B1 and B2 are poised for a comeback, and ABC has announced a new adaptation of Bananas in Pajamas.
The live-action reboot of the popular children’s series, produced in South Australia by Veep and Malt team Windmill Production Company, is the first production confirmed under a three-year federal funding allocation announced late last year.
The new series will once again be set in the friendly neighborhood of Cuddles Avenue, introducing B1 and B2 to a new generation of young viewers.
Originally inspired by a song popularized by Play School in the 1970s, an early live-action version of Bananas in Pajamas made its television debut on the ABC in 1992 and quickly became a hit with pre-schoolers in Australia and around the world. The series ran until 2001, when it transitioned to a computer-animated format.
ABC Screen director Jennifer Collins said the characters had long been a cherished part of Australian children’s television, entertaining generations of families.
“With additional funding, we are excited to work with Windmill Production Company to reimagine this playful series full of heart and humor for today’s young audiences,” she said.
Kay Weeks, executive director of Windmill Production Company, said the company can’t wait to reboot the iconic sitcom for preschoolers and “catapult B1 and B2’s well-deserved celebrity status well into the future.”
“My 18-year-old daughter attended her high school graduation dressed as one of the Bananas members, which shows how beloved the Bananas character is in the Australian cultural canon,” she said.
The series is in development.
