Children's programming

Channel 5’s pre-school programming block Milkshake! aims to connect, entertain and educate viewers aged 2-5 years, offering them a range of high quality, UK originated content that celebrates and reflects British kids, their families and cultures. It is a favourite destination for pre-schoolers that is fun, safe and imaginative, entertaining them with best in class, relatable and engaging characters and adventurous stories. Milkshake! encourages pre-schoolers to wonder, learn and understand the world around them. Channel 5 is the only PSB to air kids’ content via Milkshake! on the main channel 7 days a week. Milkshake! is on air from 6am- 9.15am every weekday and 6am – 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Milkshake! content can also be found on My5, Paramount +, Milkshake! branded You Tube, Facebook and Instagram Channels in addition to a magazine and touring stage show. We commission, co-produce and acquire pre-school programming and prioritise UK produced originations.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 

Pre-school programmes targeted at 2-5 years that would suit a breakfast block with gentle learning through play and fun. Visual diversity through animated (2D, 3D, CGI, model/claymation) and live action/mixed media factual and entertainment formats that feature relatable, gender neutral characters the audience can identify to and fall in love with. We want inspirational story-telling and ideally a ‘hook’ or ‘theme’ that is unique to the content we already have in the block to ensure we offer variety. Our tagline is ‘sunshine every day’ and our core values are curious, celebratory, energetic, inclusive, accessible and popular. Content should have heart, humour, adventure, fun, friendship and celebrate and reflect British children and their families. We produce content in line with the ‘Early Years Foundation’ framework and operate a ‘no diversity, no commission policy’ to ensure we fully represent the audience on and off screen. UK produced content is prioritised, however we are aware some elements of the production may be outsourced, internationally. We are interested in regional programmes that show the breadth of the UK to represent children’s lives today. We are not looking for presenter-led programmes, however if the idea is right for the brand it may be a consideration. Our programme durations range between five, seven and eleven minutes.

HOW TO SUBMIT AN IDEA 

When submitting a project, please send a short synopsis, bible or pitch document of your idea containing the premise of the series, information about the world, a key character breakdown and some episode ideas. We can also review storylines, scripts, designs and teasers if they are available that indicate the style and production method. If you already have funding in place, please indicate this and any additional partners you may have on-board. There are no specific commissioning or acquisition periods, we accept materials all year round. If the idea is of interest to us we will ask to setup a pitch meeting and we may, at this stage, ask for further development materials on the project. Submissions should be emailed to milkshakeprogramming@channel5.com

RECENT COMMISSIONS
Recent commissions include:

Animation: 

• Circle Square
• Daisy & Ollie
• Milo
• MixMups
• Odo
• Peppa Pig
• Pip & Posy 
• Pop Paper City
• Tweedy & Fluff

Live action drama,  factual  and entertainment:  

• Animal Care Club 
• Go Green With the Grimwades 
• Cooking With The Gills 
• Meet The Experts 
• Mimi’s World 
• Reu & Harper’s Wonder World 
• Show Me How 
• The World According To Grandpa        

In-house live action commissions: 

• Milkshake! Monkey’s Amazing Adventures 
• Milkshake! Bop Box Boogie 

Animation acquisitions: 

• Brave Bunnies 
• Chip & Potato 
• Fireman Sam 
• Oggy Oggy 
• Pirata & Capitano 
• Sesame MechaBuilders 
• Sunny Bunnies 
• Thomas & Friends