Disney Branded Television, BBC Studios Kids & Family, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have announced that the next installments of Bluey, including an extended-length special, will premiere this April, marking the series’ first global rollout.
The first new episode, “Ghostbasket,” will premiere on Sunday, April 7. This will precede the debut of the 28-minute special The Sign, which will premiere a week later on Sunday, April 14.
Disney announced today that both episodes will air first via ABC Kids in Australia and then roll out globally the same day across Disney+, Disney Junior, and Disney Channel in all other available regions (with the exception of China and New Zealand).
“The Sign” is Bluey’s longest-ever episode, while “Ghostbasket” is a standard-length episode. Both episodes were written by series creator and writer Joe Brumm, directed by Richard Jeffery, and produced by Ludo Studio.
In “The Sign,” Dave McCormack and Melanie Zanetti reprise their roles as the voices of Bandit and Chilli Heeler, and Patrick Brammall returns as the voice of Uncle Rad, Claudia O’Doherty as Frisky, alongside Megan Washington as Calypso, Myf Warhurst as Trixie, and Rose Byrne as Aunt Brandy.
This special episode introduces Rove McManus, Deborah Mailman, Brendan Williams, and Joel Edgerton, who are making their Bluey voice debuts.
According to Nielsen, Bluey closed out 2023 as the No. 1 series for preschoolers and kids and was the No. 2 most-streamed series across all audiences. Ten new episodes premiered on Disney+ in January and will begin rolling out on Disney Channel and Disney Junior from March 25 to April 5.
Since launching in Australia in 2018, Bluey has gained millions of fans around the world, widely lauded for its heartfelt and funny portrayal of family life and celebration of play. The series follows Bluey, a loveable and inexhaustible Blue Heeler dog who lives with her Mum, Dad, and little sister, Bingo.
A global ratings hit, the critically acclaimed series has been recognized with numerous awards, including a fifth consecutive AACTA Best Children’s Programme award, the International Kids Emmy Award, the Television Critics Association Award, BAFTA Children & Young People Awards, Critics’ Choice Award nominations, and many more.
Jointly commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios Kids & Family, Bluey is created and written by Joe Brumm and produced by the multiple Emmy Award-winning Ludo Studio in association with Screen Queensland and Screen Australia.
The series streams to U.S. and global audiences (outside of Australia, New Zealand, and China) across Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+ through a global broadcasting deal between BBC Studios Kids & Family and Disney Branded Television.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.