Noddy to Return in CG Series ‘Noddy, Toyland Detective’

Beloved British children’s book character Noddy is returning to television in a new CG-animated series.

Noddy, Toyland Detective will debut on France Télévisions’ France 5 in 52 new 11-minute episodes.

The series is produced by Gaumont Animation in association with DreamWorks Animation Television, which owns Noddy and retains additional global distribution rights for the property, in partnership with France Télévisions.

The new series will see the little man with the red and yellow car in the brand new role of Toyland Detective—seemingly a step up from his previous gig as Toyland Taxi Driver—solving mysteries and encountering Toyland characters old and new. New Toyland locales will be featured, including Fable Fields, Animal Acres, and the bustling urban center of Brickabuild.

“A whole new generation of children gets to meet Noddy and join him on adventures across Toyland,” said Margie Cohn, head of television for DreamWorks Animation. “Our new series retains everything that made Noddy the global phenomenon he is today, with exciting updates that will encourage a whole new group of fans to become natural investigators of their own world.”

Noddy first appeared in Enid Blyton’s children’s book Noddy Goes to Toyland in 1949. The character has seen numerous television incarnations since: in puppet-form in The Adventures of Noddy (1955–1963), in stop-motion animated Noddy’s Toyland Adventures (1992–1999), and in CG-animated series Make Way for Noddy (2002–2008) and Noddy in Toyland (2011–2012).

Noddy’s look has been significantly updated for this latest CG outing though. He’s ditched the spotted neckerchief and his wooden clogs appear to have been replaced by Chuck Taylors.

Noddy’s trusty red and yellow car also appears to have undergone something of an anthropomorphic evolution in the CG auto shop. Upgraded to the role of Noddy’s sidekick and named Revs, the car will have a distinct personality and—though traditionally limited to a vocabulary consisting solely of “Parp-parp!”—a more sophisticated repertoire of honks and car noises. Oh, and he has a face.

No word yet on whether Noddy still shares a bed with Big Ears.

Noddy, Toyland Detective will premiere in 2016 on France 5’s “Zouzous.”

Here’s the new Noddy in detail: