Crazy Fun Park to kick off an exciting year in Australian kids’ TV

The new year is set to start with a bang in Australian children’s television, with the much-anticipated horror-comedy series Crazy Fun Park to premiere on January 1, 2023.

Written by Nicholas Verso and produced by Werner Film Productions for the ABC, Crazy Fun Park is a live action horror-comedy series for teens and young adults. It tells the story of Chester, a teenage boy whose life is turned upside down following the death of his best friend Mapplethorpe at an abandoned theme park. Chester discovers that the soul of Mapplethorpe is very much still alive and kicking – so he returns night after night to hang out with his friend and the other undead kids who haunt the fun park.

All episodes will be available to stream from 7am Sunday, 1 January.

Producer Joanna Werner says there’s something in Crazy Fun Park for everyone.

“It's a show that will appeal to lots of different ages. For the young characters, there will be young people in the audience and they'll be really identifying with those actors and the friendships and storylines. And for the older audience like me, there's some really great retro references that are really fun: the kids that have died in the fun park in the past, they are stuck in their era… 1997, 92, 79 – there’s lot of great references in there.

“It's a lot of fun, but then the emotion will creep up on you as well, and you'll find some really profound moments.”

Next year is set to be a big one for Australian children’s television content, with several ACTF-supported series expected to air in 2023.

Produced by Fremantle Media, the second season of the critically acclaimed political comedy-drama The PM’s Daughter will premiere on ABC ME and iview.

The award-winning animated series Space Nova, from Sydney’s SLR Productions, will be back for a second season, expected to air on ABC ME and iview in 2023.

100% Wolf: The Book of Hath will also air on ABC ME next year. Produced by Flying Bark Productions NSW, 100% Wolf is a computer-animated adventure fantasy comedy for 6- to 10-year-olds.

And everyone’s favourite lifeguard cadets will return to the small screen next summer, with Season 2 of Cheeky Little’s Kangaroo Beach to premiere on ABC Kids and iview.

Crazy Fun Park is a Werner Film Productions series, produced for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation in association with Film Victoria and the ABC. Distribution by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. Created by Nicholas Verso, Directed by Verso, Sarah Hickey and Adrian Russell Wills. Writers: Nicholas Verso, Magda Wozniak, Craig Irvin, Enoch Mailangi and Fury. Produced by Joanna Werner. Executive Producers: Stuart Menzies, Joanna Werner, Bernadette O’Mahony and Libbie Doherty.

The PM’s Daughter Series 2 is a Fremantle production for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, with major investment from Screen Australia, in association with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, with support from Screen NSW. Fremantle distributes the series worldwide with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation distributing across Australia and New Zealand.

Space Nova is an SLR Production, co-produced by Giggle Garage for ABC Me. Financed by Screen Australia, ABC, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and Create NSW. Distributed worldwide by ZDF Studios, excluding Australia and New Zealand, which are being handled by ACTF.

100% Wolf: The Book of Hath is a Flying Bark Productions program for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with Screen Australia, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Siamese, and Screenwest and Lottery West. Produced with the assistance of Screen NSW.

Kangaroo Beach Series 2 is a Cheeky Little Media production for the ABC. Major production investment from the ABC in association with Screen Australia. Financed with support from the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) and Surf Lifesaving Association of Australia. International sales by the ACTF and Infinite Frameworks.