PRESS RELEASES
August 26, 2019

Disney Junior Launches U.S. Premiere for Preschool Hit Bluey on Monday, September 9

Bluey has become the most watched show of all time on Australia’s iview platform

New York, NY – BBC Studios has announced the mega-hit Australian kids’ series, Bluey, is set to premiere in the U.S., Monday, September 9, at 4:30pm ET/PT on Disney Junior and DisneyNOW. The series will then regularly air weekdays at 7:30 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and 4:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Junior.

Aimed at preschool aged children and their parents, the show was created by Joe Brumm and is produced by the Emmy® Award-winning Ludo Studio for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and BBC Studios. Bluey first launched on ABC in Australia last year enjoying massive success with parents and children alike, being the most viewed series in the history of ABC iview with over 100 million plays*. It was the most popular children’s TV show on terrestrial TV in Australia in 2018/19.

Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who lives with her Dad (Bandit), her Mum (Chilli) and four-year-old little sister, Bingo. In each episode, Bluey takes the everyday events of family life and uses her limitless Blue Heeler energy to invent elaborate games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family and the whole neighborhood into her world of fun. Bluey and Bingo love to roleplay and, whether they are doctors, fancy ladies, butterflies or hotel managers, they always drag in Mum or Dad to take part in their games. Bandit and Chilli are both dedicated working parents who, tired as they might be, appreciate the value of time spent playing with the kids, even if it means getting down on all fours for a horsey ride or keeping the last balloon in the air for as long as possible.

Bluey is an authentic dive into family life with preschool kids and celebrates the joyful simplicity of learning, growing and having fun through play. Unstructured, self-directed play allows Bluey to use her creativity while developing her imagination, and her mental, physical and emotional resilience. Exploring her world autonomously, Bluey conquers her fears while practicing grown up jobs, sometimes with her sister or with other children, and always with her parents to guide her.

“We wanted to create a genuine co-viewing show that parents and their kids can actually enjoy together,” says Bluey‘s creator, Joe Brumm.

“From script to screen, Bluey is created entirely under one roof in Brisbane, Australia, and we’re so proud that Joe and the whole team’s work is now coming to the U.S. with Disney,” says Bluey EPs and Ludo co-founders, Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson.

The New York Times** recently sent out a call for “delightful children’s programming,” and Bluey was, by far, deemed the most popular reader submission, despite only being available in Australia.  Bluey has a big audience in parents too, with fans tweeting: “Watching ABC Kids at 10:30 at night … while the kids are asleep … because #Bluey” and “It’s funny, poignant, unexpected and very real,” with one father, whose 4-year-old daughter “cackles away” at the cartoon, proclaiming “in all honesty, the father in the program is the dad I try to be.”

Bluey has already proven to be a genuine co-viewing experience, bringing families together in front of televisions and devices, while delivering impactful, real messages and poignant moments for both generations.

Bluey is produced by the Emmy® Award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC KIDS and co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios. Both series received production support from the Australian Government through Screen Australia and Queensland Government through Screen Queensland.