Jodie Whittaker joins Marcus Bentley and Daisy Haggard for new Sky Kids shows
Former Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker is one of several high-profile people to read stories in upcoming original shows from Sky Kids.
Whittaker, who bowed out on screen as the Thirteenth Doctor in the Power of the Doctor in October 2022, will read Ready, Eddie, Go!
Based on the books Eddie’s Stories, written by award winning-author, Nikki Saunders. The series sees “the loveable character Eddie who is autistic taken step-by-step through new experiences and situations such as a trip to the barbers, so when he encounters this in real life, he’s ready to go.”
Other books to be covered in the new series include Mittens and Pants which will be narrated by the voice of Big Brother himself Marcus Bentley. The story follows “the sweet and funny adventures of live-action shy kitten Mittens and her energetic puppy pal Pants. Every day is full of fun as the mischievous duo explore the world of Kibble Corner and learn to help their furry friends and family understand that difference is good.”
Marcus Bentley said: “Viewers won’t be barking up the wrong tree watching this new show, packed with fluffy animals and adventure. This is the purr-fect combination to keep kids entertained and inspire learning!”
Daisy Haggard, who has been in Breeders and Back to Life in recent years, will voice Misty in a live-action hybrid Sky Original show My Friend Misty. Executive produced by Fearne Cotton, Misty (Haggard) will ” set out to build kids emotional resilience as she pops up with magical visits throughout the show to help children with their feelings.”
Other Sky Originals announced include Ama’s Story, a one-off comedy special based on a British Ghanian and Nigerian family, and BooSnoo! developed with support from the National Autistic Society.
Creator and author of the series, Cynthia Deluola, said: “It’s so special to see positive representation and our family story being bought to screens, to put smiles on the faces of children everywhere and show them that they can do anything they put their minds to.”
The National Autistic Society said: “We are supportive of BooSnoo’s ambition to provide a calming yet engaging programme for children, including those on the autism spectrum. We are excited to see the programme and the reaction to the show this year.”
Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content at Sky said: “We know our younger viewers and their families will love discovering our slate of brand-new shows, as well as enjoying more of their favourite characters. This is a brilliant line-up to start the year on our new channel and there are more exciting announcements still to come”.
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