Off to grandmother’s house we go! Nickelodeon’s preschool-focused edutainment service has picked up the first two seasons of JoJo & Gran Gran from BBC Studios.
The 44 x 11-minute animated series will launch June 14 on Noggin, marking its US debut. JoJo & Gran Gran was developed and produced by BBC Children’s in-house production team.
In November, the UK pubcaster ordered a second and third season of the show, which revolves around a four-year-old girl and her grandmother who spend time together in their London neighborhood. JoJo & Gran Gran focuses on themes that can feel abstract to preschoolers, including life cycles, the passing of time and growth.
This Noggin acquisition follows on the heels of BBC Children’s Productions shift from operating as a unit of the pubcaster to being overseen by commercial arm BBC Studios. The transition should be complete by April 2022 and is designed to increase BBC Studios’ financial returns by 30% within five years.
Earlier this year, Noggin launched its first-ever original long-form series. Noggin Knows is made up of five 24-minute episodes and hosted by Emmanuel Carter, who uses singing and dancing to guide kids and Nickelodeon preschool characters through themed lessons. The interactive SVOD also recently bowed Kinderwood from LA-based Titmouse.