The all new
childrens TV programme has finally hit the
BBC and the
Cbeebies channel in the UK (23rd September 2002 to be precise) and my nearly three year old son is cemented to the TV by it.
Warning: This is bad news for ALL (UK based for now) parents, because soon there may well be Fimble Mania!
There are three strange and yet
colourful looking horizontally striped Fimble characters namely -
Fimbo - whom is yellow and green
Florrie - whom is purple and green
Baby Pom - whom is pink and green
And Hallelujah! they all speak
English. I couldn't bear another permutation of baby language of the
Teletubbies type. It's already hard enough trying to increase a childs vocabulary and to try and make them 'bi' or even 'multi-lingual', without having to contend with exposure to nonsense language.
The series which is aimed at around 2-4 year olds, is all about
discovery, with the characters exploring the
magical world they inhabit. Which includes
Tinkling Tree,
Purple Meadow,
Happy Hollow, and
Comfy Corner. It also incorporates reality clips within each programme, which again seems to me to be a formula for success.
Apparently the BBC has already lined up a deal with toymaker
Fisher-Price to market products based on the show, which it hopes will emulate the popularity of the
Tweenies, and furthermore -
BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm, has handed Fisher-Price UK the toy licence rights to the series.
Under the terms of the deal, Fisher-Price will develop, manufacture and distribute a range of Fimbles products including soft, plastic and electronic learning toys for the UK and Ireland.
And Fisher-Price has also secured the right to negotiate exclusively with BBC Worldwide, on confirmation of a TV platform, for distribution rights in north America and Europe.
"Teaming up with BBC Worldwide, one of the world's most renowned creators of quality pre-school brands, is an exciting new development for Fisher-Price. It marks the first time we will launch a new master toy range in the UK with worldwide potential," said Neil Friedman, the president of Fisher-Price Brands.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbcdigitalchannels/story/0,11618,711497,00.html
God knows this new programme has been advertised long enough during what I call
prime time parents viewing (around 9pm) and yet the BBC are currently still doing it, which is annoying the hell out of me because that's around the time when I've made my little boy forget about the blasted Cbeebies channel, only to have it so unashamedly advertised just in order to re-trigger his fanaticism and
'I want my channel, I want my channel' chant.
I have to say that the BBC are a very calculating bunch and I also have to begrudgingly admit that this is a very clever and yet simultaneously
insane way of promoting not only the Fimbles but also
Cbeebies. I blame
Nigel Pickard for commissioning this show (which was originally done under the name of 'Finders') and threatening my bathroom with yet another childrens TV show brand bubble bath...
By the way, you can see the Fimbles (in all their multi-coloured glory) and their bemusing world featured on the following web site - http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/fimbles/