Citing a lack of commissions in the region and emerging tech flooding the market, Scottish studio Wild Child Animation is up for sale.

The six-year-old prodco behind shows like Piripenguins and Toad & Friends has appointed joint administrators Gordon McIntyre and Donald McKinnon from Wbg to manage the process.

Wild Child managed to maintain a steady flow of work with big-name clients in the kids industry over the course of its short history, but McIntyre says it was hit hard by a recent downturn in animation work for UK studios—partly driven by the advent of AI, but exacerbated by a commissioning pullback from prominent buyers like Sky Kids (which previously ordered titles like The Brilliant World of Tom Gates and Jamie’s Yoga Adventures from Wild Child).

Parties interested in acquiring the company should contact McIntyre (+44-141-566-7000) before the closing date for offers, which is March 13.

Wild Child is the “largest surviving animation content provider” in Scotland, according to a press release. The company posted a turnover of US$7.6 million (GBP£5.7 million) last year and has a team of 32 staffers and roughly 50 contractors. 

While all of those jobs are at risk, the studio has a short-term agreement in place with its primary client, Magic Light Pictures. Wild Child has been working on Magic Light’s series adaptation of the picture book Zog (pictured), and production is expected to wrap up in the fall. To make sure it delivers on time, Magic Light will—for a limited time—help the Scottish studio meet its employee and contractor costs for the series. 

“I am incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved at Wild Child Animation over the past six years,” said co-founder and CEO Sueann Rochester, praising her team’s passion. “While it’s devastating that we’ve not been able to continue, I take great comfort in knowing that Magic Light Pictures has stepped in to complete production of Zog, keeping the team together and ensuring the work remains here in Scotland. That legacy of creativity and collaboration means everything.”

“Our focus is on protecting continuity for the production and the crew, maintaining the high creative standards of Zog, and ensuring delivery remains on schedule. We have taken steps to provide stability at this point in the process and to minimize disruption wherever possible,” said Magic Light CEOs Martin Pope and Michael Rose. “We are confident that, with these measures in place, the production is well supported and we look forward to delivering a tremendous series.”

In the wake of this news, industry orgs have been sharing words of support for Wild Child and championing the region at large. 

Animation Scotland commented on the difficult market conditions for studios today. “The animation industry globally has been navigating a prolonged period of uncertainty, with delays in greenlights, fewer commissions, and a slowdown in decision-making across broadcasters and streamers—pressures affecting studios in many territories.” 

But the org went on to say that closures are not a reflection of the talent, capability or ambition in Scotland—where enhanced UK tax incentives and Scottish financial support for animation and VFX can still help the region position itself as an in-demand hub for content production. “Like many creative industries, animation operates in cycles. We have weathered downturns before, and our community’s resilience remains a defining strength, but these periods also underscore the need for sustained structural support.”

Screen Scotland director David Smith concurred. “Scotland’s award‑winning animation sector continues to be highly regarded by UK and international partners, consistently delivering exceptional content for major studios and broadcasters. While the global animation landscape is evolving—driven by AI, changing audience habits and shifting broadcaster priorities—Scotland’s creative talent remains a recognized asset. We are working closely with Animation Scotland and other partners to support those affected and to ensure this expertise is retained here in Scotland.”