Tweenies

Did You Know?

• Episode 252, Favourite Songs, was withdrawn from further airing in January 2013 after 216 complaints about a scene parodying Top of the Pops where Max appeared dressed as Jimmy Savile.
• The Tweenies originally aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block in the U.S. from 7 April to 25 September 2003.

Overview and history

The idea for Tweenies came from Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan, who had a track record in children's programming for the BBC. They set up Tell-Tale Productions at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, in 1994. Lauchlan had been a presenter on Play School, Fingermouse, and Playdays, meeting Brenton during the latter; together they produced two Playdays strands before forming Tell-Tale Productions, later rebranded as Wish Films. They also created Fun Song Factory, Boo!, BB3B, and Jim Jam and Sunny.

Episodes mix story, song, and creative activity, with music encouraging children to join in. The programme is set in a nursery attended by four puppet characters—Jake, Fizz, Milo, and Bella—cared for by adults Max and Judy and their dog Doodles, later joined by another dog, Izzles. A character called Syd/Sid was planned but axed by the BBC before production. The show includes a Tweenie Clock with five circular lights arranged in a pentagon: orange for News Time, blue for Messy Time, yellow for Song Time, green for Telly Time, and red for Story Time; Surprise Time occurs when all five lights glow, and a purple button selects the next activity.

Characters

Bella is a five-year-old blue-skinned girl with blonde hair and a red hair bow. As the oldest and tallest Tweenie, she projects a bossy, boisterous attitude and often takes a leadership role, though her arrogance sometimes causes problems; she always apologises eventually. She has a caring heart, enjoys acting, dressing up, fairies, and reading, and her best friend is Fizz. Milo is a four-year-old purple-skinned boy with black hair.

He is energetic, loves telling jokes and playing pranks, and can be impulsive, but is friendly and good-hearted. He often argues with Bella due to their loud personalities and adds the suffix '-a-rooney' to words; his best friend is Jake. Fizz is a four-year-old yellow-skinned girl with reddish brown beaded hair. She is usually mild-mannered but can become stroppy when she does not get her way, and sometimes retreats to the playhouse when upset.

She loves dancing, painting, singing, and playing with dolls, and her best friend is Bella. The characters were operated and voiced by multiple performers over the show's run.

Live shows

The Tweenies had success in live performances from their premiere through the mid-2000s. In November 2000, they appeared on Top of the Pops performing their single No. 1. A December 2000 special featured more singles and was released on VHS and DVD as Music is Pop-a-Rooney! in July 2002. The first Tweenies Live! tour began in 2001, touring UK arenas; a live recording from the London Arena was released on VHS in July 2001.

A follow-up, Tweenies Live! 2: The Fab-a-Rooney Tour, toured from February to July 2002 and featured the live debut of Izzles. In December 2001, Tweenies Live! The Christmas Present was presented at the Royal Albert Hall and later toured arenas from December 2003 to January 2004; a recording was released on VHS in November 2002 and on DVD in November 2006. The fourth tour, No Sleep 'til Bedtime, toured from March to May 2005 and featured covers of licensed tracks.

The fifth tour, The Enchanted Toyshop, toured in spring and summer 2007, was the first produced solely by BBC Worldwide, and was held in theatres. The most recent tour, Top of the Tots, toured in early 2009 for the show's 10th anniversary. From 2003 to 2005, the Cred Street Theatre was renamed The Tweenies Theatre, hosting daily live shows, and there was a Tweenies-themed playground area.

Merchandise

Tweenies episodes were released on VHS and DVD from 1999 to 2008 by BBC Video, including themed compilations such as Ready to Play with the Tweenies (1999), Animal Friends (2000), Colours Are Magic (2001), It's Messy Time (2002), Night-Time Magic (2003), Jungle Adventure (2004), Fizz (2005), The Ultimate Christmas Collection (2006), Practical Jokes And Other Stories (2007), and Messy Time Magic (2008). Many releases were dubbed into other languages, and some retailers received special versions with additional footage.

In 2010, iTunes released Best of Tweenies Volume 1 containing the first six episodes of series one. Music releases were available on cassette and CD. Storybooks based on aired episodes were published from 1999 to 2008. Other merchandise included soft toys, playsets, collectible figures, bedding, board games, puzzles, clothing, talking toys, and yearly hardback annuals from 2001 to 2006.

Computer and video games were produced, including Tweenies: Doodles' Bones for Game Boy Color and Tweenies: Game Time for PlayStation, released on 30 March 2001 in Europe by BBC Multimedia. The game is a minigame collection where players control Milo, Jake, Fizz, and Bella through four scenarios. It was developed by Intelligent Games, with direction based on BBC Worldwide research showing that singing and dancing were major factors in the show's success.