Balamory is back on TV screens
Filming has begun on a new series, which will blend familiar characters such as nursery teacher Miss Hoolie, played by Julie Wilson Nimmo, and PC Plum, portrayed by Andrew Agnew, with a host of new faces.
Brand new characters will include scientist and inventor Ava Potts, played by Danielle Jam; the Harbour Master, played by William Andrews; and local vet Dr Ollie, played by Carl Spencer.
Filming is underway on location in Tobermory, the real-life town on the Isle of Mull that inspired the show's iconic setting.
Two new series have been commissioned, each with ten new 14-minute episodes.
The 'revamped series' will air next year on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
Originally produced in 2002, Balamory was a huge hit with preschool kids over four series before it ended in 2005.
The show became a staple of early childhood entertainment, with 'home-grown storytelling' about the much-loved nursery school and the small island community that surrounds it.
'Lovingly reimagined for today's families', the new series promises to 'retain its original spirit while introducing fresh elements to captivate young viewers'.
The BBC confirmed that, at its heart, will remain the charming fictional town of Balamory, 'where brightly-coloured houses cluster around a scenic harbour and life revolves around the nursery school and its caring teacher'.
Kate Morton, Senior Head of Children's Commissioning 0-6 BBC Children's and Education, said: 'It's wonderful to see some of the original cast returning alongside new faces, creating a perfect mix of nostalgia and discovery for families to enjoy together.
'This vibrant new series will delight both children and the grown-ups who remember it fondly.'
PHOTO :Lion Television Scotland / BBC
Like this:
Like
Related
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I played The Traitors Live Experience - there was treachery, back-stabbing and it was absolute chaos
I've lost count of how many times I've been asked if a story I've written is true. 'I don't believe it. Did that really happen? That can't be the full story?' friends will exclaim as they desperately dig for more showbiz gossip. It's a question I find endlessly frustrating. Obviously for legal reasons I couldn't publish a story I know to be inaccurate, but on a moral front - do my friends really think I could lie that easily? As it turns out, they might have a point, as I found out when I played The Traitors Live Experience. The new immersive game mimics the hit BBC show, with a group of up to 14 players tasked with playing either with - or against - each other to make it to the grand final. I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for the experience, but as a superfan of the TV show, I had high hopes for what would entail. Luckily, I wasn't let down, with my night blindfolded in a London basement surrounded by strangers, everything I could have hoped for. Prior to the game beginning, the players - in this case, fellow journalists and their plus ones - were given a form to fill out which asked if we would prefer to play as a Traitor or a Faithful. Emboldened by a pre-game cocktail at the venue's aptly named Cloak & Dagger bar, and keen not to leave my fate in the hands of journos from rival publications, I apprehensively stated I would like to be a Traitor. It was then that we were all led down into the basement and into a room that looked just like the famous Round Table on the show. Having taken our seats we were introduced to our host for the evening - a tartan-clad woman with a playful yet steely demeanour that would've made Claudia Winkleman proud. After a brief video message from Claudia herself, the game began and it was time to learn if we were to be Traitors or Faithfuls. The first task was to go around the room, state our names and give one reason why we would make a good Faithful - which resulted in pretty much everyone claiming they were a bad liar. Once we all had a chance to suss out our fellow players it was time to put on our blindfolds and learn our fates - were we to be Traitors or were we to be Faithfuls? Sitting in silence, the host set about circling us like a vulture over a carcass as she tapped the shoulders of the chosen Traitors. With anticipation at an all time high it felt like the selection process went on forever, and I'd begun to concede that I would be playing as a Faithful, until I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. Instantly, a shiver went up my spine and I regretted making my choice - I'm a blabbermouth by nature - I knew I'd end up talking myself into trouble. But there was no time to try and quickly think of tactics because our host informed us that it was time for the Traitors to learn each other's identities. The blindfolds that we had to remove to see each other were in fact chunky goggles, and naively, before putting on the goggles I had removed my glasses and left them on the table. So trying to remove those and retrieve my spectacles in silence, while my fellow players were sat inches away and listening for any sign of movement, proved to be a challenge. I quickly locked eyes with the Traitors in the room - two men. One of whom was the PR who had informed me earlier that evening that he'd played the game before and was murdered in the first round. The other had taken so long to remove his goggles that I didn't initially realise that he was even a Traitor. It wasn't boding well so far. Yet there was no time to dwell on the threat of potential banishment as after all removing our blindfolds and giving each other another once over, it was time to embark on the first mission. I won't give away what we had to do - but there was mass confusion and a lot of trial and error before we finally got it right. Then came time for the first murder. Back on came the bulky goggles before I and my fellow Traitors attempted to take them off quietly and pick who to murder. At this point there were no tactics involved in our choice, so we just went for someone who was in our eyeline to be the sacrificial lamb. Then came the moment I'd been dreading - the first banishment. Still reeling from the murder, the group began to debate who could have been behind it. While I was safe, one of my fellow Traitors had been busted for making too much noise. He was sat far away from me and I didn't want to raise too much suspicion so I didn't defend him. Although I didn't vote for him either. As the votes were cast on whiteboards, it soon became clear he was the hot favourite to be banished and was ousted from the game in a win for the Faithfuls. While I felt bad for him, I was pleased that I'd managed to avoid detection and nobody suspected me. They had, however, suspected the other remaining Traitor. Emboldened, we pressed on with the next tricky challenge, before again deciding who to murder and then who to banish (another innocent Faithful). The cycle continued and I began to get cocky. There had still been no eyes on me and I had even managed to get rid of a Faithful by convincing the others his reaction to a murder was strangely over the top. Ultimately, he was banished for being a nice guy. At one point in the experience there were a few players who needed the toilet and they were led off in a group as the rest of us played on. Knowing the group who nipped out were all Faithful did cause a slight panic - was this part of a tactical game play so they could have a discussion away from the Traitors? Or was it simply the signs of a weak pelvic floor? To this day, I'll never know. But either way, once they returned my luck changed. My plus one at the event - a friend I have known since childhood - suddenly and unprovoked publicly cast her suspicion on me. She had heard me rustling during one of the murders. The jig was up. Before the game began, the host had warned us that while emotions could be heightened during the game, we should be mindful not to take anything personally. Was that warning really necessary I thought? But now I could see why, I felt like I'd been thrown under the bus by my best friend. Yes by all means she was a Faithful and I was a Traitor so we were on opposing sides, but somehow I still felt betrayed - nearly two decades of friendship at risk all because she'd heard me fiddling with my blindfold. Looking back, I can see I was being a tad dramatic. But that really is the nature of the game. Within the two hours of playing you are sucked completely into the experience and suddenly the perfectly pleasant people around you become enemies. Perhaps then, it was the right time for me to be banished. With suspicion on me, I panicked, and as I predicted - I put my foot in it by labouring my protestations of innocence. While there were a handful who still believed me, ultimately my time in the game had come to an end and I was banished from the group. I was still pleased with myself for making it halfway through the game, and high on adrenaline I bizarrely curtsied as I declared I was a Traitor - the spirit of Paul Gorton lives on. Having been banished from the Round Table room, I headed up the stairs to be reunited with the other players who had left the game. While it was a tad awkward to be sitting in a room full of people I had a hand in murdering, I ordered a glass of Pinot and settled in to watch the rest of the game unfold from a TV screen. The remaining players were not just being filmed for our entertainment but also so they could 'communicate' with us. During challenges, the dead and the banished could offer guidance on the challenges by providing them with clues. The game concludes in a different location - a replica of the iconic Traitors' turret - with the final players given one final challenge before voting whether or not to end the game. By this point, all the Traitors had been banished and only the Faithful remained. Yet they were all still paranoid and kept voting out innocent Faithfuls - my friend included - until three players remained and ended the game victorious. While I later congratulated my friend for making it so far, I will admit that part of me was pleased that she didn't win the game. I was clearly still bitter about her voting me out. So, given the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced in the space of just two hours, I can see why the contestants on the show fall to pieces within a day. I enjoyed my time as a Traitor but there's no way I could have kept it up for longer than an hour. Guess I really am a Faithful at heart after all.
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
'I knew Prince Andrew - the explosive new claims fit my impression of his arrogance'
Prince Andrew is the centre of a new biography that makes fresh claims of his behaviour towards staff and obsession with status - and now a royal expert has weighed in on the allegations As Prince Andrew faces a slew of allegations about his behaviour in a new biography, someone who knew him has confirmed that the portrayal of the royal as 'arrogant, pompous, and obsessed' is accurate. The book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the Yorks, by Andrew Lownie includes claims about Andrew's relationship with Sarah Ferguson, and his supposed rants at staff members. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror that Andrew is 'the problem that won't go away' for the royal family. She said: "Every few months now, there seem to be new allegations about Prince Andrew and lurid stories about his behaviour over the years.' She went on to explain that summer is usually a period of calm for the royals - something which will have been disrupted by the release of the biography. Bond said: "I'm sure the book will have infuriated Andrew. I have to say, though, that from my own experience of meeting the Duke and my conversations with many people who have known him or worked with him over the years, there is a distinct ring of truth about his portrayal in this book. Arrogant, pompous and obsessed with status was my abiding impression of him." The book also claimed that Ferguson lived a life of 'opulent excess' which included wild spending on staff, holidays, and parties. The Mirror contacted the Duke and Duchess of York for comment. While the King is likely to be exasperated by having to read about Andrew's 'shenanigans', Bond said that we should not expect any retaliation as the pair are still brothers. She said: 'I suspect the King will just roll his eyes, probably swear about Andrew under his breath — but then get on with more important things in life.' Lownie's book is more than 450 pages long and is said to have taken four years to research. He explained on Good Morning Britain that he started writing the biography after the infamous Newsnight interview in which Andrew discussed his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. The historian explained: 'The thing with Andrew is you can't believe a word he says.' Lownie also said that Andrew "lost his protector" when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died, and that if he were to advise him on communications, he would suggest to Andrew to "keep a low profile" and "try to win back the respect of the British people". Discussing the title of his book, Lownie said that Andrew was "spoilt as a child" and was never set "any boundaries", which meant that he was always allowed to get away with his behaviour.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The Traitors' Meryl reveals she's healed feud with co-star after explosive rows and deceit on BBC show
She also opened up on the show's 'box-ticking' casting process TV CLASH The Traitors' Meryl reveals she's healed feud with co-star after explosive rows and deceit on BBC show THE Traitors winner Meryl Williams has healed her rift with her co-stars after a heated feud during their time on the show. The star rose to fame on the first series of the show back in 2022. Advertisement 6 Meryl Williams has revealed she has healed her feud with co-star Maddy Credit: BBC 6 The duo had a fiery clash on The Traitors Credit: BBC 6 Meryl spoke out on Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer Credit: Supplied And although Meryl managed to scoop a third of the prize alongside fellow winners Aaron Evans and Hannah Byczkowski - it was her fiery rows with co-star Maddy Smedley that dominated her time on the show. The pair clashed on a number of occasions as they found themselves at loggerheads over their differing opinions. Meryl made the confession during her sit-down interview with Hayley Palmer on her evening talk show, Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer. As Hayley questioned Meryl on how she dealt with the lying and deceit on the show, she opened up about Maddy. Advertisement The TV star said: "I think I am a good liar and people think that I'm trustworthy. "I thought I wouldn't come across as intimidating but then obviously me and Maddy started having our own tiffs with one another. "That started in episode six so [her plan] didn't work." But, Meryl has now clarified that all is well between the pair and they aren't feuding after the show. Advertisement Meryl added that things had been smoothed over between her and her co-star as she added: "We are friends now." Elsewhere, Meryl opened up on the casting process for the show as she praised the BBC for including contestants from all walks of life. 'I couldn't get out of bed' says Hayley Palmer as she fights tears amid split from The Chase's Mark Labbett Meryl said to Hayley: "The one thing I'll take my hats off to The Traitors is the casting. "They are incredible, the inclusion they get for both the celebs and our one is incredible. Advertisement "They have between 21 and 75, non-disabled, visually disabled, non-visually disabled - they just ticked all the boxes!" You can watch Meryl's interview in full tonight on Saturday Night with Hayley Palmer on Freeview channel 271. 6 Meryl insisted the pair were still friends 6 Maddy failed to make it to the show final Credit: Instagram / @ thetraitorsnetwork Advertisement
