To say 'Balamory' without elongating every vowel sound would be a disservice to the irritatingly catchy theme tune that dominated CBeebies airwaves between 2002 and 2005. Parents be warned, you may be hearing it again in the near future. That's right, Miss Hoolie and her host of colourfully-dressed local friends are returning after nearly 20 years off air.
The fictional Scottish town adorned with pastel houses, chirpy local workers and children eager to learn has been recommissioned for CBeebies in the hope of introducing Balamory to a whole new generation. But will Miss Hoolie bring back the bucket hat? Has Archie the Inventor been priced out of his lavish pink castle? And has Josie Jump learnt to manage her anxiety? We'll have to wait to see.
In a press release, Kate Morton, the head of commissioning 0-6 for BBC Children’s and Education, said: 'A whole new generation will discover and enjoy Balamory as we bring families together with this new update for CBeebies. It will be a real treat for parents who grew up with the show to now introduce their little ones to the brightly coloured world getting to know a host of old and new characters together.'
Where is Balamory set?
It sounds suspiciously like the Royal Family's favourite hangout, but sadly Balamory is not a real place. The original series was filmed in Tobermory on the Scottish Isle of Mull, with the exception of scenes at Archie's castle filmed in East Lothian, and other scenes such as the nursery and the Mainland City, which were filmed in Glasgow.
However, the location for the revamp has not yet been finalised. It could either be in Tobermory or another Scottish location such as Rothesay.
What's the story in Balamory?
Wouldn't you like to know... The development team is interested in ideas from producers for two series of ten 14-minute programmes, so if you have some Balamory stories up your sleeve now is the time to act.
In the original show, one of the characters (who will be the main character of that episode) tells Miss Hoolie about a problem. This character then sings 'Which Coloured House Are We Going To?', asking the young viewers to guess which of the Balamory characters will be most helpful in solving the problem. The main character then proceeds to visit several other characters until the problem is solved. Miss Hoolie and the main character provide a summary of the story at each point, and a final recap at the end of the episode.
Which characters are returning?
While a new version of the show has been confirmed, it is still in the early stages of development so the exact cast has not been revealed. However, the original centred around eight main characters: Miss Hoolie, Josie Jump, PC Plum, Archie the Inventor, Suzie Sweet, Penelope Pocket, Edie McCredie (not to be confused with Scottish footballer Eddie McCreadie) and Spencer.
The BBC has so far said the show will feature 'a host of old and new characters together'. Andrew Agnew, who played PC Plum and now works in theatre, told BBC Scotland's Lunchtime Live the announcement was 'very exciting'. He said, 'If they ask me to go back then I'll absolutely be there with bells on, I'm sure. But at the moment we're all just getting excited at the fact that it's happening.
'I don't think it would be same if we weren't involved in it. I think it needs us.'
Julie Wilson Nimmo, who played nursery teacher Miss Hoolie in the original show, told the Daily Record it was the 'craziest and best news ever that Balamory is coming back'.
'I seriously think this is bigger than the Oasis reunion,' she joked. The actress also appears on BBC Scotland's Scot Squad and Cbeebies' Olga da Polga. Julie has previously said she would love to work on a new series.
When is Balamory back on TV?
Sadly, the reboot is still in its nascent stages and it won't be out until 2026.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, covering TV, celebrity interviews, news and features.