Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Introducing…. Bottersnikes & Gumbles Funny, endearing, award-winning: new kids’ series launches on CBBC, 25 July 2016
Bottersnikes & Gumbles - the award-winning kids’ CGI animation show - premieres on CBBC on 25 July 2016, airing at 6pm every week day (with a repeat the following day at 3.30pm)
The series brings to screen the much-loved 1970s classic children’s books by Australian author S.A. Wakefield and illustrated by Desmond Digby.
Each episode features the charming adventures of the loveable Gumbles as they endure timeless battles against the evil Bottersnikes in a forgotten valley of abandoned junk.
Full of action, suspense and laughs, Bottersnikes & Gumbles is set to thrill the imaginations of kids aged 6+ years.
Harry Potter star and BAFTA winning Miriam Margolyes voices ‘Weathersnike’, one of the nasty Bottersnikes – whilst fellow Harry Potter and Hollyoaks actor, Jeff Rawle, voices Happi, a wise old Gumble.
Proving this is no ordinary CGI show, Bottersnikes & Gumbles has already picked up this year’s Pulcinella Award for Best Kids TV Series at the prestigious international animation festival ‘Cartoons on the Bay’ in Venice.
Programme Synopsis:
In a far away forgotten valley, heaped with long abandoned junk, a timeless battle rages between good and evil… and also between squashy and scaly, happy and grumpy, clever and wily… cute and plain old ugly. This is the land of Bottersnikes and Gumbles.
Follow the adventures of our three Gumble heroes: Tink, Bounce and Willi, who love nothing better than to ‘gumble’ all day long, which means crazy, stretchy capers around their junk valley, while carefully avoiding getting tin-canned by the Bottersnikes who are led by the foul tempered and vain Bottersnikes King. Bottersnikes are the stinkiest, ugliest, laziest and most mean spirited creatures. They eat mattress stuffing and rusty nails and like to put the Gumbles to work whenever they can lay their claws on them. “Oh Crumbleguts, that’s Womp!”…a bad thing in Gumble-speak!
Endless battles ensue involving plenty of stealth, trickery, daring rescues and narrow escapes as the Gumbles try to outwit the Bottersnikes in every episode.
Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC said: “I adored the Bottersnikes & Gumbles books as a child, and am delighted that we are now bringing these original and engaging stories to CBBC. Gumbles are bouncy and bright, Bottersnikes are lumpen and uptight, and both creatures work really well in the new magnificent and colourful animation. I’m sure that a whole new generation of children will fall in love with this brilliant new series.”
David Webster, B&G Series Director, Cheeky Little Media said: “This is an incredible collaboration between inspired partners who are all highly motivated by the original source material to produce something very special. The world we are privileged to be creating here is truly original and is going to blow kids’ minds.”
Patrick Egerton, B&G Executive Producer, Cheeky Little Media said: “The books contain such a rich, distinctive world and made an indelible mark on my mind as a kid. With the CG tools and skills now available, we knew the timing was right to develop the property for TV and really do it justice.”
Darren Price, B&G Series Director, Mighty Nice said: “When I met Sam Wakefield back in 1996 and I enthusiastically shared my love of his books, never would I have believed I’d later be directing an international TV series based on his characters. We can’t wait to bounce, roll and stretch through these adventures!”
Tom van Waveren, CEO and Creative Director, CAKE said: “Every element of this series permeates the passion that the core creative team have had for this universe from a young age. Such a passion is infectious and makes this project feel very special indeed.”
Bottersnikes & Gumbles is produced by CAKE, Cheeky Little Media and Mighty Nice for CBBC, Seven Network Australia and Netflix. The 52-episode series comprises 11-minute episodes.