CBeebies is having a laugh!

UK preschool channel CBeebies is going for laughs next season, with a new slate full of comedy, including a Lenny Henry-voiced puppet show, plus new spin-offs from regulars Postman Pat and Lazytown.

The Henry show, Big & Small, is a copro between Kindle Entertainment, 3J’s Entertainment and the BBC, in association with Treehouse TV and Studio 100 of Belgium. It also features the voice of Imelda Staunton.

More puppet laughs come in the shape of Nuzzle & Scratch, starring two incompetent alpacas who work at a job agency for animals. This CBeebies production is produced by Tony Reed and exec produced by Alison Stewart

Following the success of activity show Lazytown, CBeebies has the new UK series Lazytown Extra, a magazine show featuring favourite Lazytown characters. Lazytown Extra is a Lazytown Entertainment and CBeebies production.

Another spin-off from an established CBeebies hit is Postman Pat SDS (Special Delivery Service), in which Pat has been promoted and now has a whole range of vehicles and gadgets. Entertainment Rights is producing.

“Comedy takes centre stage on CBeebies this autumn with a line-up of new, originated British content. Plus we’re developing new formats and bringing big names to the channel,” said channel controller Michael Carrington.

Twenty more episodes of Ragdoll’s In The Night Garden will also return to the 18.20 slot.

New CGI train toon Chuggington from start-up Ludorum, plus new episodes of Louie (Millimages), Harry & Toto (Handle & Sprout Productions), 3rd & Bird (Little Airplane) are also on the slate for next season, which kicks off on September 1.