Green Balloon Club

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Green Balloon Club
Green Balloon Club Logo.jpg
GenreChildren's
Created byClare Bradley
Developed byGary Stevenson
Starring Jake Pratt
Isabella Blake-Thomas
Debbie Korley
Adam Wells
Thai Murray-Edwards
Aliex Yuill
Chris Howard
Bill Oddie
Narrated byGary Martin
Theme music composerPaul Mossel
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes63
Production
Executive producerGraham Lawson
ProducerClare Bradley
Production locationsCapital Group Studios
Gruffalo Studios
Camera setupTony Bragg
Derek Gruszeckyi
Running time20 Minutes
Production companyBBC In-House Children's Production
Original release
Network CBeebies
Release20 June 2008 (2008-06-20) 
29 May 2009 (2009-05-29)
Related
  • CBeebies Springwatch/CBeebies Autumnwatch

Green Balloon Club is a British children's factual television program that started on CBeebies on 20 June 2008. [1]

Contents

Format

Green Balloon Club focuses on the adventures of four children - Jay, Cat, Lilly-Rose and Ant, as they travel throughout the United Kingdom on a green hot-air balloon led by balloonist Skye and Cat's dog Skipper. During their travels, they look out for other Green Balloon Club members and have a look at what wildlife they have in their patch. Each episode starts with the children doing the register, then joining in with the "Green Balloon Club" chant. At the end of the show, the balloon "lands" and everybody sings one of several songs.

Other BBC personalities appear on the show, with the puppet Jelly from The Story Makers and CBeebies Springwatch appearing as a special reporter, and fellow BBC presenters Chris Howard and Bill Oddie.

Cast

Green Team/Main

The cast members on the show were all ordinary children all found at extensive auditions.

Recurring

Songs

The series also has a major focus on music and singing, and every episode features an originally-written song performed by the main cast. All of the songs were written by Paul Moessl.

Development

The program was conceived and made by Clare Bradley, Lotte Elwell and the CBeebies Production team, and grew out of their previous award-winning work on CBeebies Springwatch and Autumnwatch.

Episodes

Green Balloon Club (2008–2009)

Green Balloon Club was produced as part of CBeebies' "EcoBeebies" brand. It started with a launch show named Easy Peasy Eco Beebies on 13 June 2008, and this was followed by 48 episodes, one every week from 20 June 2008 to 29 May 2009, although there was a break during the Christmas Holidays.

(Titles sourced from the BBC Australia website (The episodes on the UK BBC website don't have episode titles))

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
11"Episode 1"
"Easy Peasy Green"
June 20, 2008 (2008-06-20)
The Green Balloon Club themselves are introduced.
22"Episode 2"
"Animals Under the Waters"
June 27, 2008 (2008-06-27)
The team find out about animals under the water.
33"Episode 3"
"Dragonflies"
July 4, 2008 (2008-07-04)
The team travels over the Scottish Highlands to find out what wildlife lives there, which includes the likes of the various fruits and dragonflies there.
44"Episode 4"
"Bugs Hunt"
July 11, 2008 (2008-07-11)

The gang is going on a bug hunt, while Jelly is visiting the Isles of Scilly to explore over there.

Song: Dig In (reruns)
55"Episode 5"
"Lily-Rose Plants Nasturtiums"
July 18, 2008 (2008-07-18)
Lily-Rose plants some nasturtiums, while the rest of the team finds out about the night-time creatures.
66"Episode 6"
"The Team Go to the Coast"
July 25, 2008 (2008-07-25)
The team goes to the coast of the UK, and finds out about the wildlife that lives there.
77"Episode 7"August 1, 2008 (2008-08-01)

Ant brings a very special visitor to the club – a giant spider!

Note: This episode was skipped over in Australia due to the episode's focus being on spiders, as Australia is home to some of the most deadliest spiders. Because of this, it has no official title.
88"Episode 8"
"Heathland"
August 8, 2008 (2008-08-08)
The team are on the lookout for wildlife in the Heathlands.
99"Episode 9"
"Busy Bee Boogie"
August 15, 2008 (2008-08-15)
The team discovers a forest of flowers.
1010"Episode 10"
"Under the Sea"
August 22, 2008 (2008-08-22)
The team explores near the sea and are fascinated by the different sea creatures.
1111"Episode 11"
"Sweet Lavender"
August 29, 2008 (2008-08-29)
The team discover how sweet lavender is.
1212"Episode 12"
"All the Senses"
September 5, 2008 (2008-09-05)

The Green Team use all their senses to explore the world around them.

Song:' On the Beach
1313"Episode 13"
"Building a Nest"
September 12, 2008 (2008-09-12)
Jay and Ant show the viewers how tricky it is to build a nest.
1414"Episode 14"
"Life on the Waterways"
September 19, 2008 (2008-09-19)
The Green Team are finding out about life on the waterways.
1515"Episode 15"
"Mud Festival in Wales"
September 26, 2008 (2008-09-26)

The balloon is heading to a mud festival in Wales and the green team are having much messy fun with compost and clay.


Song: Dig In (reruns)
1616"Episode 16"
"Canal Boat"
October 3, 2008 (2008-10-03)

Jelly goes on a trip on a canal boat and looks at the wildlife along the banks along with several other Club Members.

Song: Underwater
1717"Episode 17"
"Basil the Cat"
October 10, 2008 (2008-10-10)

The Green Team has a special visitor with them in the balloon. Basil the kitten has come to the Green Balloon with Cat, and the team looks at how he is like his larger African cousins.

Song: All Earth's Creatures
1818"Episode 18"
"Apples"
October 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)

Jelly is harvesting apples in an orchard while Lily-Rose and Ant are starting a planting experiment to see if they can grow an apple tree.

Song: Listen
1919"Episode 19"
"Animals and the Seashore"
October 24, 2008 (2008-10-24)
The Green Team finds out about owls and what wildlife can be found on the seashore at this time of year.
2020"Episode 20"
"Halloween"
October 31, 2008 (2008-10-31)

It is Halloween and there are some spooky goings-on in the Green Balloon, including bats and a Tower of Flour!

Song: Minibeast Madness
2121"Episode 21"
"Birds in Autumn"
November 7, 2008 (2008-11-07)

As part of the Autumnwatch season, the Green Team are having a good look at Autumn – how the leaves change colour and whether it is possible to preserve their lovely shades.

Song: Flying
2222"Episode 22"
"Wild About Woods"
November 14, 2008 (2008-11-14)

The Green Team are going wild about woods.

Song: Listen
2323"Episode 23"
"Hibernating Birds"
November 21, 2008 (2008-11-21)

The Green Team are learning about hibernation and Jay is finding out if birds hibernate.

Song: Flying
2424"Episode 24"
"Jumping Salmon"
November 28, 2008 (2008-11-28)

The Green Team marvel at just how athletic some creatures are. The balloon is visited by a very athletic little friend: Georgina the ferret.

Song: All Earth's Creatures
2525"Episode 25"
"Mini Christmas Trees"
December 5, 2008 (2008-12-05)

The Green Team is starting to think about Christmas. They have an idea for making mini Christmas trees.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas
2626"Episode 26"
"Christmas Tree"
December 12, 2008 (2008-12-12)

Christmas is getting near and Sky has bought a Christmas tree for the Green Balloon.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas
2727"Episode 27"
"The Story of Christmas"
December 19, 2008 (2008-12-19)

Christmas is almost here and the Green Team is thinking about presents. Along the way, they find out the true meaning of the holiday, alongside an adaptation of the nativity told through animals.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas

Note: There was a two-week break between this episode and the next, due to the cast going on Christmas holidays.
2828"Episode 28"
"New Year Special"
January 9, 2009 (2009-01-09)

The Green Team is all together again and full of wishes for the New Year.

Song: It's Our World

Note: Jake Pratt, who plays Jay, was absent for this episode. In the show itself, it was said that Jay had the flu.
2929"Episode 29"
"Lily-Rose Hates Winter"
January 16, 2009 (2009-01-16)
It is January and Lily-Rose is feeling fed up with the Winter. Her flowers have died and there is no wildlife around to spot. The Green Team set about showing her that there is still plenty to do and see in the winter.
3030"Episode 30"
"Birds in Winter"
January 23, 2009 (2009-01-23)
The Green Balloon Club have a good look at the birds in the winter garden. Cat and Lily-Rose are making comical dancing birds and we have a close look at stoats who are also great movers.
3131"Episode 31"
"Pantomime"
January 30, 2009 (2009-01-30)
The Green Team reimagine the story of Little Red Riding Hood with Lily-Rose playing the lead; and not one, not two, but three wolves!
3232"Episode 32"
"Making Bread"
February 6, 2009 (2009-02-06)
The Green Team learns how bread is made.
3333"Episode 33"
"Blue Tits"
February 13, 2009 (2009-02-13)
The first signs of Spring are starting to appear and birds are looking for places to build their nests and start a family. Jay is putting up a new home for his robins and introduces us to a family of blue tits.
3434"Episode 34"
"Lily-Rose's Tooth"
February 20, 2009 (2009-02-20)
Lily-Rose has lost her first tooth and she brings it in to show the Green Team. So Ant in turn shows her his collection of animal teeth and they look at what jobs the different kinds of teeth do.
3535"Episode 35"
"Weather with Nature Chris"
February 27, 2009 (2009-02-27)
Nature Chris joins the Green Team, who are having a weather day.
3636"Episode 36"
"Skipper's Birthday"
March 6, 2009 (2009-03-06)
The Green Team wonder when Skipper's birthday is, which Cat doesn't know about. They decide that it wouldn't be more difficult to have Skipper's birthday than in the present.
3737"Episode 37"
"Creatures Communicate"
March 13, 2009 (2009-03-13)
The Green Team is finding out about creatures that communicate using vibrations. They decide to create a communication system of their own.
3838"Episode 38"
"Ladybirds in Spring"
March 20, 2009 (2009-03-20)
Spring is on the way. Ant has found his first ladybird of the year, and it looks like it's coming out of hibernation!
3939"Episode 39"
"The Lifecycle"
March 27, 2009 (2009-03-27)
The Green Team finds out about the life cycles of animals. Ant has brought in some pupas that he is watching, hoping that they will soon hatch into butterflies.
4040"Episode 40"
"Animal Tracks"
April 3, 2009 (2009-04-03)
The Green Team is going tracking. Every creature makes a different print, but can they recognize them?
4141"Episode 41"
"City Farm and Baby Rabbits"
April 10, 2009 (2009-04-10)
A pair of baby rabbits visit the Green Balloon. Jelly and her friends set off to a city farm to discover what baby animals they have there, and at the same time get involved with some pig racing.
4242"Episode 42"
"Dig In"
April 17, 2009 (2009-04-17)
The Green Team join in with the BBC's Dig In Campaign.
4343"Episode 43"
"Toy Farm and Baby Animals"
April 24, 2009 (2009-04-24)
Cat brings in a toy farm to the Club. Along the way, the Green Team finds out about baby farm animals.
4444"Episode 44"
"Bluebells"
May 1, 2009 (2009-05-01)
The Green Team is amazed by just how fast things can grow.
4545"Episode 45"
"Stag Beetles"
May 8, 2009 (2009-05-08)
Ant brings in his prize model of a stag beetle and the team finds out about Britain's biggest insect, which is under threat.
4646"Episode 46"
"Animals That Live in Dens"
May 15, 2009 (2009-05-15)
The Green Team build a fantastic den inside the Green Balloon, thinking about the animals that live in dens and under the ground.
4747"Episode 47"
"Ocean in a Box"
May 22, 2009 (2009-05-22)
The Green Team make their own nature worlds, including an amazing Ocean-in-a-Box by Cat and Ant.
4848"Episode 48"
"Four Seasons"
May 29, 2009 (2009-05-29)

The Green Team thinks about the four seasons and tries to decide which is best. Could it be Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, or maybe all of them?

Song: Let's Go and Play Outside

Ratings

Episode viewing figures from BARB. [2]

Episode no.AirdateTotal viewersCBeebies weekly ranking
120 June 2008342,0007
227 June 2008352,0002
34 July 2008290,0004
411 July 2008338,0009
518 July 2008504,0001
625 July 2008Under 294,000Outside Top 10
71 August 2008383,0001
88 August 2008Under 319,000Outside Top 10
915 August 2008Under 302,000Outside Top 10
1022 August 2008Under 311,000Outside Top 10
1129 August 2008Under 312,000Outside Top 10
125 September 2008Under 329,000Outside Top 10
1312 September 2008Under 389,000Outside Top 10
1419 September 2008Under 332,000Outside Top 10
1526 September 2008Under 368,000Outside Top 10
163 October 2008Under 350,000Outside Top 10
1710 October 2008Under 347,000Outside Top 10
1817 October 2008Under 361,000Outside Top 10
1924 October 2008Under 380,000Outside Top 10
2031 October 2008Under 345,000Outside Top 10
217 November 2008Under 336,000Outside Top 10
2214 November 2008Under 331,000Outside Top 10
2321 November 2008Under 364,000Outside Top 10
2428 November 2008Under 331,000Outside Top 10
255 December 2008Under 338,000Outside Top 10
2612 December 2008Under 324,000Outside Top 10
2719 December 2008Under 401,000Outside Top 10
289 January 2009Under 415,000Outside Top 10
2916 January 2009
3023 January 2009
3130 January 2009
326 February 2009
3313 February 2009
3420 February 2009

Green Balloon Club Goes on Holiday (2009)

In 2009, a stand-alone series of 10 episodes were broadcast. The first half featured the Green Team visiting the Isle of Arran and the second half featured the Green Team becoming zookeepers in Belfast Zoo for a week.

Winter Special (2009)

A stand-alone Winter Special was aired in December 2009 (Recorded in November 2009), which featured the entire cast going on a winter camping adventure.

Green Balloon Club Scrapbook (2010)

In 2010, a spin-off series of 15 episodes entitled "Green Balloon Club Scrapbook" was produced which showed "what the Green Team get up to when they're not in the Green Balloon. Different members of the team check the laptop to find out what the other members of the Green Balloon Club are getting up to". This series also included animated segments starring Skipper the Dog, who in this series gained a voice. This series also included two song specials. " [3]

EpisodeOriginal air dateDetailsTotal viewers
113 January 2010Skipper heads off on an adventure where she meets a monkey gang from South Africa.278,000
220 January 2010Skipper heads off on an adventure with a parrot party in the South American rainforest.300,000
327 January 2010Jelly is on a camping trip with some friends in Wales.230,000
43 February 2010Skipper heads off to the jungle where she meets a bird who can make the most amazing sounds.268,000
510 February 2010Ant is making his Bug Files at his local Tropical House.249,000
617 February 2010Jelly reports from the Welsh coast where she meets a surfing family.236,000
724 February 2010Skipper is off on an African adventure, where she meets a lot of water-loving hippos.204,000
83 March 2010Skipper heads underwater where she encounters a giant octopus.193,000
910 March 2010Skipper heads off to Antarctica where she goes for a long and cold walk with a group of penguins.191,000
1017 March 2010Skipper heads off to South America on a multi-coloured Macaw adventure.105,000
1124 March 2010Ant and his friend Bradley meet some big hissing cockroaches and have a race with them.164,000
1229 March 2010Jay is out doing some birdwatching, he's looking at how autumn is a good time for birds.
1323 December 2009Winter Special213,000
1430 March 2010Song Special part 1: The Green Team introduce their favourite songs in a special programme of music and verse.203,000
1531 March 2010Song Special part 2: Ant is out looking for minibeasts. Can you guess what his favourite song will be?350,000

Note: episode 13 was not shown between episodes 12 and 14, as it was shown within the Christmas schedule

International airings

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References

  1. Tara Conlan (14 April 2008). "CBeebies to broadcast eco season". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  2. "Broadcasters Audience Research Board". BARB. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  3. "Green Balloon Scrapbook". CBeebies . BBC. January 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2010.