Jetpack Bolsters Catalogue with BBC Preschool Live Action Series Biff and Chip
Jetpack Distribution has announced it has acquired the worldwide rights (outside of the UK) for preschool hit live action series Biff and Chip. The show is produced by BBC Studios, Kids & Family Productions, and is currently airing on CBeebies in the UK.
The deal comprises 25 11-minute episodes of the warm, family focused comedy drama that is aimed at four- to six-year-olds and their parents or carers. A further two seasons are in production.
Biff and Chip is based on the popular Oxford Reading Tree phonics books, used to teach kids to read in the UK and further afield. With more than 800 titles published in over 130 countries, they are often the first books which children learn to read independently, making Biff, Chip and Kipper household names for many young children.
The show takes the iconic characters and brings them to life. All the books are focused on storytelling through phonic learning. The TV series extends the world of the books to screen for pure entertainment, using the characters and their familiar community environment as the basis of new stories, which fit into an 11-minute episode structure.
The stories focus on children, their family and friends, spending time together, having fun and coming up with interesting ideas through creative play. Invariably something unexpected or funny happens and characters come together to make things right or turn a disaster into a fun adventure.
Jetpack CEO, Dominic Gardiner, says: “Biff and Chip is full of twists and turns, surprising and delighting this age group. It truly captures the warmth, innocence, and humour of the much-loved books. That said, the screen adaption still delivers something entirely new.”
He adds: “The themes are timeless, and kids globally will connect Biff and Chip’s funny, warm and engaging characters.”
Tali Walters,Genre Lead for Drama, BBC Studios, Kids & Family Productions, says: “Following the success of the series in the UK, we’re thrilled that even more young audiences will now have access to these playful, inclusive stories in relatable scenarios that will appeal to families everywhere.”
