BBC Children's and Education announces TV adaptation of The Lady Grace Mysteries and more new commissions
Get ready for more laughs and team spirit as High Hoops returns for Season 2 in Spring 2026. Starring Peep Show alumni, Robert Webb and Isy Suttie, this hit 10 x 30-minute children's show will continue to follow the tall, gaffe-prone but unstoppable Aoife O'Neill and her school basketball team. Aimed at 8-13 year-olds, High Hoops is a sharp, witty, and aspirational comedy set in an urban comprehensive, where Aoife and her vibrant team of teammates navigate the ups and downs of sports, friendship, and growing up.
The Football Academy (15 x 22') is also back for a new season with an exciting move to Tottenham Hotspur Academy. Following the success of its first two seasons at Southampton FC, the hit show will now showcase the challenges and triumphs of youth players at the prestigious North London academy. Viewers will continue to follow the journeys of players from the boys' and girls' teams and club-run para teams, aged 9 to 17, as they face the highs and lows of elite football at world-class facilities, including Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and their state-of-the-art training centre.
Coming from Zig Zag, this season promises to elevate the drama and excitement, as the series steps up its game within the fresh, high-profile setting. As these young athletes push their limits, fans can expect inspiring stories of determination, teamwork, and growth in one of the UK's most celebrated football environments. The Football Academy continues to deliver powerful, behind-the-scenes access to the next generation of football stars, now with even more ambition and opportunity.
Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children's & Education, BBC: 'We are the biggest commissioner globally for children's TV and continue to invest in high-quality, home-grown storytelling that brings families together. The new commissions reflect our commitment to our young audience, but also to the UK's creative economy at a time when our industry is in decline globally. The breadth of new titles demonstrates our unique role to provide all children with diverse, culturally relevant content that educates, entertains, and inspires'.
For younger children and families on CBeebies there is a bumper crop of new commissions to inspire imaginative play and outdoor fun. What's In Your Plant Pot? produced by Gold Wala, inspires young viewers with the excitement of gardening, exploring the wonders of plants and nature through fun, engaging facts and interactive participation. A creative twist on the popular 'What's In Your Bag?' format, the 30x7 show focuses on curiosity, diversity, interactivity, and fun. With engaging facts and playful exploration, it takes viewers on a journey into the world of plants, flowers, and vegetables, highlighting different tastes, cultures, and uses.
Also in the garden, I Can Grow It, a 30 x 10 urban gardening series led by Aaron Roach-Bridgeman, takes young children on a magical journey to explore gardening in the heart of the city. Joining Aaron is a diverse group of budding gardeners, aged 3 to 5, as they explore the wonders of growing plants. Coming in Spring 2026 from Common Story in the West Midlands, Aaron's unique talents as a lyricist, beatboxer, and poet infuse the series with an extra layer of fun and rhythm, making it an unforgettable experience for little ones.
I Spy, You Spy, is a brand-new CBeebies show that brings the classic children's game to life, encouraging interactive play, imagination, and observation skills. Join Elsee, a lovable puppet, as she travels across the country, inviting children to pause, observe, and enjoy the world around them. Each 26 x 5 episode celebrates diversity, showcasing a variety of landscapes—whether in the countryside, the city, or indoors—there's always something exciting to see.
I Spy, You Spy, will air in Autumn and is being produced by Tiny House Productions, a company that received support from the BBC's Small Indie Fund, which helps small independent production companies grow after receiving mentoring from the BBC Children's commissioning team. Tiny House Productions will be producing the series alongside NEST productions.
The announcement comes as hundreds of production companies across the UK came together to be inspired about the latest commissioning strategy to create high quality, enriching content that nurtures the new talent both on and off screen at the BBC Children's Briefing Day in Liverpool.
HM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm turning my 1960s house into a home – a £15 Amazon buy made a big difference, added privacy & only took five minutes
Plus, scroll down for more DIY tips and tricks you won't want to miss BRIGHT IDEA I'm turning my 1960s house into a home – a £15 Amazon buy made a big difference, added privacy & only took five minutes Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DIY enthusiast is currently on a mission to turn her '1960s house a home.' As part of Grace Dem's latest DIY project, she has added style to her pad for just £15. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A DIY fan has shared how she added style to her home in just five minutes Credit: Tiktok/@maisonbyem 2 Using a £15 buy from Amazon, Grace Dem turned a small window from drab to fab Credit: Tiktok/@maisonbyem Posting on social media, the content creator gave her followers a close-up look at her recent transformation, leaving many open-mouthed. What was once a plain glass window, has since been given a glow up thanks to a purse-friendly buy from Amazon. And not only does it add style, but it also provides privacy too. But if you thought that was it, think again, as this simple trick only takes a matter of minutes. Sharing a short clip online, the savvy woman posted a before and after look at a small window at the top of her bathroom. Using a Stained Glass Window Privacy Film, which Grace bought from Amazon for £15 at the time, she was able to turn the once dull window from drab to fab. With this bargain buy, all you need to do is measure, cut, wet and apply. It's said to be 'hassle-free', with 'no residue.' According to the listing, this privacy film, which works best on glass windows, is 'made to endure with premium, resilient materials that resist wear.' As well as being super vibrant with eye-catching patterns, it's sure to beautify your windows and leave your guests open-mouthed. I was fed up of my council bathroom looking like a s--thole so transformed it with stick on tiles & an £80 shower screen Alongside the clip, Grace penned: 'Did someone say dream window for under £15?' Showing off the finished result, the influencer beamed: "Dreamiest transformation and literally took five minutes to do.' Clearly overjoyed with the budget but effective privacy film, which requires no glue and is removable, Grace then added: 'Obsessed obsessed obsessed!' This is class! Looks so good TikTok user Thanks to this budget product, which you can buy from Amazon in a variety of different styles, you'll not only add a unique touch to your space, but it can also be used to block the sun and for anti-glare purposes too. As well as being used on indoor surfaces, it can also be added to outside spaces too. DIY fans beam Not only do we think that Grace's window transformation looks impressive, but it's clear that many others do too, as her TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @maisonbyem, has quickly racked up 182,500 views. Not only this, but it's also amassed 11,800 likes, 46 comments and 1,889 saves. Eight Easy DIY Tips & Tricks The ultimate guide for homeowners and renters: DIY expert's lazy painting hack will make decorating your home much easier Save time and money with this easy DIY tiling hack to transform a room in under an hour Avoid these five mistakes in your next DIY project Transform your kitchen with this renter-friendly DIY hack Noisy neighbours? Here's how to soundproof a room DIY expert shared her favourite strategy for painting around glass without tape If you want to give your kitchen a fresh look, here's how to paint your kitchen cabinets Five tricks to spruce up every room in your home for less than £5 DIY fans were stunned by the huge difference the adhesive-free film made and users eagerly flocked to the comments to express this. One person said: 'Makes such a difference!' Another added: 'You've outdone yourself with this one.' Dreamiest transformation and literally took five minutes to do Grace Dem A third commented: 'This is class! Looks so good.' Meanwhile, someone else asked: 'Is it sideways?' To this, Grace responded and wrote: 'Yes I suppose so! I think it could go either way tbh.' But not everyone was as complimentary, as one user snapped: 'Tacky.' However, clearly unbothered by the rude remark, the content creator wrote back and alongside a laughing face emoji, joked: 'Thanks babes.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Lewis Capaldi lookalikes gather outside Greggs in bizarre bid to win concert tickets
Even our man Colan Lamont got involved LEWKIN' GOOD Lewis Capaldi lookalikes gather outside Greggs in bizarre bid to win concert tickets Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEWIS Capaldi fans rolled up to Greggs dressed up as the chart favourite in a half-baked bid to win concert tickets. The bakery chain was running a competition to find the Scots singer's best lookalike which attracted the Someone You Loved hitmaker's best doppelgangers. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Ruth Johnston and Emily Philp ended up winning some tickets Credit: Tom Farmer 6 Fans recreated some iconic Lewis Capaldi looks Credit: lewiscapaldi/Instagram 6 Rachael and Nicole Gillespie were among the first to arrive Credit: Tom Farmer 6 Fans donned their best Capaldi looks Credit: Tom Farmer 6 Even our man Colan Lamont got involved Credit: Tom Farmer With tickets for the 28-year-old's tour dates selling like hot cakes - they were all bought within minutes - the event was one of the only ways to bag priceless briefs to see 'Scotland's Beyoncé' at Glasgow's OVO Hydro on September 13 and 14. Sisters Rachael Gillespie, 22, and Nicole , 24, from Edinburgh, queued from 7am and were the first through the door to claim the tickets. Rachael said: 'We're so happy to have won the tickets. We got here super early because we missed out on both pre-sale and general sale. 'It was an amazing day and we made friends with plenty of other Lewis Capaldi fans.' Nicole added: 'We were devastated when we missed out on tickets so this is the most amazing feeling.' Greggs had 125 pairs of tickets on offer - with 25 each to be won at events in Glasgow, Salford, London, Birmingham and Sheffield. Some punters looked the spitting image of the chart-topper - who stormed back to number one with new single Survive this month after bravely battling back from the health issues that forced him to end his Glastonbury gig early two years ago. Capaldi is a well known fan of Greggs and shocked fans in 2019 when he got behind the counter at a Middlesbrough outlet wearing the full uniform, including hairnet, while claiming to be on work experience. Ruth Johnston, 26, and Emily Philp, 21, from Howwood, made their own body suits for the occassion and led singalongs as they got into character. Emily said: 'We're both massive fans. I met him once at a signing as well. Lewis Capaldi opens up about his return to the Glastonbury stage "I love his music and everything about him - especially how down to earth he is.' Ruth added: 'I think we were number 30,000 in the queue when we tried to get tickets so this was the only way. 'We knew we had to go all out and I think we were able to draw on the confidence of Lewis Capaldi by dressing up as him.' Our man gets his Lewis look on BY COLAN LAMONT LEWIS Capaldi has a hit song called Grace - but I showed anything but trying to dress up as the superstar. While fans made getting ready for the Greggs lookalike contest look like a piece of cake, I was still busy learning how stop the towel on my head from falling off. Thankfully, I was in the one spot in Glasgow where looking like I'd just got out of the shower wasn't an issue. I was very impressed by the lengths some punters had gone to in an effort to win tickets for his gigs. If I get the opportunity to cosplay Capaldi again, I hope I'll look like less of a pie in the process. Gran Heather Todd, 67, from Fauldhouse, even got caught up in the excitement by recreating Capaldi's iconic towel pose. The pensioner is a big fan and wanted to do whatever it too to help her grandaughter Mollie and her friend Amie Gibb, both 13, go to their dream gig. She said: 'It was good fun and I was happy to help the girls win tickets to see their favourite singer.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
MasterChef's Grace Dent says 'I grew up eating sludge' as she's tipped to replace Gregg Wallace
Former I'm A Celeb star and restaurant critic Grace Dent was announced as Gregg Wallace's replacement on MasterChef last year. Grace has recorded the new series with co judge John Torode who has now been sacked too. She may have grown up eating Angel Delight and Findus fast food, but her palette is now finely tuned for TV stardom, as Grace Dent is hailed the firm favourite to present MasterChef. The food critic - a former Daily Mirror journalist - is the bookies' 15/8 favourite to take over, after a string of controversies saw current presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode sacked from the BBC1 show. Given a taste of MasterChef glory, as co-presenter of the celebrity version alongside Torode since the end of last year, Grace, 51 - who talks proudly of her working class roots in Carlisle - is keen to become the new ' Queen of Cooking.' She says: "I have been on telly for a long time. I love being on telly. I've been on MasterChef since 2013 as a 'turn'. But I have been watching it since I was a little girl, when we had Loyd Grossman. "I used to sit on the sofa with my dad, and the restaurant critics would walk in and we would laugh our socks off at them coming in and going, 'Well, this is the worst foie gras in the world '. We would just be laughing, going, 'Look at this person'.' Chuckling as she remembers people running through their dishes, she impersonates them, going: ''I've got a ballotine of lamb, and a port reduction, and a fondant potato,' and all of these things". 'We didn't have them in Carlisle. "But the show is this incredible rollercoaster that makes people happy all over Britain.' Grace is keen to follow in the footsteps of cooking shows' great women presenters, like Mary Berry and Prue Leith. She says: 'Food is the biggest love of my life. I want to do more. Prue and Mary Berry, I mean, they go on forever. So, yeah, that's what I want to do.' The BBC has yet to confirm who will be MasterChef's new hosts, but Grace leads an eminent line-up of contenders, including chefs Tom Kerridge and James Martin, former Radio 1 star Chris Stark and rapper-turned cook Big Zuu. If she does land the coveted role Grace, who shares warm memories of growing-up in a 'Coronation Street- style' house, says her one regret will be that her parents are no longer around to see it. "It is jarring to me this has happened in 2025 when my parents have gone,' she says. 'Because to present MasterChef is the first that I would have had that they would have fully understood. "My mother would have bored people to tears. ' Her parents were married to other people when they met and ran away together. Grace recalls: 'My mother looked like Diana Doors. She was booby and blonde and glam and wore trouser suits and my father was a squaddie, a soldier and had been stationed up in Carlisle for a while.' Of their affair, she continues: 'They had me very, very quickly. It was quite a big deal in the 70s. I think that my parents met and ran away in haste and then lamented their decision over the next 50 years.' Grace, who was speaking to James O'Brien for his Full Disclosure podcast before Wallace and Torode were sacked, credits her parents with cultivating her love of food. And she has no time for food snobbery, adding: "This is the problem that we have with the ultra-processed food debate, going back to the 70s when I was a child. 'The fact is, a Findus crispy pancake in 1970 filled with minced beef was delicious, as well as oven chips dipped in salad cream. "I didn't eat the rainbow when I was a child. We ate the sludge. I want to tell the truth about the 70s. These were exciting times, like if you had butternut scotch flavoured Angel Delight. "I had no idea what posh really was.' Admitting she was "nothing special" at school, Grace says she became focussed on TV fame after seeing people like Paula Yates, the late flamboyant peroxide hostess of Channel 4's pop culture show The Tube, on the box . She says: "There was no one in my family that was in academia, I was brought up by pop culture. "From the earliest part of my life, I looked at the television and looked at Kenny Everett, Top of the Pops and bands like The Human League and ABC. I remember looking and thinking, 'there is a world out there and I want to go there'. "I had a very northern working class childhood, so I was never told I was beautiful, I was never told I was special, but I remember going, 'But I'm going to be famous.' "I wanted to go to university, because I knew that if I went and read English literature then it would be handy as some sort of arts degree that I could then take to London for my glorious plan to become Paula Yates. "I remember by the time I was 14, Paula was raging on The Tube, bringing her sparkle, glamour, the dresses, hanging out with popstars. And then she was also writing a newspaper column with her big hair at the top of the page, firing out the old paperback fiction. "I wanted to be Paula Yates or Janet Street-Porter. Janet was controlling youth TV on BBC2, hanging out with the Pet Shop Boys. She was running TV channels. I was like 'I want that''. And Grace was inspired to move to London after watching her late Cumbrian aunt "jump the working class fence," shocking her family by marrying a Lord. She says: 'One of my aunties, who was every bit as common as me, was called Grace and married a Lord. She was a force of nature. "I was fascinated by her and this idea that one day, you can just suddenly go, 'no. This is who I am'. She would go to London and play Bridge. "I remember at the end of our street in Carlisle, there was a railway track and I knew that London was 235 miles away. It took seven hours by train back then in the 70s, and I wanted to go. "So, as soon as I could, I was coming down on that train and getting that taste for London, and that was what inspired me. 'I love Carlisle. Now I'm in my 50s, I love that place. But when you're 14, all you want to do is be in Soho, potentially snogging John Taylor from Duran Duran." Her move to the smoke paid off. She bagged an editorial assistant's job at women's magazine Marie Claire after she graduated from Stirling University. Other magazine and newspaper jobs followed, she went on to publish more than 20 books and has appeared on countless TV shows, such as The Great British Menu, Very British Problems, Have I Got News For You and had a stint hosting the Radio 4 series The Untold. Now with the big MasterChef job in her sights, she reflects on her mum's cautionary words about her success. "My mother said this until the day that she died about my life. She would look at it all and go, 'You don't half make life hard for yourself, don't you?' 'Because my life would have been probably kind of lovely if I'd stayed in Carlisle. "Her dream was that I would have made a good marriage with somebody from Carlisle. I could even tell you the guys that I should have married, whose dads had building firms, and we could have had a nice house and done it up and had a breakfast bar. "Me and my mother fought like cat and dog from when I was a child. We loved each other fiercely and I nursed her right up until the last, her last dying breath. "But yeah, proper northern, northern working class women, with massive aspirations to leave and do fantastic things." Laughing about her success, so far this year, she quips: "I don't think that I'm a role model or a massively great example for anybody. I do think that I am in a lot of ways a terrible warning, and if anything, just winging it. "I always knew that I'm not the most beautiful girl and I'm not the cleverest girl and I'm not the richest girl. But when I go into a room, I can sometimes raise the frequency…a little bit."
