Punky (TV series)

Punky is an Irish animated television series created by Lindsay J. Sedgwick and produced by Dublin based Monster Animation and Design. The series features the lead character as having Down syndrome, with the intention of being the first animated series to do so.[3]

Punky
GenreChildren
Created byLindsay J. Sedgwick
Written byAndrew Brenner
Directed bySimon Crane
StarringAimée Richardson[1]
Maureen Ward
Bradley Burke
Paul Tylak
ComposerJohn Atkinson
Country of originIreland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes40
Production
ProducerGerard O'Rourke
Running time7 minutes
Production companyMonster Animation & Design
Release
Original networkRTÉjr on RTÉ Two
Original release3 May 2011 (2011-05-03)[2] –
present

Development

The show's creative director is Jason Tammemagi, who has been involved in a number of animated shows for pre-school children, including Fluffy Gardens.

The series is produced with the support of Down Syndrome Ireland, who also reviewed material during development and production of the series.[4] The series is supported by investment incentives from the Government of Ireland (Section 481), in association with RTÉjr, with the participation of the Irish Film Board and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s Sound & Vision Fund. A second series (also 20 x 7 mins) was launched in February 2014.

Characters

Punky relates tales from the everyday life of a six-year-old little girl who has Down syndrome. Punky is characterized as a happy little girl who, as explained in the introduction of the show, loves "music", "dancing" and "hugs". She is shown to like to play with her older brother, "Con", and her dog, "Rufus". She also tries to make her grandmother "Cranky", "just a little less cranky".

The lead character is voiced by Aimée Richardson, a voice actress who has Down syndrome.

Broadcast

It aired in a number of TV networks in the UK, Australia, Germany[5] and Sweden to screen the show. An Irish language version of the show is also in production, to be broadcast on TG4.[6]

References
  1. ""More roles must be written for people with intellectual disabilities!"". 28 February 2018.
  2. RTÉ launches new animation series Punky Retrieved: 2011-05-10
  3. ‘Punky’ and ‘Gumball’ Arrive on TV Screens Retrieved: 2011-05-10
  4. ‘Punky’ and ‘Gumball’ Arrive on TV Screens Retrieved: 2011-05-10
  5. Punky, a cartoon heroine for the Saorview age Retrieved 2011-05-11
  6. How my cousin Aimée, the first Down's TV star, made me smile through the tears. . . Retrieved: 2011-05-10
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