This heartwarming preschool show is capturing the hearts of audiences, and putting Birmingham on the animation map.
Children’s TV has long been the saviour of exhausted parents, desperate for something to distract their little ones for a short while as they catch their breath. So, ultimately, you don’t really care whether it’s any good or not. But of course, it’s great if it is, and you can enjoy it too. Well, right now, the good people of Second Home Studios are working hard to make that happen.
Based in Birmingham’s creative Digbeth district, Second Home brings a fresh new look to children’s TV with its debut preschool series, Tweedy & Fluff.
This charming show has not only captured the hearts of young viewers but is also helping put the city on the map as a serious contender in the world of animated storytelling.
What’s it about?
Created by award-winning children’s author and TV producer Corrinne Averiss and directed by studio founder Chris Randall, Tweedy & Fluff follows two adorable woollen creatures living in a weaver’s cottage.
Tweedy is a little fabric plush, regretfully living alone in the nooks and crannies of the cottage until the space in his heart is filled with the arrival of Fluff, a fizzing ball of energy who becomes his pet.
The show celebrates the universal instinct to nurture, understand, and care for someone smaller than yourself. Parents and preschoolers have welcomed the show for its gently paced creation, which encapsulates a comedy double act with plenty of heart and humour.
The series was commissioned for Channel 5’s Milkshake! It’s also enjoying a fan base on S4C in Wales, BBC Alba in Scotland, and TG4 in Ireland and is reaching out to channels in Finland, Sweden, and Croatia.
Meticulous craft
The production is a testament to the meticulous craft of stop-motion animation, which requires extraordinary attention to detail. To accommodate the need to produce 40 five-minute episodes, Second Home took over an old, locally listed warehouse in Digbeth.
This is among the last of its kind, as a groundswell of studio redevelopment promises to transform the surrounding area into a hive of production activity. Second Home’s new home has enabled shooting space for up to 25 model stages, workshops, production, and post-production facilities. Consequently, the studio is keen to welcome new collaborations across animation, visual effects, puppetry, live-action, and mixed media.
Studio founder Chris Randall describes Tweedy & Fluff as “a labour of love”, with eight years of development preceding its launch and the team’s commitment to craftsmanship evident in every frame.
As show creator Corrinne Averiss explains, “Second Home Studios houses an incredible team of specialist craftspeople. Tweedy & Fluff is a series that requires an appreciation for the tactile beauty of the little items humans discard or forget, cherishing the quirky detail of Tweedy’s curated world. This was already the M.O. at Second Home, so Tweedy & Fluff could not have been in safer hands. I will never forget the joy of seeing the first puppets emerging from a box in the boot of Chris’s car! Pure magic.”
The sets, meanwhile, have been designed by Andy Farago of Clockwork Frog, known for their work on Isle of Dogs. The music was composed by Porter & Please, the Ivor Novello-nominated composers of the Aardman show Robin Robin. And narration comes from comedian and actor Nina Wadia, best known for her roles in EastEnders, Citizen Khan, and Goodness Gracious Me.
A first for Brum
More broadly, the show represents a significant milestone for both the studio and the city, marking the first stop-motion series produced entirely in Birmingham.
For a small team, Second Home Studios has punched above its weight in recent years, producing BAFTA-winning animated content for children’s television along with plaudits from the Royal Television Society and the British Animation Awards for some of its commercial and branded content for the likes of CiTV, Sony, and Channel 4.
Tweedy & Fluff has already garnered significant acclaim, winning three Royal Television Society Midlands Awards and securing a nomination for Best Preschool Show at the upcoming Broadcast Awards. The show’s success highlights the potential of Birmingham’s creative industries, which have long been overshadowed by animation hubs like Manchester and Bristol.
Universal story
At its core, Tweedy & Fluff is more than just an animated series. It explores themes of nurturing, understanding and companionship, resonating with both parents and children. The gentle pace and heartfelt storytelling have set it apart in the fast-paced world of children’s entertainment.
As Second Home continues to grow, Tweedy & Fluff stands as a beacon of creative innovation, proving that world-class animation can emerge from more places than you might imagine.
