All episodes of Channel 5 kids series Mixmups to be available with BSL (BSL)

Mixmups, a new 52-part series for pre-school children on Milkshake, Channel 5, has announced that all 52 episodes of the deaf-created series will be available with British Sign Language and Audio Description to ensure everyone can access the magical world of Pockets, Giggle and Spin.

The show, which has been created by Rebecca Atkinson, who is deaf and partially sighted, centres around three friends who live in a wheelchair accessible helter-skelter house and use their magical wooden spoon and mixing box to transport themselves on playful adventures, along with their adult guardian, the trunky beaked Lucky Loover Bird.

Launching in November this year on Milkshake! Channel 5, the show has already blazed a few trails as the first pre-school brand to feature two lead characters with disabilities. Giggle the cat is a wheelchair user and Pockets the bear is partially sighted and uses a tiny white cane and guide dog. Most of the episode stories have been written by Rebecca Atkinson, who was passionate that the entire series should be made accessible to all.

“As a deaf and partially sighted person myself,” says creator and writer, Rebecca Atkinson, “I know how important access is for pre-schoolers with sight and hearing impairment. I’m delighted that Milkshake! on Channel 5 have taken this unprecedently step to ensure all 52 episodes of Mixmups are available with audio description and British Sign Language interpretation. It means so much to me that deaf and disabled children will have access to all episodes and not just a select few.”

The Mixmups team have also created a full Audio Description introduction so viewers with visual impairment can learn about the look of the characters and world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxfJqhHn94M

“We also plan to create a subtitled and signed version of this package in the New Year,” adds Rebecca. “And we have some other very exciting work in development, which I can’t talk about just yet, but which will offer Mixmups viewers a new and unique accessible viewing experience using completely new technology! Watch this space in 2024”

Catch Mixmups live on Milkshake! Channel 5 on Saturday and Sunday mornings, or stream all episodes with BSL here – www.channel5.com/show/mixmups-visually-signed-3f1ecd7f-a25c-4130-8832-1d2690e1ed7e