Barry Loser Animated Series Heads to ITVX Kids With 52-Episode Order From Big Little Fish Television

A beloved British children's book series is making the leap to animation, and for those working in kids' TV, international co-productions, or 2D animation pipelines, this one is worth putting on your radar early. Barry Loser, based on Jim Smith's Roald Dahl Funny Prize-winning book series, is in development as a 52-episode animated series from U.K. producer Big Little Fish Television and Italian co-producer Frog Head, with ITVX Kids already attached as the U.K. broadcaster. Production is not expected to begin until January 2027, which means the project is still in the financing and development phase, but with a broadcaster already committed and a co-production structure taking shape across two European markets, the groundwork is being laid now for what will be a substantial animation build.

The series is adapted from Jim Smith's wildly popular Barry Loser books, a franchise that has sold over a million copies and been translated into 17 languages. Smith, who also created the equally cheeky I Am Not a Loser companion series, built Barry into one of the most recognizable voices in British children's publishing over the past decade. The books are known for their handwritten-style text, doodle-heavy illustrations, and a comedic sensibility that sits somewhere between Diary of a Wimpy Kid and classic British absurdism. That irreverent tone is the engine of the show: Barry is a lovable 10-year-old whose wild imagination turns grocery runs and school trips in the fictional U.K. town of Mogden into completely unhinged comic odysseys. Smith is attached as creator on the series, which means the adaptation has the source author directly involved, always a good sign for creative consistency.

The producing team is led by Mark Procter, Georgina Surtees, and Ros Attille at Big Little Fish Television, the U.K. production company driving the project. Big Little Fish is a focused kids' content outfit with experience navigating the international co-production landscape that defines modern children's animation, where no single territory typically funds an entire series alone. Frog Head serves as the Italian co-production partner, a structure that reflects the project's dual footing in the U.K. and Italian animation markets. Florence-based DogHead Animation is attached to deliver the visual execution, working in a loose, hand-drawn 2D style that should feel at home alongside the books' sketchy, energetic aesthetic. For animation directors, storyboard artists, character designers, and 2D animators, DogHead's involvement is the key signal about where the production work will physically happen.

ITVX Kids is the confirmed U.K. broadcaster, which situates this project firmly in the streamer-adjacent kids' content space. ITVX, ITV's streaming platform, has been actively building out its children's programming slate, and a 52-episode order is a meaningful commitment. That episode count, covering what would typically be two or more seasons of content, signals that the creative team and broadcaster are thinking about this as a long-running franchise property, not a limited run. The budget is not fully closed yet. The project is currently being pitched at Rome's MIA Market Animation Series Gap Financing event, where the producers are seeking to close the remaining 30 to 40 percent of the budget. That gap financing process is standard for international co-productions of this scale, but it also means the project's full greenlight is contingent on closing those remaining deals. Professionals tracking this one should watch for financing announcements over the coming months as the signal that pre-production is genuinely beginning.

With a January 2027 production start listed and financing still being assembled, this project sits squarely in early development territory. The roles most relevant right now are on the production and development side: series producers, co-production executives, and animation development coordinators who work at the intersection of U.K. and European kids' content. Once financing closes and pre-production begins in earnest, the pipeline will open significantly. A 52-episode 2D animated series requires large teams of storyboard artists, animators, background painters, character designers, voice directors, and post-production coordinators. The hand-drawn aesthetic that DogHead Animation is bringing to the project suggests a pipeline that values traditional animation skills alongside digital tools, which is worth noting for artists assessing whether their reel is the right fit.

ProductionList.com will be tracking Barry Loser through its full development and production arc. Bookmark the full listing now to stay ahead of crew calls, production office openings, and scheduling updates as the financing closes and the January 2027 start date approaches. For animation professionals and kids' TV specialists, getting on this project's radar early is exactly how those conversations start.

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