CBeebies is a BBC television channel aimed at children between the age of 0 and 8. It launched on 11 February 2002 alongside the CBBC channel.
CBeebies' gold standard, curriculum-based programming uses a combination of puppets, animation, and a range of different hosts to teach young children skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, colours, emotions, manners, opposites, seasons, human body, time, weather, going green, and bedtime, to help then prepare for school.
There is also a subtle sense of humour on the network that has appealed to mums since it launched, and was devised as a means to encourage parents and teens to watch the channel with little ones, and thus become more involved in the shows' learning values rather than letting CBeebies act as a babysitter. Each programme on the network lasts for 30 minutes or so. And if parents don't like what their children are watching, they can come back 30 minutes later with a 60-second presenter link into another show.
Each CBeebies show is test screened before airing on television. They usually go to air because children usually respond to their education-based curriculum. BBC usually reflects on the show's curriculum whenever merchandise is sold. The shows are so popular with their teachings that they are given Christmas specials, apps, and more than 2 series. By making favourite shows that not only educate and entertain kids, but also keep their mummies entertained and involved in the educational process, the writers and voice actors hope to inspire discussion about the concepts on the programmes.
Tweenies on CBeebies[]
Tweenies was a part of CBeebies' schedule since its launch day, and broadcast regularly by the channel until April 2016, as well as the BBC One and BBC Two blocks until they were removed at the end of 2012/start of 2013. CBeebies has also aired Tweenies Songtime, Be Safe with the Tweenies and Tweenies Christmas Countdown in the past. CBeebies even devoted a whole day of programming to nothing but episodes of Tweenies and Be Safe with the Tweenies on a bank holiday in 2002 and 2003, entitled Tweenies Fundays.
The repeat run sparked a controversy in January 2013 when Favourite Songs was repeated - the episode features Max donning a wig and voice akin to the late TV presenter Jimmy Savile, whose crimes were only revealed in 2012 - 11 years after the episode originally aired in 2001. 216 complaints were received, resulting in the BBC apologising and removing the episode from rotation.
CBeebies' final schedule slot for Tweenies was 8:40am on the channel on weekday mornings. This was removed on 1 April 2016 and Tweenies did not appear elsewhere in the schedule. The final episode broadcast after over 15 years on the BBC was the Series 3 episode Desert.