The Lingo Show is a British animated children's television series created by Nicole Seymour, produced by the BBC and animated by Dinamo Productions for BBC's CBeebies channel and programming block, in association with BBC Studios.[1] The characters and many other elements were designed by Kate Sullivan. The show, which combines animation with live-action footage, is designed to introduce preschool kids to new languages. The programme, which ran for 2 series totaling 30 episodes, initially began as an interactive mini-site on the CBeebies website,[2] aired on CBeebies from 2012[3] to June 7, 2013.[4] and was repeated until 2017.

Plot

The series revolves around a show bug host named Lingo and his family of bugs, who each specialize in a different language. At the request of children, he travels across the world to perform a Big Bug Show using one of his performers. In each episode, the chosen performer searches around for props required for their show, as they introduce objects in their language, before they bring them back to Lingo so they can perform the show for the delighted preschool children.

Characters

Main characters

The characters were designed by Kate Sullivan.

  • Lingo (voiced by Marc Silk): The ringmaster of the Big Bug Show. He is in charge of bringing his Big Bug Stage across the world to host shows and often has wild ambitions as to what they could entail. Lingo is half ladybird and half butterfly.
  • Wèi (voiced by Lin Lin): A small male ant who is from China and speaks Mandarin. He is often seen wearing roller skates and a crash helmet.[5] He is commonly mistaken for a female due to his voice.
  • Jargonaise (voiced by Aurelie Harp): A fabulous female pink bug that is a butterfly who is from France and speaks French. In contrast with her being a butterfly, she is very pretty and kind.[6]
  • Queso (voiced by Fran Canals): A charming and funny male moth who is from Spain and speaks Spanish. He is often seen carrying his flamenco guitar.[7]
  • Lieb (voiced by Britta Gartner): An athletic female tick who is from Germany and speaks German. She was added to the cast in the second season.[8]
  • Blodwen (voiced by Elen Rhys): A nurturing female fuzzy green caterpillar who speaks in an opera singing tone. She comes from Wales and speaks Welsh.[9]
  • Jaadoo (voiced by Bhasker Patel): A valiant male white green striped tick who is from Pakistan and speaks Urdu. He is constantly seen riding a unicycle, and has magic powers. Despite this, his hello song however has a more Indian theme. [10]
  • Kikli : An energetic female yellow damselfly who is from India and speaks Punjabi. She is often seen with a magic wand and giggles a lot.[11]
  • Dyzio : A sleepy brown male stick insect who is from Poland and speaks Polish.[12]
  • Subah : A sassy female green snail in a purple polka-dotted shell who is from Somalia and speaks Somali.[13]

Minor characters

  • Bloozles: A group of small green aphids that helps Lingo in preparing for the Big Bug Show.
  • Floozles: The silent fireflies that also help Lingo prepare for the show.
  • Spaestro: A blue spider with eight arms who plays several instruments, including a washboard, a bass drum, a trumpet, a piano, a violin, a xylophone, a music player, and a little drum on top of his head. He is unnamed in the show.

Production

The Lingo Show was originally created as an interactive minisite by CBeebies web producer Nicole Seymour, which launched in February 2011. The site features various activities which teach children new words in numerous languages; with the website periodically updated to include new languages. The site proved popular and in October that year, it was decided to bring the series to television format, with Dinamo Productions doing animation. The first season, consisting of fifteen episodes, which teaches Mandarin, French and Spanish, began airing from 12 March 2012. The second season, also consisting of fifteen episodes, which teaches German, Welsh and Urdu, began airing from 20 May 2013. A third season was planned but never made.

Episodes

Episode Title Plot Original UK airdate[1]
1 Chop Chop Wei searches for something he can chop with his bare hands 12 March 2012
2 Wei's Giant Jump Wei decides to do a long jump for his show. 13 March 2012
3 Cannonbug Wei wants to be shot out of a cannon, but the cannon is broken. 14 March 2012
4 Wei Up High Wei decides to perform a stilt-walking act for his show 15 March 2012
5 Wei's Buggy Best 3 Wei chooses his top three moments. 16 March 2012
6 Can't Can't Jargonaise decides to do the Can-can. 19 March 2012
7 Trapeasy Rider Jargonaise decides to put on a trapeze act. 20 March 2012
8 Balancing Bug Jargonaise tries her hand at being a tightrope walker. 21 March 2012
9 The Limbo Show Jargonaise searches for some objects to limbo under. 22 March 2012
10 Jargonaise's Buggy Best 3 Jargonaise picks her top three moments. 23 March 2012
11 Strong Bug Queso demonstrates his weight lifting abilities. 29 March 2012
12 Questanets Queso decides to put on a flamenco show using castanets. 26 March 2012
13 Queso the Clown Queso puts on a clown act. 27 March 2012
14 Ice Cream Queso Queso searches around an ice cream van for his balancing act. 28 March 2012
15 Queso's Buggy Best 3 Queso picks his top three moments. 30 March 2012
16 A Lieb of Faith Lieb goes to the airport to find objects for a flying act. 20 May 2013
17 Trampo-Lieb Lieb wants to do a trampoline routine and Lingo sends her off to find something to bounce on. 21 May 2013
18 Hop, Skip, Jump Athletic bug Lieb is looking for something to jump over and something to slide under in her over and under show. 22 May 2013
19 Gymtastic Bug-tastic Lieb visits a farm and a model village as she combines her love of sports and animals for an equestrian vaulting performance in the Big Bug Show. 23 May 2013
20 Lieb's Buggy Best Three Lieb chooses her favorite three Big Bug Shows. 24 May 2013
21 The Swingo Show Lingo isn't quite sure how Blodwen will succeed in her daring pole vaulting display for the Big Bug Show. 27 May 2013
22 The Great Sausage Spring Lingo isn't quite sure how Blodwen will succeed in her daring pole vaulting display for the Big Bug Show. 28 May 2013
23 Blodwen's Bread Bonnet Blodwen looks for bread and some objects to use in her show. 29 May 2013
24 The Big Bug Throw Blodwen wants to do a spectacular throwing act. 30 May 2013
25 Blodwen's Buggy Best Three Blodwen chooses her best moments using the numbers one, two and three in Welsh along the way. 31 May 2013
26 Jaadoo's Obstacle Spectacle Jaadoo must find some objects to use in a jumping act. 3 June 2013
27 Juggling Jaadoo Jaadoo sets off to find some objects to use in a juggling act. 4 June 2013
28 Rain Sailing Jaadoo is looking for something to help make it rain for his Big Bug Show. 5 June 2013
29 Wheely Good Unicycling bug Jaadoo wants to perform a balancing act. 6 June 2013
30 Jaadoo's Buggy Best Three Jaadoo has to choose his favorite three Big Bug Shows. 7 June 2013

References

  1. ^ a b "The Lingo Show – CBeebies – BBC".
  2. ^ "BBC – Press Office – CBeebies lights up little language learners with the Lingo Show".
  3. ^ "CBeebies - Schedules, Monday 12 March 2012". www.bbc.co.uk.
  4. ^ "CBeebies - Schedules, January 10 2014". www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ "The Lingo Show - Wèi's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  6. ^ "The Lingo Show - Jargonaise's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  7. ^ "The Lingo Show - Queso's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  8. ^ "The Lingo Show - Lieb's song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  9. ^ "The Lingo Show - Blodwen's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  10. ^ "The Lingo Show - Jaadoo's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  11. ^ "The Lingo Show - Kikli's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  12. ^ "The Lingo Show - Dyzio's Song". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  13. ^ "The Lingo Show - Subah's Song". www.bbc.co.uk.
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