Sky and BBC Studios today announced a deal that will, for the first time, see award-winning pre-school channel, CBeebies, available in New Zealand.

Joining an already impressive kids’ channel line-up on Sky, CBeebies is aimed at pre-schoolers aged six years and under and encourages children to learn through play offering a mix of new and classic titles to educate and entertain young audiences.

“Christmas is coming early for our youngest viewers this year with the addition of CBeebies to our family line up in November,” said Sky CEO Martin Stewart.

“With a range of fun, entertaining and trusted content from one of the world’s greatest producers focused on family, community and well-being, we know Kiwi kids will be inspired by this best of British children’s viewing,”

The Sky BBC Studios deal also includes extended carriage rights for BBC UKTV and BBC Earth, as well as a range of quality programming including scripted drama and factual series which will stream on Neon. In addition, there’s increased catch-up rights on Sky On Demand and on Sky Go as well as more box sets of favourite BBC series.

Jon Penn, Managing Director of BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said: “We’re delighted to extend and enhance our partnership with SKY, offering viewers a brand new channel for pre-school children, CBeebies, and many more shows available on demand. This deal enables SKY viewers of all ages to enjoy the best British shows – in the way that they want to.”

On CBeebies, young Kiwi viewers can look forward to discovering some great programmes available for the first time in New Zealand, including:

• Hey Duggee, a critically acclaimed and multi award-winning animated series in which Duggee, a big lovable dog, runs the Squirrel club for pre-schoolers, which encourages children to have fun while discovering new things about the world around them.
• Go Jetters, an action-packed geographical adventure show that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes Xuli, Kyan, Lars and Foz, as they travel the world with their teacher, mentor and friend Ubercorn, a funky disco-grooving unicorn.
• Sarah & Duck, the multiple award-winning, 2D animated, pre-school series, which follows the curious adventures of seven-year-old Sarah and her loud, quacky friend Duck, as they explore the world both near and far in unexpected ways.
• Swashbuckle, packed to the gunnels with thrills, spills and heaps of energy, a team of daring young Swashbucklers take on the cheeky pirates Cook, Line and Captain Sinker, to win jewels for their treasure chest.
• Catie’s Amazing Machines, CBeebies’ very own rally driver, Catie, is in the driving seat of some amazing machines as she introduces pre-school audiences to some of the biggest and fastest machines in the world.

CBeebies joins Nickelodeon, Nick Jr and Cartoon Network in Sky’s family line up from November 2019.

CBeebies is the latest BBC Studios channel to be available on Sky in New Zealand, the full line up including BBC UKTV, BBC Earth and BBC World News.