Exclusive: Optimization Code Colin Mochrie (Whose line is this anyway?) will narrate a Canadian version of the eye-catching but intimate Japanese format Big enough!Where children carry out tasks themselves.
Blue Ant Studios has acquired the domestic rights to the long-running unscripted Japanese series, originally for Nippon TV, and is preparing to remake it for Canada’s TVO Education Network.
Mochrie optimization icon (Whose line is this anyway?) has signed on to narrate the show, set to premiere in September.
The announcement will be made jointly today at the 2024 Realscreen Summit by Blue Ant Studios co-president Matthew Hornburg, TVO head of programming Natasha Negrea, and Akane Inoue of Nippon TV’s global format licensing unit.
Big enough! It has made headlines over the years for its amazing premise, in which young children independently run errands for the first time. Children are always under the watchful eye of the show’s safety team. The series also explores each parent’s approach to raising their children.
The show has been a ratings juggernaut and cultural phenomenon in Japan for over 30 years and its popularity skyrocketed in English-speaking regions when Netflix aired the Nippon TV original series in 2022 in over 190 countries. The streamer received a second season after the first season’s reception, which led to Selena Gomez spoiling it. Saturday Night Live And 46 million views on TikTok.
The deal is a big deal to Drag racing in canada Producer Blue Ant Studios, which is currently settling into a newly combined rights and studio structure under former MarbleMedia presidents Hornburg and Mark Bishop.
“Big enough! It embodies our studio’s vision moving forward – entertaining and enlightening franchises – and we’re thrilled to bring the North American premiere to audiences,” said Hornberg, co-president of Blue Ant Studios. “This series will be a shared viewing experience for families Children will definitely enjoy watching their peers find their independence when they are given the freedom to do so. It also explores the topics of what education means from different cultural perspectives and in the modern era.
“Independence is an essential part of healthy childhood development. It starts with taking our first steps and blossoms through our appetite for learning and exploration,” said Nigeria, Head of Programming at TVO. “This exciting new edition of Old Enough! Shows young children discovering their first joyful moments of being independent.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce the Canadian adaptation of Old Enough!, our heart-warming reality entertainment format and global phenomenon,” added Inoue, of Nippon TV’s global format licensing. “I’m so proud that the passionate team at Blue Ant Studios have created a really fun version using the unique and fresh camera style we’ve developed together. We’re thrilled to show the world that great kids’ adventures can be presented in different cultures and we hope more international releases will follow.”