Behind the scenes of beloved children’s series Balamory, creator Brian Jameson shares the story behind its catchy rap song and how it became a shared experience for all ages.
The Fandom was Rock’n’roll: How We Made Balamory
A Shared Experience for All Ages
In 2002, the BBC commissioned a preschool drama series that would become a beloved part of many children’s lives. Brian Jameson, the creator of Balamory, shares the story behind this iconic show and how it became a shared experience for all ages.
Balamory is a popular Scottish children's television series that aired from 2003 to 2005.
The show was set in the fictional town of Balamory, where a group of colorful characters lived and interacted with each other.
The series focused on themes such as friendship, sharing, and community, making it appealing to young viewers.
Each character had their own unique personality and quirks, adding to the show's charm.
I had been working as a presenter on Play School when I thought: ‘I could be a presenter on this.’ The BBC trained me up as a preschool director and I went on to be a freelance director and producer specialising in preschool. After graduating from Rada, I had been a jobbing actor for 20 years.
The idea for Balamory came about after the BBC wanted to do a preschool drama centred around travellers in Ireland. It didn’t get commissioned but it gave me the idea to create something set in a community. I had a health hiccup, which put me out of work but gave me downtime to think. Play School had been a new programme every day, so it had an immediacy. I thought: “Why not make a preschool soap?”
A year later, BBC had created CBeebies and had masses of airtime to fill and were looking for a programme that was about the world around us. I pitched my idea, and the commissioning editor said: ‘How can you do a soap for preschool kids?’ I said: “Well, instead of the Queen Vic you could have a nursery school.’ He said: “That’s quite a good idea.” I was made series producer and we had to film 126 episodes in 10 months, beginning in January 2002.
CBeebies is a popular British children's television channel owned by the BBC.
Launched in 2002, it provides high-quality educational content for preschoolers aged 0-6 years old.
The channel offers a range of programs, including nursery rhymes, storytelling, and interactive games.
CBeebies also features popular shows like 'Octonauts' and 'Charlie and Lola.'
Research suggests that children who watch CBeebies tend to develop better cognitive skills and emotional intelligence.
We were originally going to film in Kirkcudbright but that was too far from Glasgow, where we needed to film some of the indoor shots. We moved it to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, which is a child’s dream with all its colours, water and hills. I’d already written the theme song: “What’s the Story in Tobermory?” But there was a Womble called Tobermory, so a researcher in the Gaelic department came up with Balamory.
Tobermory is a picturesque fishing village located on the Isle of Mull, off Scotland's west coast.
Founded in 1786 by John Smith, the village was named after a nearby bay with a distinctive red sandstone cliff face resembling a tobermorite mineral deposit.
The village's colorful buildings and narrow streets create a charming atmosphere, attracting tourists and artists alike.
Tobermory is also known for its historic distillery, which produces single malt whisky.
We put out feelers for the cast, such as “a child’s dream nursery teacher” for Miss Hoolie. Lionel Jefferies, who’d played the grandfather in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, applied, but we weren’t really looking for named actors. Mary Riggans, who’d been in Scottish soap opera Take the High Road, wowed us, and we cast her as Suzie Sweet.
We constructed our own school in Barmulloch, in the north of Glasgow. The kids would come in and believe it was their nursery, so they didn’t have to act. Kids programmes aren’t just for children. They’re meant to be a shared experience. The characters we created all had their quirks. There was friction between Edie McCredie and Suzie Sweet [who runs the village shop and cafe]. Miss Hoolie and PC Plum quite liked each other.
A Community Born from Imagination
I think the quirks made them seem more relatable. We created a community on this little island that felt realistic and had humour no matter what age you are. I think that’s probably why people are so fond of the characters and the place.
For me, playing Penny Pocket was a dream come true. I was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at the age of two. It was amazing how many people thought my wheelchair was a prop. A small role in ITV drama Blind Ambition that centred on disabled athletes gave me the itch to act, although being disabled often means playing a character who specifically has a disability issue or medical problem.
Eventually I found myself in a room with Brian Jameson and lots of other actors who were all being considered for the role of Penny. My disability was never openly discussed in front of me, which is what made the role so very important to me. As the writers got to know me and realise how active I was, Penny went on to be the football and rowing coach.
Working on Balamory was such joy. I was surrounded by such a brilliant cast and crew. We laughed a lot! The scripts were funny but also sometimes surreal, like one about a party at the nursery when Penny and Suzie were dressed as Pearly Queens but nobody else was in costume.
A Fandom that Rocks
The Balamory fandom quickly grew. We were able to meet many of them when we performed live on the arena tours. It all felt a bit rock’n’roll. I remember “Sophie Ellis-Bextor” coming to the show and saying she loved Penny’s rap song. For the first time my son started to think I was cool.
I started to realise how popular the show had become when I went to St James’ Park to watch Newcastle United play and the fans, in their thousands, all sang “What’s the Story?” when they saw me. It gave me goosebumps, and still does, thinking about it.
