Last month, the BBC promised that it would create seven new kids channels as part of an expansive partnership with YouTube designed to “substantially increase” its output of digital-first programming.

Now, BBC Children’s & Education has pulled back the curtain on those channels, which will be stocked with clips and videos from existing BBC shows, as well as YouTube-first commissions that will also be available on iPlayer.

The BBC plans to partner with IP owners and outside creators to bring even more content onto the channels. Its Children’s & Education team will share more details on its commissioning strategy for this initiative, as well as what it’s looking for, during a briefing day set to take place on February 11. This content will be wholly funded by the BBC.

Among the new channels is Non-Stop Chaos, which features comedy and pranks from CBBC shows like Blue Peter and Gladiators: Epic Pranks. Pranks are a hot trend in kids content, and the Beeb got into it with Gladiators at the end of 2024.

Then there’s the CBBC All the Drama channel, which will feature behind-the-scenes videos from series, interviews and exclusive content. This hub is going to be the home of a new The Next Step microdrama that the BBC has commissioned. Meant to bridge the gap between the final season of The Next Step and new series The Next Step: Cheer, it’s set to premiere this month.

Also in the works is a separate tween drama channel that has yet to be named, but will feature episode clips.

And a new comedy channel will offer titles like Danny & Mick and Pickle Storm.

A factual channel with content from Beeb’s Newsround and its My Life docuseries (which tells children’s stories from around the world) rounds out the kid-focused offerings.

But a CBeebies parenting channel is also in development to provide caregivers with advice and resources, similar to what Moonbug and Hasbro have respectively done with their CoComelon and Peppa Pig channels, positioning their brands as helpful tools for struggling parents.

These six newly unveiled channels join one that was previously announced: Epic Facts, a science and education hub with CBBC content like Operation Ouch and Horrible Histories.

Launching these channels is a way to introduce the BBC Children’s and Education programming library to new audiences. It’s also a way to make sure the BBC remains a key destination for young audiences in the UK and abroad, says division director Patricia Hidalgo.

UK media regulator Ofcom sounded the alarm last year that the overwhelming popularity of YouTube posed an existential threat for public broadcasters, and that the BBC would have to adapt to a digital-first reality or become obsolete. With this new partnership, the pubcaster is demonstrating that it has taken that warning seriously.

Image courtesy of the BBC.