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3rd & Bird facts for kids
| 3rd & Bird | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Created by | Josh Selig |
| Directed by | Jennifer Oxley |
| Starring | Sam Lewis Eden Jarrett Morgan Gayle Michael Fenton Stevens Anna Nygh Charlotte Leslie-Cameron Preston Nyman David Beckford Candida Gubbins |
| Country of origin | United States United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 51 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Josh Selig Kay Benbow Chris Rose |
| Producer(s) | Josh Selig, Fred Weinberg |
| Running time | 10 minutes approx. |
| Production company(s) | Little Airplane Productions |
| Distributor | Little Airplane Productions BBC Worldwide |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBeebies |
| Audio format | Dolby Surround |
| Original release | 1 July 2008 – 31 July 2010 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Oobi, Wonder Pets! |
3rd & Bird is a fun children's TV show created by Josh Selig. It's all about a friendly community of birds living their lives and going on adventures. The show was made by Selig's company, Little Airplane Productions, which even opened a new studio in London just for this series!
You could watch 3rd & Bird on the BBC's CBeebies channel. It aired from July 1, 2008, to July 31, 2010. The show teaches important lessons about being part of a community. Characters often face small problems and learn how to solve them together using social skills.
The animation style is pretty cool! It's called "photo-puppetry." This means the characters and scenes are made by moving and changing real photographs. It's similar to how Josh Selig's other show, Wonder Pets!, was made.
Contents
Meet the Characters
The show features a wonderful cast of bird characters. Here are some of the main ones you'll get to know:
Main Bird Friends
- Samuel (voiced by Sam Lewis) - Samuel is a green lovebird and the oldest of the Lovebird children. He's a great role model for his younger sister, Muffin. Samuel often tries to teach her about being responsible.
- Muffin (voiced by Eden Jarrett) - Muffin is a pink lovebird and Samuel's little sister. She's too young to fly on her own, so she often rides on Samuel's back. Muffin has cute nicknames for her friends, like "Sam'el" for Samuel.
- Rudy (voiced by Morgan Gayle) - Rudy is a cockatoo and Samuel's best friend. She wears a special bracelet with colorful stones on her ankle.
- Mr. Beakman (voiced by Michael Fenton Stevens) - Mr. Beakman is the children's teacher. He's a wise but sometimes a bit proud toucan. He often acts like a parent figure and loves mariachi bands!
Other Fun Characters
- Mrs. Billingsley (voiced by Anna Nygh) - She's a New Zealand kiwi bird and the oldest in the treetop community. Mrs. Billingsley loves gardening and wears a sunhat. Since kiwis can't fly, this sometimes causes funny situations.
- Missy (voiced by Charlotte Leslie-Cameron) - Missy is a very stylish great blue turaco with a French accent. She often calls Samuel and his friends "little birds."
- Quinn (voiced by Preston Nyman) - Quinn is a teenage puffin who loves to invent things. He's a technical whiz, and his inventions often help the younger birds in their activities. The younger birds really look up to him.
- Mr. and Mrs. Lovebird (voiced by David Beckford and Candida Gubbins) - These are Samuel and Muffin's parents. They have Northern English accents and care deeply for their children. Mr. Lovebird is also the tree's caretaker.
- Baby Jordan (voiced by Reiss Lewin) - Baby Jordan is Mr. Beakman's nephew. He likes to use big words, just like his uncle! He calls Muffin "Uffin."
- Elliot (voiced by George Phillips) - Elliot is a friendly worm who is good friends with Samuel, Muffin, and Rudy.
You'll also hear the amazing whistling of world champion musical whistler, Michael Barimo, throughout the show's music!
Episodes
3rd & Bird had two seasons with a total of 51 episodes. Each episode tells a new story about the birds' adventures and how they learn to work together.
Season 1 (2008–09)
The first season aired from 2008 to 2009. It included episodes like "Fly, Muffin," "Bird Theatre," and "Costume Party."
Season 2 (2009–10)
The second season aired from 2009 to 2010. Some episodes from this season were "Muffinland," "Mariachi Muffin!," and "The Moon!"
Where It Aired
After its start on CBeebies, 3rd & Bird became popular in other places too!
In 2009, BBC Worldwide sold the rights to the show to a Canadian TV network called Treehouse TV. Then, in 2010, Disney Channel bought the rights to air the show on Playhouse Disney. When Playhouse Disney changed its name to Disney Junior in 2011, the show continued to be shown there. It even aired in other countries, including the United States, where it was dubbed into American English.
Fun Stuff and Products
There were also some cool products made for 3rd & Bird fans!
In 2009, BBC Worldwide announced plans for toys based on the show. These included wooden stacking toys, pull-along vehicles, play sets, and musical instruments. There were also wheeled toys like trikes, scooters, and ride-ons. These products came out in the spring of 2010.
If you liked the music from the show, you might be interested to know that the 3rd & Bird theme song was featured on two CBeebies music CDs. These were called CBeebies: Song Time (released in 2010) and CBeebies: The Album (released in 2012).
DVDs and Books
You could also enjoy the show at home with DVDs and books!
A DVD called Bird's The Word! was released in March 2009. It included 8 episodes from the series. At the same time, a series of books that tied into the show were also released. A second DVD, titled Muffin Land!, came out in June 2009.