Joe Wicks launches new animated series aiming to inspire children to be physically active over summer

Working in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the UK, fitness coach Joe Wicks has launched Active, a new animated series encouraging children to be more physically active.

Created by Wicks and produced by Studio AKA, which created popular series Hey Duggee, Active aims to address inactivity among children using five-minute workouts led by an animated version of Wicks.

The first episode is available to stream now on Wicks’ The Body Coach YouTube channel, with additional episodes due to be released throughout the summer holidays.

The program was supported by government funding as part of its Plan for Change, aiming to inspire children to move more throughout the summer. The government plans to fund an additional ten episodes.

The five-minute sessions are designed to fit easily into a busy day but are said to still have the potential to be “transformational” for children’s physical and mental health.

Wicks says: “Activate is the natural next step in everything I’ve worked towards over the past decade. From my early YouTube workouts, to ‘PE with Joe’ during the pandemic, my goal has always been to get children moving and feeling good - physically and mentally.

“This project brings together everything I am most passionate about, and everything I’ve learned on my journey - going back to my own childhood where I discovered movement as a way to cope with the challenges of living with parents with drug addiction and mental health issues.

“Activate is designed to make movement fun and inclusive for every child, with short, high-energy workouts that fit into everyday life – these can be enjoyed in the living room, the garden, in the classroom, or anywhere else!”

Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK & Ireland, adds: “We’re so excited that Joe Wicks is bringing his new kids’ fitness show Activate to YouTube just in time for the holidays. Joe’s fun, energetic approach to getting kids moving has already made a huge impact on our platform, and Activate is set to become a go-to for families looking to keep active over the summer.

“It’s great to see YouTube being used in such a positive way - bringing free, accessible, and family-friendly fitness to homes everywhere.”