BBC Children’s and Education Announces 2026 and 2027 Commissions
BBC Children’s and Education announced a new slate of commissions across CBBC, CBeebies, and BBC iPlayer. The lineup brings together returning favourites and new programmes spanning comedy, wildlife, entertainment, sport, and factual programming.
Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education, said the slate is a brilliant example of the breadth and creativity the BBC wants families to find. The new commissions feature home-grown content designed to connect with children at every stage of growing up.
CBBC Slate Additions Led by Judge Hacker and Deadly 60
For audiences aged seven and over, CBBC welcomes a brand-new comedy entertainment format titled Judge Hacker. Performed by Phil Fletcher, the canine character Hacker T Dog takes charge of his very own courtroom, presiding over cases alongside lawyers Lorna Rose Treen and Toussaint Douglass. DLT Entertainment UK Ltd produces and distributes the series, which launches in early 2027.
Hacker T Dog hails from Wigan as a Blue Peter regular. Alongside the courtroom comedy, Deadly 60 returns for an eighth series.
Gladiators Spin-Off and Horrible Histories Return
Gladiators: Epic Pranks returns for a third series with Hungry Bear TV Media, introducing a twist that puts children in control.
Horrible Histories features themed episodes on the original Gladiators and history’s greatest traitors. A special episode marks the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death in partnership with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Meanwhile, animated adventure Hyperlight – Battle of the Guardians arrives from A Productions and Scrawl Animation.
CBeebies Lineup Features BeddyByes and Football Fantastics
On CBeebies, BeddyByes returns for a second series in spring 2027. Produced by JAM Media, the programme follows MeMo and BaBa on gentle evening routines supporting mindfulness and sleep.
Turnip + Duck and RTÉ produce a second series of Maddie & Triggs, available as an animated adventure and audio-first podcast for sighted and vision-impaired children. Glasgow-based Maramedia launches Animal Allsorts in 2028 using Owen Davey’s artwork, while Tiny Tunes brings inclusive Christmas episodes featuring deaf children and British Sign Language in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions About the BBC Slate
When will Judge Hacker launch on CBBC?
Judge Hacker is scheduled to launch in early 2027 on CBBC.
Which countries did Steve Backshall visit for Deadly 60 Series 8?
Steve Backshall filmed the eighth series of Deadly 60 across Japan, India, Thailand, and Australia.
Who produces Maddie & Triggs for CBeebies?
Maddie & Triggs is produced by Turnip + Duck alongside RTÉ.