That’s Jokes children’s animated sketch series, Digi Mart USA News: Fast Show star Paul Whitehouse and his wife have created an animated sketch show for kids, including a dog called Posh Pom modeled on their own pet. The quick-paced show, That’s Jokes, has episodes just 11 minutes long and is aimed as an antidote to “anodyne” children’s educational programmes.
“It’s like an animated short version of The Fast Show for children,” explains Paul. “They are designed to appeal to children from six to 68.”
Dr Mine Conkbayir MBE, co-creator and co-producer, said: “Paul and I wanted to make something that was fun and frivolous. No grand educational agenda, no worthy life lessons, just proper silly entertainment for children.
That said, we do have Billy Burps who imparts a little geographical knowledge as he burps his way around the world, so we’re not entirely irresponsible!”
The new CBBC show, produced by Wildseed Studios, has a madcap cast of characters including Posh Pom, modelled on Mine’s own six-year-old Pomeranian. Mine, an early years and child development expert, says: “Posh Pom is very calm and well-spoken, until it’s time for food – that’s when his feral beast comes out.”
There is also Guy Reader The Newsreader, a character created by Paul, who finds himself in life-threatening situations when he reports on the news but always comes out smiling. “Guy’s a Fast Show character in a way, like Unlucky Alf, because wherever he goes to report on a disaster it happens to him,” explains Paul.
“So if he’s reporting near a volcano, the volcano erupts. But he is an indestructible guy.”
The show also includes an EastEnders-style drama called Hutch Street featuring wig-wearing guinea pigs, and Crabs Can’t Walk Forwards, a running joke about the shortfall of not being able to walk in a straight line, whether queuing for ice cream, walking up the aisle as a bride or jumping off a diving board. Other segments feature technophobic pirates, competitive mountains and Blingtastic grandparents who try to outdo each other with the latest sportswear, trainers and gadgets.
Paul and Mine, who have a 14-year-old daughter, came up with the idea for the show during Covid because they felt children needed something to make them laugh. Mine says: “Covid took its toll developmentally on children, they were so isolated.
Then they all returned to the world of school. They are children and I think it’s important to let them be children, to have fun and a laugh.
We just wanted to put a bit of joy into children’s lives. A guilt-free giggle.”
Paul adds: “We wanted to do something absolutely daft.”
Mine, who has been diagnosed with ADHD and co-presents her podcast I’m ADHD! No You’re Not with Paul, explains: “That’s Jokes is the product of an out-of-the-box ADHD brain.
It’s very surreal and off-the-wall, but there’s a warmth to it as well.”
Each episode runs 11 minutes, which Mine describes as perfect for young children’s attention span. The couple also see the show as a way to encourage new sketch writers.
They have a pool of young talent on the writing team, including Tiernan Douieb, who also writes for CBeebies’ Hey Duggee.
“Part of the reason for doing it is that sketch shows encourage new writers in a way that other types of comedy don’t,” adds Paul. “It’s good to encourage new writing because there are not a lot of places for that.”
That’s Jokes launches Monday on BBC iPlayer and airs on CBBC the same day at 4:35pm, with repeats on Sundays at 1:05pm. Fifteen episodes launch Monday, with another 15 episodes in January.
