The Foundation and CBBC Create the Ultimate Sports Day
CBBC has commissioned Zodiak Kids’ production company the Foundation
Scotland, to produce a new children’s sports themed series - Ultimate
Sports Day – to be transmitted in the run up to London 2012
This 11x30’ series will see four regional teams of four young athletes
from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete to become the
Ultimate Sports Day champions. Hosted by Ore Oduba (BBC Sport
presenter, CBBC’s Newsround), each episode will test the teams’ sports
skills through a series of specially devised ‘Ultimate Events’ such as
the breathtaking Skywalker and Bungee Basketball. This nationwide
competition will follow the kids’ story from their first sports trial
through to the two finals and the crowning of the winning team.
All four teams will be mentored by some of the biggest names in sport: decathlete Dean Macey for the England team; seven times British Champion Ice Dancer Sinead Kerr for Scotland; Wales’ mentor is current Team GB sprinter Christian Malcolm; while Northern Ireland are being led by former World Featherweight Boxing Champion Barry McGuigan. The mentors and the contestants will all be competing under the watchful eye of top sports Professor and trainer Greg Whyte – who guided Eddie Izzard and David Walliams in their running and swimming marathons for Sport Relief.
As well as the mentors the series will feature other top sports stars including Team GB Olympian Triple Jumper Phillips Idowu, current men’s gymnastics star Louis Smith, former Team GB heptathlete and current 400 metres runner Kelly Sotherton and Winter Olympics gold medalist Amy Williams.
Steven Andrew, Creative Director, The Foundation said: “Ultimate Sports Day is a new kind of sports-themed event for today’s digital kids. The series will break the mould in the way that sport has been traditionally portrayed on kids TV. With the upcoming 2012 Olympics Ultimate Sports Day is relevant to budding young athletes who aspire to be the next crop of Olympic stars.”
Controller CBBC Damian Kavanagh adds: “Here at CBBC one of our ambitions is to inspire children to get involved and be active. Ultimate Sports Day will tap into our audience’s anticipation and excitement in advance of the forthcoming Olympic Games, they will follow the trials and tribulations of some of the finest young athletes in the UK and see if they have what it takes as individuals and as a team to succeed”.
Ultimate Sports Day is currently in production in Scotland, at the state-of-the-art Ravenscraig sports centre and will premiere on CBBC early 2012 – to coincide with the Olympics
Executive Producers for the series are Steven Andrew and Simon Parsons for The Foundation and Kez Margrie for CBBC. Ultimate Sports Day is created by Jonathan Marks from MTC (UK) Ltd and the Series Producer is Steve Pinhay for The Foundation.
Ultimate Sports Day is produced by The Foundation Scotland, part of Zodiak Media Group for CBBC. Zodiak Kids holds worldwide rights to the series.
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