CBeebies has commissioned musician Jacob Collier to provide an original musical composition for an upcoming episode of Bedtime Stories. This marks the first time a reader on the series has composed a bespoke piece of music to accompany the narrative. The episode is scheduled for broadcast on Friday 18 September at 6.50pm and will be hosted on BBC iPlayer.
Collier will read The Big-Time Boogie-Woogie Animal Band, a book written by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Nick East. The plot involves a group of musical animals, including a polar bear on piano and a koala on saxophone. Collier stated that he composed the music to represent every animal and instrument mentioned in the text.
The multi-instrumentalist joins a list of previous musical guests who have appeared in the reading slot. This group includes Dolly Parton, Billie Eilish, Elton John, Harry Styles, and Robbie Williams. The production follows the established format of the series where celebrities read children's literature to a young audience.
The episode will air on the BBC's preschool channel. The book selected for the episode features a variety of animal characters performing different musical instruments. The broadcast is set for the 6.50pm time slot.