 7 April 2003 to September 2005. It also briefly aired on Nickelodeon'sNick Jr. blockfrom 18 July to 25 September 2003.
Overview and history
[edit]The idea for the programme came fromWill Brentonand 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 onPlay School,Fingermouse,andPlaydays,meeting Brenton, adirector,writer and alsopresenter,during the latter. Together they started producing two of thePlaydaysstrands before forming their own production companies Tell-Tale Productions and, more recently, Wish Films. They also createdFun Song Factory,Boo!,BB3B,andJim Jam and Sunny.
Tweeniesis a production of Tell-Tale Productions in association with the BBC. Animation for the show was produced by A Productions, an animation studio based inBristol,England, with Ealing Animation providing some animation in a few early episodes.Computer animationfor the series was provided byClockwork 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 inEnglandattended by the four Tweenies themselves: Bella, Milo, Fizz and Jake. They are in the care of two adult Tweenies, Max and Judy, and two dogs, Doodles and Izzles.
The show includes a "Tweenie Clock", with five circular lights arranged in apentagonalshape 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 onCBeebies,from 11 February 2002 until 1 April 2016. Like several otherCBeebiesprogrammes, 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 annualCBeebiesLive tours around the British Isles. Between 2003 and 2005, there was also aTweeniestheme park, atAlton Towersin the Cred Street section aimed at younger children, which replaced theBarneysection and then was removed in favour ofBob the Builder.In 2000,Tweenieswon 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 ScanlanStudios made the animatronic Tweenie heads.
Characters
[edit]Main
[edit]- Bella (operated byTamsin Heatley,Emma Quintin, Esther Collins; voiced by Sally Preisig 1999–2000, Emma Weaver 2000–2002 in the UK,Alyson Courtin the US) is a five-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. Her interests include 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 byBob Goldingin the UK,Tracey Moorein the US) is a four-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, racecars and magic. His favourite colour is blue. His best friend is Jake.
- Fizz (operated by Jenny Hutchinson 1999–2000,Angela Reynolds2000, Francesca Anderson 2001–2002; voiced by Colleen Daley in the UK,Lisa Yamanakain the US) is a four-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. Her favourite activities include dancing (especiallyballet), painting, singing and playing withdolls.Her favourite colour is pink. Her best friend is Bella.
- Jake (operated by Samantha Dodd 1999–2002; voiced byJustin Fletcherin the UK,Colin O'Mearain the US) is a three-year-old orange-skinned boy with a blondmohawk.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 gets words mixed up. He loves playing pretend, especially as his superhero alter-ego, Dotman. His favourite colour is green. His best friend is Milo.
Supporting
[edit]- Doodles (operated by Alan Riley and John Tobias; voiced byJustin Fletcherin the UK, James Rankin in the US) is a red and yellow male dog. Doodles is a very friendly and calm dog. His favourite colour is yellow. His voice is based on that ofScooby-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'.[1]
- 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 carers of the playgroup of the Tweenies. He speaks with aDarlingtonaccent. He loves animals, trains and exploring the outside world, he is like a father figure to the Tweenies, but mostly to Jake.
- 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 carers. She speaks with anIrishaccent. She loves reading, gardening and being creative.
Other
[edit]- Original concept art shows that there was going to be a fifth Tweenie: a green-skinned boy named Sid or Syd, who was described as a "sensitive chap". It wasn't confirmed why he didn't make the final cut in the show, but his sensitive traits were passed over to Jake and Judy took on his skin colour.
Episodes
[edit]| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 85 | 6 September 1999 | 31 December 1999 | |
| 2 | 45 | 31 January 2000 | 31 March 2000 | |
| 3 | 30 | 24 July 2000 | 1 September 2000 | |
| 4 | 40 | 9 October 2000 | 1 December 2000 | |
| 5 | 60 + Special | 11 December 2000 | 9 April 2001 | |
| 6 | 61 | 24 September 2001 | 28 December 2001 | |
| 7 | 69 | 31 December 2001 | 25 July 2002 | |
TheTweeniesaired its first episodeTweenie Bandon 6 September 1999 on its original programme blockCBBCand last aired on 25 July 2002 withWhat Makes Summer?on its former channelCBeebies.In total, there are 390 episodes. There have been special episodes, such as a series ofBe Safe with the Tweeniesand expanded forty-minute episodes.
Episode 252,Favourite Songs(first aired in March 2001) was withdrawn from further airing in January 2013, after theBBCreceived 216 complaints about a scene within the episode, themed as a parody of an episode ofTop of the Popswhere Max appears dressed as disgraced hostJimmy Savile.The episode aired three months after claims ofsexual abusecommitted by Savile came to light. TheBBCremovedTweeniesfrom theCBeebiesschedule altogether for four months. The episodes then came back to the schedule from June 2013 until April 2016.[2]
Telecast
[edit]In the USA,Tweenieswas shown onNogginfrom 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 onNickelodeon'sNick Jr. blockfrom 18 July to 25 September 2003.
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]| Title | Entered chart (UK)[3] | Peak position (UK)[3] | Weeks on chart (UK)[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
[edit]| Title | Entered chart (UK)[3] | Peak position (UK)[3] | Weeks on chart (UK)[3] | Sent toCBeebiesAlbum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "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
[edit]TheTweenieshave had success in live performances.
Television
[edit]In November 2000, the Tweenies appeared on a few episodes of the showTop of the Pops,performing their singleNo. 1.
In December 2000, the Tweenies starred in their dedicated special of the series which featured more of their singles likeDo The LollipopandHave Fun Go Mad!.This episode was later released on VHS and DVD asMusic is Pop-a-Rooney!in July 2002, with new wrap-around segments recorded in the Playgroup.
Arena tours
[edit]Beginning in 2001, the firstTweenies 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 theLondon Arenawas 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.[4]
In December 2001, a follow-up show titledTweenies Live! The Christmas Presentwas presented at theRoyal Albert Hallfor 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 theTweenies: The Ultimate Christmas CollectionDVD 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 Toyshoptoured 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 the programme's 10th anniversary.
Merchandise
[edit]DVDs and videos
[edit]| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 85 | 6 September 1999 | 31 December 1999 | |
| 2 | 45 | 31 January 2000 | 31 March 2000 | |
| 3 | 30 | 24 July 2000 | 1 September 2000 | |
| 4 | 40 | 9 October 2000 | 1 December 2000 | |
| 5 | 60 + Special | 11 December 2000 | 9 April 2001 | |
| 6 | 61 | 24 September 2001 | 28 December 2001 | |
| 7 | 69 | 31 December 2001 | 25 July 2002 | |
These were released by BBC Worldwide and some various DVDs are still available in retailers.
|
Many of the above videos have also been dubbed into other languages. In addition, several of theTweeniesvideos 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 aBest of Tweenies Volume 1which consists of the first six episodes of the series.[citation needed]
Books
[edit]From 1999 until 2006, various books were released fromTweenies,based on the episodes that were mostly aired. Some annuals were released from 2001 to 2006 and other books were based on each character fromTweenies.
Toys and games
[edit]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 asToys "R" Us,Argos,&Woolworth's.Merchandise included soft toys, playsets, collectible figures, board games, jigsaws and puzzles, talking toys, the video games which wereTweenies: Doodles' BonesforGame Boy ColorandTweenies: Game TimeforPlayStation,and many other products.
Game Time
[edit]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| PlayStation: The Official Magazine | 1/10[5] |
Tweenies: Game Timeis aneducationalkidsvideo gamereleased inEuropeon 30 March 2001 forPlayStation,published byBBC Multimedia.It takes the form of aminigame 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 byIntelligent Games.The direction of the game was partially based on research byBBC Worldwideof 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.[6]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Nominated works | Award | Category | Result | Lost to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000[7] | Tweenies | BAFTA Children's Awards | "Best Pre-School Live Action" | Won | — |
| 2002 | Nominated | Teletubbies Everywhere |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"BBC forced to rename Tweeny".TheGuardian.com.23 January 2002.
- ^"BBC receives 216 complaints for Tweenies Jimmy Savile spoof".BBC News.21 January 2013.Retrieved25 July2017.
- ^abcdef"Tweenies".The Official Charts Company.
- ^"Anticipation's at fever pitch - Chronicle Live".30 January 2002.
- ^Tweeniesgame review,Official UK PlayStation Magazine,Future Publishingissue 75
- ^Gibbon, David (30 March 2001)."Tweenies set to conquer PlayStation".BBC News.Retrieved7 June2022.
- ^"Past Winners and Nominees - Children's - Awards - 2000".BAFTA.Retrieved3 July2010.
External links
[edit]
Quotationsfrom Wikiquote
Datafrom Wikidata
- 1990s British children's television series
- 2000s British children's television series
- 1999 British television series debuts
- 2002 British television series endings
- 1990s preschool education television series
- 2000s preschool education television series
- British children's comedy television series
- British children's musical television series
- British preschool education television series
- British television shows featuring puppetry
- British television series with live action and animation
- Television shows adapted into video games
- BAFTA winners (television series)
- British English-language television shows
- BBC children's television shows
- CBeebies
- Noggin (brand) original programming
- E.tv original programming
- TVNZ 2 original programming
- Television series about children
- Fictional quartets
- Television shows about dogs
- Works about friendship
- Television shows set in England
- Television shows shot at Elstree Film Studios
- Television series by BBC Studios
- British children's musical groups
- American children's musical groups