Channel 5’s children’s strand, Milkshake! has confirmed that it will be the broadcast home of MixMups – its first animated preschool series to feature disabled lead characters and be made by a team with lived experience of disability.
Developed and produced with support from the UK Government funded Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which is managed by the BFI and in collaboration with Raydar Media, the ground-breaking 52 x 10-minute stop-motion animated series for three to five year olds, shines a light on different preschool play styles and the joy of mixing up objects and ideas to create stories.
The show’s premise is inspired by all children’s love of mixing and combining items as a way of playing, exploring and discovering. It centres around three friends – the MixMups; neat and tidy Pockets, creative and inventive Giggle and boisterous and physical Spin, along with their assistance pets, Roller Guinea and Yapette the guide dog. They all live in a wheelchair accessible Helter-Skelter house in Mixington Valley.
Each episode sees the friends use their magical wooden spoon and mixing box to ‘Mix up the Magic’ of play and transport themselves on a host of comical adventures. They embrace a variety of ways to play, entertain each other and embark upon day-to-day problem-solving challenges with the help of the trunky-beaked Lucky Loover Bird. Core themes include the joy of individuality, imagination, friendship and flexible thinking.
The show is due to premiere on Milkshake in March 2023.
Mixmups was created by Rebecca Atkinson, the founder of the viral #ToyLikeMe campaign which called for more diversity in children’s industries.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled that the wonderful MixMups, a show that celebrates individuality and the distinct play styles and personalities that preschoolers have, is joining the Milkshake! line-up,” commented Louise Bucknole, vp children’s programming at Paramount UK and Ireland. “It’s vital to us that our young audiences and their families, see themselves reflected in our storytelling, so our cast of MixMups all have very different characters, and when they come together, magical things happen.
“It is also our first commission which from its very genesis, has been entirely inspired and created with the experiences of disabled children in mind. Working with Rebecca and a core production team that has lived experience of disability, we are confident we can bring a level of authenticity, understanding and commitment to the show, unlike any other.”
The agreement was brokered by Raydar Media on behalf of MixMups Entertainment, a joint venture between Toy Like Me, Mackinnon & Saunders and Raydar Media. A global licensing and merchandising programme helmed by Raydar Media will roll out in 2023.
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