ZingZillas

ZingZillas
The ZingZillas Logo
Developed by

CBeebies in association with BBC Worldwide

Created by Steve Cannon, Alan Robinson and Barry Quinn
Written by Simon Davies
Music by Banks & Wag
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) originally English
Production
Producer(s) David Collier
Dominic Macdonald
Tony Reed
Running time

22 minutes (series 1 & 2)

11 minutes (series 3 & 4)
Distributor BBC Studios
Release
Original network CBeebies
Picture format PAL 16:9
Audio format Stereo
First shown in CBeebies
Original release 5 April 2010 - 11 June 2012
External links
Website

ZingZillas is a British television programme aimed at young children, broadcast on the BBC pre-school channel CBeebies.

Overview

ZingZillas is a music show aimed at children ages six and under.

It is set on a monkey-shaped tropical island where everyone joins in to create music magic. They use musical influences from all over the globe from rock to soul, jazz to samba, big band to orchestra.

A yellow submarine is sometimes seen in the sea near the island. One episode contains what appears to be a view from the submarine through its periscope. In a recently started 5-minute version called Zingzillas Zingbop, the submarine goes very near the viewpoint, showing children inside the submarine through its portholes; those children later take part in the programme's singing and dancing session, as if (in the world of the story) the submarine is the usual transport for guests to and from the island.

The main characters are primates: Zak, Tang, Panzee and the youngest, Drum. They are mentored by music guru DJ Loose and they create their unique ZingZilla sound just in time for their daily performance which is called 'The Big Zing'. A coconut clock counts down the time to the Big Zing and breaks each programme into four parts.

In every episode they are visited by a different musical guest. The ZingZillas always discover their musical guests in a 'glade' in the jungle and they take inspiration from these guests, incorporating them and their sounds into The Big Zing.

Original music for the series has been composed by Banks & Wag.

On Monday 30 August 2010, "Do You Didgeridoo?" was released on an EP, alongside the "ZingZillas Theme Tune" and "Bhangra Beat", reaching #1 in the iTunes Children's Chart.

On Monday 4 October 2010, "ZingZillas: The Album" was released on CD and as a digital download, reaching #1 in the iTunes Children's Chart on the first day. The recording features guest tracks by musical luminaries who have appeared on the show including cellist Julian Lloyd Webber flautist James Galway and jazz vocalist Cleo Laine.

On 28 February 2011 Cbeebies began broadcasting a 20 part series of 5 minute spinoff programmes entitled "Zingzillas Zingbop" which is hosted by DJ Loose, where a small group of children (known as Zingboppers) go to Zingzilla Island and are taught to dance to a Zingzillas song. The Zingboppers then participate in the final Zingbop. Every Zingbop performed is of course "the best Zingbop ever".

Characters

Each ZingZilla has their own personality:[1]

  • Panzee is feminine and loves dressing up. She is sensitive, fun and always ready to try something new. She is a chimpanzee who plays bass, keyboards and backing vocals, played by Victoria Bovingdon,[2] and voice by Sarah-Jane Honeywell:[3]
  • Tang thinks creatively and is never afraid of asking for help when he doesn't know the answer. He is an orangutan who plays guitar and backing vocals, played by Nick Kellington and voiced by Gary Jordan [4]
  • Zak has a positive attitude. He is serious, confident and likes taking risks. He is a gorilla who is the lead singer, played by Jeremiah Krage[5] and Jack Andrews and has purple fur. He is voiced by Michael Offei.
  • Drum is very young at heart. She loves exploring sounds and enjoys making rhythms and noise. She is very sensitive to the mood of music. She resembles a golden lion tamarin who plays drums, percussion and backing vocals, is played by Rachelle Beinart and Amy Collins and her voice is by Penni Tovey[3]

Other characters

  • Todd is the ‘father figure’. Helpful, inventive, accident-prone and loveable. He is a mandrill.
  • Auntie Dot is a relation of Todd's and whose voice is by Penni Tovey[3]
  • DJ Loose Is the island's sloth DJ. He plays the ZingZillas music made by real people in the glade.
  • The Beach Byrds (Maxine, Patti and Laverne [6]) are tropical birds who work in the coconut hut and say everything tunefully.
  • The Moaning Stones are similar to the standing moai heads on Easter Island. Although four are shown, only the middle pair called Granite and Gravel talk. All four heads jet into the sky near the end of each episode signalling the start of the "big zing".

Episodes & guest performers

Series 1

Series 1 has been broadcasting on CBeebies since 5 April 2010

  1. Didgeridoo Hullabaloo: Dhinawan
  2. Tang's Happy Day: Jim Hart
  3. Rock Guitar: The BMQ
  4. Auntie Dot's Dash: Piper Martin Mckay
  5. ScatZilla!: Cleo Laine, John Dankworth & Friends
  6. Operatic Todd: BBC Concert Orchestra with Sarah Connolly & Ben Foster
  7. Sticker Trouble: Julian Lloyd-Webber
  8. Bhangra Beats: Jugnu Bhangra
  9. Squeaky Boots: Kickin' Alice
  10. Sweet Dreams: Catrin Finch
  11. A Great Place to Live: James Knight
  12. Bubble Trouble: Elio Pace
  13. Tang's Clubhouse: BBC Concert Orchestra, Ben Foster
  14. Welcome Beach Byrds: Lila Cita
  15. Zak's Rubbish Day: Julian Bliss
  16. Disappearing Drum: Joji Hirota & Hiten Ryu Daiko
  17. Keep Your Castanets: Angus Cruickshank, Verena Menichellui
  18. The Fan Letter: Jay Phelps
  19. Hide and Seek: Dame Evelyn Glennie
  20. Birthday Todd: Silk Street Hot Seven
  21. Gravel and Granite's Quiet Night In
  22. The Z Factor: Philip Achille
  23. Panzee's Photograph: Dr Lonnie Smith, Jamire Williams & Jonathan Kreisberg
  24. Tang's Hooter: Sir James Galway
  25. Where's Yapple: BBC Concert Orchestra, Ben Foster
  26. Tuba Swaps: The Amazing Bavarian Stompers

Series 2

Series two has been broadcasting on CBeebies since 18 October 2010.

  1. Super Zak: Lydia Kavina
  2. Panzee Gets the Giggles: The Swingle Singers
  3. Bam-Boo!: Kausary
  4. Try a Triangle: Petit et la Gross
  5. Auntie Dot's Special Show
  6. Aloha Flower: Polynesian Beats
  7. The Golden Coconut: BBC Concert Orchestra, Ben Foster
  8. Banana Blues: Stuart Zender
  9. Tang's Photo Album: Verena Menichellui & Angus Cruickshank, Dame Evelyn Glenny, Sarah Connolly & BBC Concert Orchestra, Petit et la Grosse
  10. Music Box: Roderick Elms
  11. Panzee's Poorly Knee: BJ Cole
  12. The Red Button: Matt Gooderson
  13. Trombone Trouble: Chris Lowe
  14. Panzee's Wish Stall: Zhou Jinyan
  15. Cinema Day
  16. Salsa Dip: La Cuba Ritmo
  17. Making a Choice: Jonathan Mayer
  18. The Hairy Diggle: Nicola Benedetti
  19. The Singing Bowl: Frank Perry
  20. Todd's Little Helper: Karen Geoghegan
  21. Home: Michael Messer
  22. Pirate Day: The Hornpipers featuring Robert Harbron, Miranda Rutter & Laurel Swift
  23. Pom Pom: Ebony Steelband Trust
  24. Where's the Bug?: Dame Evelyn Glennie
  25. DJ Loose's Radio Show
  26. Let It Snow: ACM Gospel Choir

Series 3

Series three started broadcasting on CBeebies from the 21 November 2011.

  1. Thunder and Lightning: Colin Currie
  2. Disco Lights: Manchester Disco Crew
  3. Panzee, I'm Sorry: Simon Mayor
  4. Catch That Beat: Dance Off Crew
  5. Giddyup and Go: Andrew Budden
  6. On the Drums: Cherisse Osei
  7. Pause For a Moment: Bogdan Vacarescu
  8. Beatbox: Bellatrix
  9. Sunshine: Jali Nyonkoling Kuyateh
  10. ZingZilla Rock N Rollin': Feets of Amazement
  11. To the Beat of a Drum: Hertfordshire Showband
  12. Brush Your Teeth: Peter Moss
  13. Let's Play
  14. Listen to the Wind: Guo Yue
  15. Panzee's Family Show: BBC Big Band, Manchester Rhythm Tap
  16. Cooking in the Kitchen
  17. Like a Firefly: Simone Rebello
  18. Tiny or Tall: Fontanella
  19. It's Fun to Be a One Man Band: Chucklefoot
  20. Granite's Glasses: Feets of Amazement, Colin Currie, Dance Off Crew
  21. I'll Grow Flowers for You: Bauler Ganer Dol
  22. Orangutango: Tango Siempre, Alex & Giraldo
  23. My Lazy Afternoon: Jenny Galloway
  24. Chugging On a Train: BBC Big Band
  25. Shake It: Rhythms of the City
  26. Counting the Pennies: BBC Big Band, Cherisse Osei, Hertfordshire Showband

Series 4

Series 4 started airing on CBeebies from 23 April 2012.[7]

  1. Electric Guitar: Justin & Dan Hawkins
  2. New Banana Car: Urban Strawberry Lunch
  3. Spread the Word: Melanie Oesch
  4. Never Mind: The Grimethorpe Colliery Band
  5. You Need a Hat: Mariachi El Mexicano
  6. You Can Really Do It If You Try: Bond
  7. The Little Pigs Saved the Day: Mukul Acharya
  8. All the Fun of the Fair: Boggart's Breakfast
  9. Flying to the Moon: Kojo
  10. Shopping: Paul Patrick
  11. Statues: Sharon Shannon, Jim Murray, Dezi Donnelly, Michael McGoldrick & The North West Celtic Dance Ladies
  12. Belle of the Ball: Bond, Tom Malone & Natalie Patel
  13. Why Don't You Copy Us Too?: Nuline Dance Cumbria
  14. Echo On the Island: Michele Montolli
  15. Good to Be Me
  16. Hangin' Loose
  17. Everyone's Different: Julian Smith
  18. Jogging Day: Justin and Dan Hawkins, Paul Patrick
  19. Robotic Beat: Rie Fujii
  20. Fall Asleep: George Panda
  21. Washing Up: Mahatma Skiffle Orchestra
  22. Zak Loves Dancing: Valentino & The Grecian Dancers
  23. Everybody Bogle to the Island Beat
  24. Magical Carpet Ride: Hassan Erraji
  25. Staying Up Late: Simon Finch
  26. Picnic Day: Urban Strawberry Lunch, Mariachi El Mexicano, Bond

DVD releases

Release name UK release date Notes
Welcome to the Island Monday 4 October 2010 Despite being filmed in HD
no Blu-ray release
World Music Tour Monday 15 November 2010 Despite being filmed in HD
no Blu-ray release

Welcome to the Island

This DVD contains five episodes[8] (note that it's not the first five of the series, although there's a lot of overlap):

  1. Didgeridoo Hullabaloo (Series 1, Episode 1)
  2. Operatic Todd (Series 1, Episode 6)
  3. Rock Guitar (Series 1, Episode 3)
  4. Auntie Dot's Dash (Series 1, Episode 4)
  5. A Great Place to Live (Series 1, Episode 11)

Extras: Musical instrument game and character profile.

World Music Tour

This DVD contains five episodes:[9]

  1. Bhangra Beats (Series 1, Episode 8)
  2. Welcome Beach Byrds (Series 1, Episode 14)
  3. Keep Your Castanets (Series 1, Episode 17)
  4. Disappearing Drum (Series 1, Episode 16)
  5. Bam-Boo! (Series 2, Episode 3)

Extras: Interactive game

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "TV Show Database : Zingzillas". Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Penni Tovey.com". Penni Tovey.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  4. ↑ "Latest jobs & auditions for professional actors". Mandy Actors. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  5. ↑ "Hey, hey it's the ZingZillas". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  6. ↑ "Press Office - Hey, hey, we're the... ZingZillas!". BBC. 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  7. ↑ "ZingZillas - CBeebies". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  8. ↑ "Title: Zingzillas: Welcome to the Island!". Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Title: Zingzillas: World Music Tour". Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.