| A Kind of Spark | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy Children's television series |
| Created by | Anna McCleery |
| Based on | A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll |
| Starring |
|
| Composer | Jessica Dannheisser |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom
|
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Anna McCleery Gráinne McNamara Luke Johnson |
| Producers | Paul Munn Kim Powers |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production companies | 9 Story Media Group LS Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBBC BYU TV |
| Release | 31 March 2023 – present |
A Kind of Spark is a British-American-Canadian children's television series, co-produced by Canadian-based 9 Story Media Group and Scotland-based LS Productions. It’s based on the novel by Elle McNicoll.[1][2] The series follows Addie, "an autistic 11-year-old [who] seeks to memorialize the women once tried as witches in her English village". It first premiered on 31 March 2023 on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, followed by a network premiere on CBBC and BYU TV.[3] It has been commissioned for a second series.[4]
Cast
- Lola Blue as Addie
- Georgia De Gidlow as Keedie
- Caitlin Hamilton as Nina
- Eve Midgley as Audrey
- Hattie Gotobed as Maggie Fraser
- Ella Maisy Purvis as Elinor Fraser
- Ben Willbond as Adam Quinn
- Daisy Whitehead as Heather
- Emma Tracey as Beth
- Andrew Readman as Mr. Laird
- Amy Marston as Miss Murphy
- Geoffrey Austin Newland as James Darrow
Production
The series was filmed in Knutsford, Cheshire. The series features several actors who are neurodivergent, as is also the case for a large portion of the production team.[5]
Episodes
Series 1
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Spark" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
| 2 | "Juniper" | Marek Losey | Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
| 3 | "The Witch List" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery | 31 March 2023 |
| 4 | "Sisters" | Marek Losey | Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
| 5 | "Party" | Marek Losey | Anna McCleery and Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
| 6 | "Nicest Village" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery | 31 March 2023 |
| 7 | "Sleepover" | Matt Holt | Karissa Hamilton-Bannis | 31 March 2023 |
| 8 | "Something Wicked" | Matt Holt | Vicki Lutas | 31 March 2023 |
| 9 | "Burnout" | Matt Holt | Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
| 10 | "The Way I Am" | Matt Holt | Anna McCleery and Elle McNicoll | 31 March 2023 |
Reception
In an article for The Guardian, disability activist and writer Cathy Reay praised the production's commitment to platforming disabled talent in a children's series.[6]
Accolades
In 2023, the series was nominated for a Rose d'Or in the Children and Youth category.[7] In the 2nd annual Children's and Family Emmy Awards, the series was nominated in the Outstanding Casting category.[8]
References
- ↑ Layton, Mark (12 October 2021). "BBC orders 'A Kind Of Spark' adaptation from Canada's 9 Story Media". Television Business International. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ↑ Scorziello, Sophia; Flam, Charna (23 March 2023). "BBC and BYUtv Adaptation of "A Kind of Spark" Set to Premiere on World Autism Awareness Day (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ↑ "A Kind of Spark author Elle McNicoll - "It's a story of sisterhood, neurodiversity and standing firm in the face of a mob"". BBC Media Centre (Press release). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ↑ https://worldscreen.com/tvkids/a-kind-of-spark-renewed/
- ↑ "A Kind of Spark to premiere on BBC iPlayer, CBBC, BYUtv and CBC!". 9story.com. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ↑ Reay, Cathy (11 April 2023). "'There's no part we can't do. That's so empowering': the CBBC drama revolutionising onscreen autism". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ↑ https://www.rosedor.com/2023/11/06/rose-dor-2023-nominees-announced/
- ↑ https://theemmys.tv/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CAFE-nominations-2023-v02.pdf