Bluey
Bluey is an Australian preschool animated series created by Joe BrummJoe BrummJoe Brumm is an Australian animator, writer and director, the creator and writer of the preschool animated series Bluey; he worked in children’s animation in London for about ten years, co-founded Studio Joho in Brisbane in 2011, and is writing and directing the Bluey film scheduled for 2027.Open the full entry and produced by Brisbane’s Ludo StudioLudo StudioLudo Studio is an independent screen production company in Brisbane, Australia, founded in 2012 with co-founders including Daley Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall; it produced the animated series Bluey as well as #7DaysLater, Content and Thou Shalt Not Steal, and holds the copyright in Bluey.Open the full entry, which premiered on ABCABCABC (American Broadcasting Company) is an American commercial broadcast television network. It grew out of NBC’s Blue radio network, took its name after becoming independent in 1943, developed into a national television network after merging with United Paramount Theatres in 1953, was acquired by Capital Cities in 1985, and has been owned by The Walt Disney Company since 1996. With CBS and NBC it is one of the three traditional U.S. broadcast networks, and it is one of the five networks that rotate in the White House television pool.Open the full entry Kids in 2018 and follows a Blue Heeler puppy and her family through everyday play; with BBCBBCThe BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. Its predecessor was the British Broadcasting Company, formed in 1922, and since 1927 it has been established under a Royal Charter. It provides television, radio, and online services in the UK, is funded mainly by the television licence fee, and broadcasts worldwide in multiple languages through BBC World Service.Open the full entry Studios handling international distribution and licensing and Disney holding overseas broadcast rights, it has grown into a franchise spanning books, toys, a stage show, an attraction and a film.
Contents24 sections
Key facts
2017Pilot and Commission
Before the commission, Bluey began as a one-minute short in which Bandit takes Bluey to a playground swing while using his phone, with chaotic results; with BBC Studios’ support, Richard Jeffery then directed a seven-minute pilot ordered by the BBC.[1]
In 2017 the series was set as a 52-episode run, produced in full by Ludo Studio at its South Brisbane base and planned to air on ABC KIDS from 2019, followed by international broadcast on the BBC.[2]
October 2018Premiere on ABC Kids
In early October 2018 Bluey premiered on ABC Kids, with more than 20 Griffith animation graduates on the crew.[3]
2019ABC Download Record
By April 2019 the show had been downloaded more than 23 million times, a record for an ABC TV program; the producers refused to replace the Australian accents for overseas markets, with Daley PearsonDaley PearsonDaley Pearson is a writer, director and producer who grew up in Brisbane; he co-founded Ludo Studio with Charlie Aspinwall and others and is an executive producer of the animated series Bluey. #7DaysLater, which he co-created, and Doodles, on which he worked, won International Emmy awards.Open the full entry saying, “we want to keep our Australian accents in there.”[4]
May 2019Second Season
In May 2019 the ABC and BBC Studios co-commissioned a second season of 52 episodes of about seven minutes each.[5]
June 2019Disney Acquires Global Rights
In June 2019, in a deal brokered by BBC Studios, Disney acquired global rights to the first two seasons for Disney Junior from late 2019 and for Disney+ outside Australia, New Zealand and Greater China; BBC Studios also signed a global toy licence, excluding Asia, with Moose Toys.[6]
February 20202019 Time-Shifted Ratings Leader
In OzTAM’s 2019 consolidated report Bluey was the most watched time-shifted show, with 572,000 consolidated viewers over 28 days, up 257 per cent on the premiere episode.[7]
April 2020International Emmy Kids Award
In April 2020 Bluey won the International Emmy Kids Award in the preschool category; with the Cannes ceremony unable to take place, winners were announced on the date it had been scheduled. Disney then held the global rights outside Australia, New Zealand and China.[8]
October 2020Third Season Commissioned
In October 2020 a third season was announced, with major production investment from BBC Studios in association with the ABC and Screen Australia, and all post-production in Queensland with Screen Queensland support.[9]
March 2021Launch on CBeebies
From April 2021 Bluey aired for the first time on UK free-to-air television on CBeebies; UK toys came through Moose Toys and Ravensburger, Immediate Media held worldwide magazine rights, and Penguin Random House planned UK books later that year.[10]
November 2022BAFTA International Prize
In November 2022, a week after the third season premiered on the ABC, Bluey won the international prize at the BAFTA Children & Young People Awards; it had already won AACTA Best Children’s Program three years in a row.[11]
2023Peabody Award
Bluey received a Peabody Award for the 2023 award year; the citation notes its handling of hard topics such as death, infertility and fleeting friendships and its portrayal of parents as imperfect people still growing, and lists Ludo Studio, the ABC and BBC Studios as producers.[12]
April 2024The Sign Special
The ABC scheduled the premiere of the 28-minute special The Sign for April 14, 2024; it was written by Joe Brumm and directed by Richard Jeffery, with Rove McManus, Deborah Mailman and Joel Edgerton among new voice cast.[13]
That month Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, gave the series a special recognition award for its cultural impact at Australia House, temporarily renamed “Bluey House”; the show then had more than 150 episodes and aired in more than 60 countries.[14]
November 2024Bluey’s World Opens
The immersive attraction Bluey’s World opened on November 7, 2024 at Northshore Pavilion in Hamilton, Brisbane, with a run listed to February 3, 2028; it is produced by BBC Studios in association with Brisbane City Council.[15]
December 2024Rose d’Or and Film Announcement
In December 2024 Bluey won the Rose d’Or children and youth award for The Sign, which drew 10.4 million global views on Disney+ in its first seven days.[16]
On December 17, 2024 BBC Studios and The Walt Disney Company announced a Bluey feature film written and directed by Joe Brumm, planned for theaters in 2027 before streaming on Disney+.[17]
August 2025Four Short-Form Series
In August 2025 BBC Studios and the ABC co-commissioned four short-form series, Bluey Tunes, Bluey Puppets, Bluey Cookalongs and Bluey Fancy Restaurant, for ABC iview, Disney Jr. in the US and Disney+ globally.[18]
September 2025Film Release Date
In September 2025 Disney set the film for August 6, 2027, co-directed by Richard Jeffery and produced by Amber Naismith, made by Ludo Studio with BBC Studios, which finances and licenses it, and distributed theatrically by Walt Disney Studios.[19]
November 2025Second International Emmy
In November 2025 Bluey won the International Emmy for Kids: Animation in New York, its second International Emmy; it was then available in more than 140 markets.[20]
January 2026Top US Streaming Title Two Years Running
Nielsen data showed Bluey drew 55.6 billion minutes of US viewing in 2024 and 45.2 billion minutes on Disney+ in 2025, the most-streamed title in the US for two years running; by January 2026 it had 154 episodes averaging about eight minutes.[21]
March 2026Disneyland Debut
On March 22, 2026 Bluey’s Best Day Ever! debuted at Disneyland.[22]
June–July 2026: Yolŋu Matha Episodes
On July 5, 2026 ABC iview released five episodes, including The Beach and Sleepytime, dubbed into Yolŋu Matha, a project led by Yolŋu Radio and ARDS in collaboration with the ABC and Ludo Studio.[23]
August 2026Film Teaser at D23
In August 2026 the teaser for The Bluey Movie premiered at D23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California; Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack return as Chilli and Bandit, and the film is set for Australian and New Zealand cinemas on August 5, 2027.[24]
As of October 2026: Rights and Creative Team
The Bluey trademark, character logo and copyright belong to Ludo Studio and are licensed by BBC Studios Distribution Ltd; the official site bluey.tv is a BBC Studios commercial website.[25]
The series is created and written by Joe Brumm, with Charlie AspinwallCharlie AspinwallCharlie Aspinwall is a co-founder and producer of the Brisbane production company Ludo Studio; he co-created the animated series The Strange Chores with Daley Pearson and is an executive producer of Bluey, Robbie Hood, Thou Shalt Not Steal and other works.Open the full entry and Daley Pearson as executive producers, Sam Moor as producer, Richard Jeffery as animation director and Joff Bush as composer.[26]
Bluey books have sold 45 million copies in 29 languages, licensed products reach 120 markets through more than 546 licensees, and gaming apps have over 68 million downloads.[22]
The stage show Bluey’s Big Play, performed with puppets, features a story by Joe Brumm and original music by Joff Bush, and is touring Australia, the US, the UK and Ireland.[27]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Bluey: Official website: https://www.bluey.tv/ (opens in a new window)[25]
YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.youtube.com/@BlueyOfficialChannel (opens in a new window)[25]
Ludo Studio: Official website: https://www.ludostudio.com.au/ (opens in a new window)[25]
BBC Studios: Official website: https://www.bbcstudios.com/ (opens in a new window)[25]
ABC Kids: Official website: https://www.abc.net.au/abckids (opens in a new window)[25]
Sources
- Annecy 2023 Recap: The Story Behind “Bluey” with Joe Brumm, Richard Jeffery, and Mark Paterson (opens in a new window)
- Brisbane-based animators bringing Bluey to a screen near you in 2019 (opens in a new window)
- Animation alumni create must-see kids TV (opens in a new window)
- Bluey, the hit Australian children's cartoon, is set to go global — but only with Aussie accents intact (opens in a new window)
- ABC orders more of Ludo Studio’s ‘Bluey’ (opens in a new window)
- Ludo Studio’s ‘Bluey’ snapped up by Disney (opens in a new window)
- ‘Married at First Sight’ and ‘Bluey’ are the 2019 ratings champs (opens in a new window)
- International Emmy Kids Award for ‘Bluey’ (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ to return for a third season (opens in a new window)
- CBeebies snaps up Ludo Studio’s ‘Bluey’ (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ triumphs at BAFTAs (opens in a new window)
- Bluey - The Peabody Awards (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey: The Sign’ (Teaser) (opens in a new window)
- It's 'Bluey House' now, as London awards show for its cultural success (opens in a new window)
- Bluey's World - Bluey Official Website (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ adds Rose d’Or to list of international accolades (opens in a new window)
- 'Bluey' animated movie from Disney to hit theaters in 2027 (opens in a new window)
- BBC Studios and ABC co-order four ‘Bluey’ short-form series (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ Movie Gets August 2027 Release Date (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ takes home International Emmy Award (opens in a new window)
- ‘Bluey’ named most streamed title in the US for second year running (opens in a new window)
- Bluey Highlights - Bluey Official Website (opens in a new window)
- ABC translates ‘Bluey’ into Yolŋu Matha for NAIDOC Week (opens in a new window)
- Disney unveils first look at ‘The Bluey Movie’ ahead of 2027 release (opens in a new window)
- Bluey Official Website (opens in a new window)
- Bluey - Ludo (opens in a new window)
- Bluey's Big Play - Bluey Official Website (opens in a new window)