BBC Alba are celebrating a new milestone with the premiere of three Gaelic versions of children’s animated programmes.
Leading the line-up is SpongeBob SquarePants. Voicing the role of SpongeBob is repeated FilmG winner Finlay Morrison, marking his first professional role in Gaelic animation.
The animation line-up will continue this month with the arrival of Bluey, alongside a new series of Peppa Pig in Gaelic.
Making globally recognised children’s animation available in Gaelic helps bring the language into young audiences’ everyday lives, allowing children to enjoy the same characters, stories and worlds as their peers while experiencing them in their own language.
Rachel MacKay, Assistant Commissioning Executive at MG ALBA, said: “This is a really exciting season for Gaelic children and families. To see characters like SpongeBob, Bluey, Zog and Peppa available in Gaelic is a fantastic way of celebrating the language and showing children that Gaelic belongs in all kinds of stories and entertainment. Gaelic has a place everywhere.”
Independent production companies Moja and Solus Productions continue to play an important role in the Gaelic production sector, creating dubbed animation for BBC ALBA.
Kenny Stewart, Executive Producer at Moja, which is based in the Western Isles, said: “Producing Gaelic content provides an opportunity to showcase the creativity and talent of the islands and demonstrate the contribution Gaelic-speaking communities can make to the industry.”
Cathy MacDonald, Executive Producer at Solus Productions said: “Solus is absolutely delighted to bring to life the world of the famous characters, Peppa, Spongebob and Bluey, through a team of talented young actors – Mary MacIsaac (Peppa), Finlay Morrison (SpongeBob) and Claire Frances MacNeil (Bluey).
“It is particularly heartening to see these young people who grew up with Gaelic cartoons, now at the heart of these stories and passing them on to another new generation”
Zog will also be available on BBC ALBA later this year, with casting for the Gaelic-language version currently underway.
Martin Pope and Michael Rose at Magic Light Pictures said: “We’re delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with BBC ALBA. Zog is a wonderful example of stories that can be enjoyed by children and families everywhere, and we’re particularly pleased that Gaelic-speaking children can experience these stories in their own language.
“We’re proud to work with BBC ALBA to bring Zog and these stories to Gaelic audiences and look forward to sharing more adventures with children and families in Scotland.”
The festive season will bring another addition for young Gaelic audiences, with The Baddies, based on the popular book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, joining BBC ALBA’s festive schedule.
