Nickelodeon to air new song and dance shows

New singing and dancing shows form the key part of digital channels Nickelodeon and Nick Jr's spring and summer lineup, along with a celebration of 10 years of Dora the Explorer. Live action singalong series The Bopps has been commissioned from UK independent production company The Little Entertainment Group. The show – which will air during Nick Jr's breakfast slot Wake Up World – is aimed at pre-school children and features dance routines and catchy tunes for children and their parents to sing along to. Meanwhile, the Nickelodeon channel is to broadcast US hit Big Time Rush – a series for older children about four friends who want to become pop superstars. The show features songs written by what Nickelodeon calls "A-list writers" and has already been a hit for Nickelodeon in the US. Another US series, Fanboy and Chum Chum, from the pen of Emmy-winning writer Steve Tompkins, follows the exploits of Fanboy – a fearless youngster who loves comic books. Returning series to Nick Jr include UK-made show Roary the Racing Car , from Chapman Entertainment, and Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps. To celebrate Dora the Explorer's 10th anniversary, alongside airing new episodes, Nick Jr will feature some birthday celebrations for the popular Spanish-speaking animated character. The Nickelodeon UK vice-president for planning and strategy, Andy Goodhand, said: "We're really excited about our spring/summer programming highlights, which include the fabulous new boy band show Big Time Rush and animation series Fan Boy and Chum Chum. "This is an extremely exciting time for Nickelodeon UK as more than ever we're committed to engaging with our audiences across every platform – all with a single look and feel consistent across Nickelodeon globally." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".