User:MIDI/Nick Cope's Popcast

Nick Cope's Popcast is a British children's television series presented by musician Nick Cope. Broadcast on CBeebies, each episode features Cope composing a song with help from children and his whippet, Norman, as well as an animated music video. Three series have aired since the programme debuted in 2020, with a total of 54 episodes.

Background
In the 1980s and 90s, Nick Cope was frontman of the britpop band the Candyskins. Following this, he began releasing music for children in which he aimed to balance humour with "sophisticated chords and melodies" inspired by the songwriting of 1960s artists such as the Beatles and the Kinks. The songs are influenced by the Montessori method and Cope's opinion that children should "have a view of the world and everything in it"; as such, some songs have political themes or reference gender stereotyping.

Overview
Each episode begins in live-action, with Cope and his whippet Norman joined by children on a video call to inspire a new song. Norman presses a button on the "Popcast Machine" and an animated music video of the song is shown, interspersed with footage of the children. Episodes in series 1 lasted five minutes; those in series 2 and 3 lasted seven minutes.

Reception
The series has been described as having a "homely charm" and has been compared to Jackanory and Old Jack's Boat. It was nominated for Best Entertainment programme at the 2022 Royal Television Society's Southern Awards.

The first series received a 5/5 review from Radio Times.

Episodes
Three series of Nick Cope's Popcast have aired since 2020, with a total of 55 episodes.