Sunday 8 January 2012, 17:09
Waybuloo returns on Monday in a brand new format. We asked the show's executive producer Vanessa Hill to tell us a bit about the new look show:
I've been with the show since it started over four years ago and we all felt that we'd now like to try something a bit different to change parents and children's experience of the show.
We know that our fans love the Piplings, the show's positive outlook and the chance to get down on the living room floor and join in with some yogo - so obviously all of that had to stay.
But we wanted to make the show easier for families to watch together, engaging older siblings as well as making it more fun for parents and careers to enjoy the action too. So we've done two things. Firstly we've reduced the episodes. But more importantly we've built up the innate and gentle humour of the show by adding a narrator.
And what a narrator we've got! We've struck gold again with the brilliant Dave Lamb, who I'm certain many mums and dads will know from Come Dine With Me and older siblings will recognise from CBBC's hit Gory Games. I've previously worked with Dave on Big Barn Farm so I knew he'd be perfect. And Dave has a young daughter himself so knew Waybuloo well before we asked him to join the show. He brings his trademark inimitable and humorous style to the series, acting as a light-hearted guide for children, but also their parents, to the Piplings' adventures in Nara.
So I hope that we've created a series that is funnier, clearer in the stories it tells to our audience and is something the whole family will enjoy together.
Tuesday 3 January 2012, 00:19
Monday 9 January 2012, 10:39
Comment number 1.
Emma9th January 2012 - 18:12
I have to say that the addition of the voice-over is totally unecessary and has spoiled what was an enchanting programme. It completely jars with the programme - just sounds like a sarcastic running commentary, just like Come Dine With Me. All Dave Lamb succeeds in doing is repeating most of what the characters already say. What's going on BBC?! Why mess with what was already working perfectly? I won't be tuning in again - very irritating.
Link to this (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
arrianep9th January 2012 - 18:13
You know, I'm not too sure about the new direction the programme has taken. With the programme taking place in the bedtime hour, I thought it was previously very relaxing for my son and I. Now however it doesn't feel like it belongs there, it's less relaxing and more stimulating, which I guess might work for older children, but for my 10 month old son, it's more of a hindrance towards winding down ready for bed.
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Comment number 3.
Prof_Matt9th January 2012 - 18:15
Our first thought was it sounds like Come Dine With Waybuloo, which makes sense now we've found out who the narrator is. Second thought was that he sounds more like a commentator than a narrator.
'Stop talking' was our 2 year old's response, and not to us.
Link to this (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
NB9th January 2012 - 18:15
Wow, epic fail by the Waybuloo producers. The show wasn't broken and didn't need fixing. The shorter episodes and loud pointless narrating are both changes for the worse.
Link to this (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
sproutlesmum9th January 2012 - 18:15
I can't believe you've ruined waybuloo! This is my daughters favourite programme. We all loved the gentle pace of the show and how the stories were given space to develop. This has been spoiled by the change of length. I also cannot believe you got the guy from come dine with me to do the voiceover! So so tacky. Also the narration seemed quite aggressive almost as if he was mocking the characters. Really disappointed.
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Comments 5 of 253