As CBBC drama Malory Towers wraps shooting on S5, a new survey has revealed strong support for the provision of children’s programming for UK audiences. 

The fifth series, made by King Bert Productions, was based at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios – the first time the show has been based at a UK facility. (Interior scenes for S1-4 were previously shot in Canada).

Filming started in early August on the 20 x 25’ run, and also took in a variety of locations in Devon and Cornwall. 
 

Adapted by head writers Rachel Flowerday and Sasha Hails, Series 5 is produced by David Collier, and executive produced by Jo Sargent and Yvonne Sellins for King Bert. Bruce McDonald, Jack Jameson, and Sunnie Sidhu direct.
 

Sargent, managing director of King Bert Productions, said: “We’re thrilled to have Malory Towers based in the South West for Series 5. With our location filming taking place in North Devon and Cornwall, Bristol and The Bottle Yard Studios has been the perfect home for our sets and allowed us to maximise the use of regional crew and suppliers. The Bottle Yard is an excellent studio and the team have been very supportive during production.”
 

In a timely release, results from an Ipsos MORI Omnibus survey conducted on behalf of ScreenSkills’ Children’s TV Skills Fund has shown overwhelming support for children’s programming in the UK.
 

The research found that the vast majority of respondents perceived children’s television as important, with 81% saying that children’s TV was a central part of growing up for a child and only 16% saying that the quality of children’s television was not important.
 

83% of the those questioned also had fond memories of watching children’s TV when they were younger and over three quarters (77%) agreed that children’s television had a ‘special place’ in British culture.
 

In terms of accessibility of content specifically made for young people, there was clear agreement (87%) that children’s programmes should be available to watch on free-to-view broadcast television, and 60% of the respondents considered this to be ‘very important’. 

Additionally, 8 in 10 of the participants also thought that it was important that children’s television is available to watch via free catch-up and on-demand services. In terms of the provision of children’s programme on paid-for streaming services, 50% of people said that it was important.
 

The Children’s TV Skills Fund was created in 2015 by ScreenSkills to invest in UK-wide skills development for crew in children’s TV. Industry-led, the Fund focuses on reducing skills shortages and closing skills gaps to create a sustainable, inclusive workforce.
 

“At a time when budgets for children’s television are being squeezed and content is either disappearing from our screens or being sidelined, it’s clear that the British public overwhelmingly still believe that programmes made for children are very important,” commented Sarah Joyce, Head of Unscripted and Children’s Television at ScreenSkills. “We also know that people want to pursue careers specifically in children’s television and there is a real risk that they might not be able to realise their dreams and ambitions in the future.”
 

*Ipsos MORI conducted the Omnibus Survey on behalf of ScreenSkills Children’s TV Skills Fund between 8-11 September 2023 and 2,257 respondents participated.

Malory Towers image via King Bert/BBC/BYUtv/WildBrain.