Green Balloon Club

Green Balloon Club focuses on the adventures of four children - Jay, Cat, Lilly-Rose and Ant, as they travel throughout the United Kingdom on a green hot-air balloon led by balloonist Skye and Cat's dog Skipper. During their travels, they look out for other Green Balloon Club members and have a look at what wildlife they have in their patch. Each episode starts with the children doing the register, then joining in with the "Green Balloon Club" chant. At the end of the show, the balloon "lands" and everybody sings one of several songs.

Other BBC personalities appear on the show, with the puppet Jelly from The Story Makers and CBeebies Springwatch appearing as a special reporter, and fellow BBC presenters Chris Howard and Bill Oddie.

The cast members on the show were all ordinary children all found at extensive auditions.

• Debbie Korley as Skye, the balloonist of the Green Team who leads the group on various adventures. She was replaced with Chris Howard near the end of the series' main run, and in the Green Balloon Club Goes on Holiday spin-off, but later returned in the Winter Special.
• Isabella Blake-Thomas as Lily Rose, the flower expert of the Green Team. She is the youngest of the children (her actress was only five at the time of the production), and sometimes can be a bit self-centred.
• Jake Pratt as Jay, the bird expert of the Green Team. He can be quite a jokester at times. He didn't appear in one episode, and didn't appear for the Green Balloon Club Goes on Holiday spin-off, but later returned for the Winter Special.
• Adam Wells as Ant, the bug expert of the Green Team and the only member who isn’t southern.
• Thai Murray-Edwards as Cat, the animal expert of the Green Team and the owner of Skipper.
• Skipper the Dog as herself, the canine companion of the Green Team. Skipper’s dog actress was the real-life pet of the actress for Cat, Thai Murray-Edwards. Skipper's sounds are done through stock sound effects.

• Aliex Yuill as Jelly, a green puppet who is one of the Story Makers. She normally appears in episodes as a Special Reporter (reprising this role from CBeebies Springwatch and CBeebies Autumnwatch) or is with Bill Oddie in his garden.
• Chris Howard, a presenter from Springwatch and Autumnwatch, also appeared in CBeebies Springwatch and CBeebies Autumnwatch. He normally appears with other children as the leader of the Ground Crew, but near the end of the show's run became the Pilot of the balloon going by the name "Nature Chris", replacing Debbie Korley.
• Bill Oddie, another BBC nature presenter. He appears in some episodes alongside Jelly, where they look at the different kinds of nature around his garden.

The series also has a major focus on music and singing, and every episode features an originally-written song performed by the main cast. All of the songs were written by Paul Moessl.

• Theme Song
• Let's Go Play Outside
• It's Our World
• Listen
• All Earth's Creatures
• Underwater
• Fun on the Beach
• Minibeast Madness
• Flying
• Whatever's Good at Christmas (written by Bill Oddie and produced by Paul Moessl, was released as a single)
• Dig In
• Good to get away (Arran song)
• At the Zoo (Belfast song)
• Animal Alphabet
• Waggle Dance
• It's a Dog's Life
• and a final special arrangement of the Title song for the Winter Special

The program was conceived and made by Clare Bradley, Lotte Elwell and the CBeebies Production team, and grew out of their previous award-winning work on CBeebies Springwatch and Autumnwatch.

Green Balloon Club was produced as part of CBeebies' "EcoBeebies" brand. It started with a launch show named Easy Peasy Eco Beebies on 13 June 2008, and this was followed by 48 episodes, one every week from 20 June 2008 to 29 May 2009, although there was a break during the Christmas Holidays.

(Titles sourced from the BBC Australia website (The episodes on the UK BBC website don't have episode titles))

{{Episode table |background=#6CC629 |overall= |season= |title= |airdate= |episodes=

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 1"
"Easy Peasy Green

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|06|20}}

|EpisodeNumber=1

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|ShortSummary=The Green Balloon Club themselves are introduced.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 2"
"Animals Under the Waters

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|06|27}}

|EpisodeNumber=2

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|ShortSummary=The team find out about animals under the water.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 3"
"Dragonflies

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|07|04}}

|EpisodeNumber=3

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|ShortSummary=The team travels over the Scottish Highlands to find out what wildlife lives there, which includes the likes of the various fruits and dragonflies there.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 4"
"Bugs Hunt

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|07|11}}

|EpisodeNumber=4

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|ShortSummary= The gang is going on a bug hunt, while Jelly is visiting the Isles of Scilly to explore over there.

Song: Dig In (reruns)

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 5"
"Lily-Rose Plants Nasturtiums

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|07|18}}

|EpisodeNumber=5

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|ShortSummary= Lily-Rose plants some nasturtiums, while the rest of the team finds out about the night-time creatures.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 6"
"The Team Go to the Coast

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|07|25}}

|EpisodeNumber=6

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|ShortSummary=The team goes to the coast of the UK, and finds out about the wildlife that lives there.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 7

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|08|01}}

|EpisodeNumber=7

|EpisodeNumber2=7

|ShortSummary= Ant brings a very special visitor to the club – a giant spider!

Note: This episode was skipped over in Australia due to the episode's focus being on spiders, as Australia is home to some of the most deadliest spiders. Because of this, it has no official title.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 8"
"Heathland

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|08|08}}

|EpisodeNumber=8

|EpisodeNumber2=8

|ShortSummary= The team are on the lookout for wildlife in the Heathlands.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 9"
"Busy Bee Boogie

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|08|15}}

|EpisodeNumber=9

|EpisodeNumber2=9

|ShortSummary= The team discovers a forest of flowers.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 10"
"Under the Sea

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|08|22}}

|EpisodeNumber=10

|EpisodeNumber2=10

|ShortSummary= The team explores near the sea and are fascinated by the different sea creatures.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 11"
"Sweet Lavender

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|08|29}}

|EpisodeNumber=11

|EpisodeNumber2=11

|ShortSummary=The team discover how sweet lavender is.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 12"
"All the Senses

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|09|05}}

|EpisodeNumber=12

|EpisodeNumber2=12

|ShortSummary=The Green Team use all their senses to explore the world around them.

Song: On the Beach

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 13"
"Building a Nest

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|09|12}}

|EpisodeNumber=13

|EpisodeNumber2=13

|ShortSummary=Jay and Ant show the viewers how tricky it is to build a nest.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 14"
"Life on the Waterways

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|09|19}}

|EpisodeNumber=14

|EpisodeNumber2=14

|ShortSummary=The Green Team are finding out about life on the waterways.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 15"
"Mud Festival in Wales

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|09|26}}

|EpisodeNumber=15

|EpisodeNumber2=15

|ShortSummary=The balloon is heading to a mud festival in Wales and the green team are having much messy fun with compost and clay.

Song: Dig In (reruns)

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 16"
"Canal Boat

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|10|03}}

|EpisodeNumber=16

|EpisodeNumber2=16

|ShortSummary=Jelly goes on a trip on a canal boat and looks at the wildlife along the banks along with several other Club Members.

Song: Underwater

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 17"
"Basil the Cat

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|10|10}}

|EpisodeNumber=17

|EpisodeNumber2=17

|ShortSummary=The Green Team has a special visitor with them in the balloon. Basil the kitten has come to the Green Balloon with Cat, and the team looks at how he is like his larger African cousins.

Song: All Earth's Creatures

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 18"
"Apples

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|10|17}}

|EpisodeNumber=18

|EpisodeNumber2=18

|ShortSummary=Jelly is harvesting apples in an orchard while Lily-Rose and Ant are starting a planting experiment to see if they can grow an apple tree.

Song: Listen

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 19"
"Animals and the Seashore

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|10|24}}

|EpisodeNumber=19

|EpisodeNumber2=19

|ShortSummary=The Green Team finds out about owls and what wildlife can be found on the seashore at this time of year.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 20"
"Halloween

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|10|31}}

|EpisodeNumber=20

|EpisodeNumber2=20

|ShortSummary=It is Halloween and there are some spooky goings-on in the Green Balloon, including bats and a Tower of Flour!

Song: Minibeast Madness

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 21"
"Birds in Autumn

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|11|07}}

|EpisodeNumber=21

|EpisodeNumber2=21

|ShortSummary=As part of the Autumnwatch season, the Green Team are having a good look at Autumn – how the leaves change colour and whether it is possible to preserve their lovely shades.

Song: Flying

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 22"
"Wild About Woods

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|11|14}}

|EpisodeNumber=22

|EpisodeNumber2=22

|ShortSummary=The Green Team are going wild about woods.

Song: Listen

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 23"
"Hibernating Birds

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|11|21}}

|EpisodeNumber=23

|EpisodeNumber2=23

|ShortSummary=The Green Team are learning about hibernation and Jay is finding out if birds hibernate.

Song: Flying

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 24"
"Jumping Salmon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|11|28}}

|EpisodeNumber=24

|EpisodeNumber2=24

|ShortSummary=The Green Team marvel at just how athletic some creatures are. The balloon is visited by a very athletic little friend: Georgina the ferret.

Song: All Earth's Creatures

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 25"
"Mini Christmas Trees

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|12|05}}

|EpisodeNumber=25

|EpisodeNumber2=25

|ShortSummary=The Green Team is starting to think about Christmas. They have an idea for making mini Christmas trees.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 26"
"Christmas Tree

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|12|12}}

|EpisodeNumber=26

|EpisodeNumber2=26

|ShortSummary=Christmas is getting near and Sky has bought a Christmas tree for the Green Balloon.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 27"
"The Story of Christmas

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2008|12|19}}

|EpisodeNumber=27

|EpisodeNumber2=27

|ShortSummary=Christmas is almost here and the Green Team is thinking about presents. Along the way, they find out the true meaning of the holiday, alongside an adaptation of the nativity told through animals.

Song: Whatever's Good at Christmas

Note: There was a two-week break between this episode and the next, due to the cast going on Christmas holidays.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 28"
"New Year Special

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|01|09}}

|EpisodeNumber=28

|EpisodeNumber2=28

|ShortSummary= The Green Team is all together again and full of wishes for the New Year.

Song: It's Our World

Note: Jake Pratt, who plays Jay, was absent for this episode. In the show itself, it was said that Jay had the flu.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 29"
"Lily-Rose Hates Winter

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|01|16}}

|EpisodeNumber=29

|EpisodeNumber2=29

|ShortSummary=It is January and Lily-Rose is feeling fed up with the Winter. Her flowers have died and there is no wildlife around to spot. The Green Team set about showing her that there is still plenty to do and see in the winter.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 30"
"Birds in Winter

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|01|23}}

|EpisodeNumber=30

|EpisodeNumber2=30

|ShortSummary=The Green Balloon Club have a good look at the birds in the winter garden. Cat and Lily-Rose are making comical dancing birds and we have a close look at stoats who are also great movers.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 31"
"Pantomime

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|01|30}}

|EpisodeNumber=31

|EpisodeNumber2=31

|ShortSummary=The Green Team reimagine the story of Little Red Riding Hood with Lily-Rose playing the lead; and not one, not two, but three wolves!

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 32"
"Making Bread

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|02|06}}

|EpisodeNumber=32

|EpisodeNumber2=32

|ShortSummary=The Green Team learns how bread is made.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 33"
"Blue Tits

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|02|13}}

|EpisodeNumber=33

|EpisodeNumber2=33

|ShortSummary=The first signs of Spring are starting to appear and birds are looking for places to build their nests and start a family. Jay is putting up a new home for his robins and introduces us to a family of blue tits.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 34"
"Lily-Rose's Tooth

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|02|20}}

|EpisodeNumber=34

|EpisodeNumber2=34

|ShortSummary=Lily-Rose has lost her first tooth and she brings it in to show the Green Team. So Ant in turn shows her his collection of animal teeth and they look at what jobs the different kinds of teeth do.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 35"
"Weather with Nature Chris

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|02|27}}

|EpisodeNumber=35

|EpisodeNumber2=35

|ShortSummary=Nature Chris joins the Green Team, who are having a weather day.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 36"
"Skipper's Birthday

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|03|06}}

|EpisodeNumber=36

|EpisodeNumber2=36

|ShortSummary=The Green Team wonder when Skipper's birthday is, which Cat doesn't know about. They decide that it wouldn't be more difficult to have Skipper's birthday than in the present.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 37"
"Creatures Communicate

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|03|13}}

|EpisodeNumber=37

|EpisodeNumber2=37

|ShortSummary=The Green Team is finding out about creatures that communicate using vibrations. They decide to create a communication system of their own.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 38"
"Ladybirds in Spring

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|03|20}}

|EpisodeNumber=38

|EpisodeNumber2=38

|ShortSummary=Spring is on the way. Ant has found his first ladybird of the year, and it looks like it's coming out of hibernation!

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 39"
"The Lifecycle

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|03|27}}

|EpisodeNumber=39

|EpisodeNumber2=39

|ShortSummary=The Green Team finds out about the life cycles of animals. Ant has brought in some pupas that he is watching, hoping that they will soon hatch into butterflies.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 40"
"Animal Tracks

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|04|03}}

|EpisodeNumber=40

|EpisodeNumber2=40

|ShortSummary=The Green Team is going tracking. Every creature makes a different print, but can they recognize them?

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 41"
"City Farm and Baby Rabbits

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|04|10}}

|EpisodeNumber=41

|EpisodeNumber2=41

|ShortSummary=A pair of baby rabbits visit the Green Balloon. Jelly and her friends set off to a city farm to discover what baby animals they have there, and at the same time get involved with some pig racing.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 42"
"Dig In

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|04|17}}

|EpisodeNumber=42

|EpisodeNumber2=42

|ShortSummary=The Green Team join in with the BBC's Dig In Campaign.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 43"
"Toy Farm and Baby Animals

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|04|24}}

|EpisodeNumber=43

|EpisodeNumber2=43

|ShortSummary=Cat brings in a toy farm to the Club. Along the way, the Green Team finds out about baby farm animals.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 44"
"Bluebells

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|05|01}}

|EpisodeNumber=44

|EpisodeNumber2=44

|ShortSummary=The Green Team is amazed by just how fast things can grow.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 45"
"Stag Beetles

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|05|08}}

|EpisodeNumber=45

|EpisodeNumber2=45

|ShortSummary=Ant brings in his prize model of a stag beetle and the team finds out about Britain's biggest insect, which is under threat.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 46"
"Animals That Live in Dens

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|05|15}}

|EpisodeNumber=46

|EpisodeNumber2=46

|ShortSummary=The Green Team build a fantastic den inside the Green Balloon, thinking about the animals that live in dens and under the ground.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 47"
"Ocean in a Box

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|05|22}}

|EpisodeNumber=47

|EpisodeNumber2=47

|ShortSummary=The Green Team make their own nature worlds, including an amazing Ocean-in-a-Box by Cat and Ant.

}}

{{Episode list

|LineColor=6CC629

|Title=Episode 48"
"Four Seasons

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|df=yes|2009|05|29}}

|EpisodeNumber=48

|EpisodeNumber2=48

|ShortSummary= The Green Team thinks about the four seasons and tries to decide which is best. Could it be Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, or maybe all of them?

Song: Let's Go and Play Outside

}}

}}

Episode viewing figures from BARB.{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/ |title=Broadcasters Audience Research Board |publisher=BARB |date= |accessdate=2022-05-03}}

In 2009, a stand-alone series of 10 episodes were broadcast. The first half featured the Green Team visiting the Isle of Arran and the second half featured the Green Team becoming zookeepers at the Belfast Zoo for a week.

A stand-alone Winter Special was aired in December 2009 (Recorded in November 2009), which featured the entire cast going on a winter camping adventure.

In 2010, a spin-off series of 15 episodes entitled "Green Balloon Club Scrapbook" was produced which showed "what the Green Team get up to when they're not in the Green Balloon. Different members of the team check the laptop to find out what the other members of the Green Balloon Club are getting up to". This series also included animated segments starring Skipper the Dog, who in this series gained a voice. This series also included two song specials.{{Cite web

|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00q2wym

|title=Green Balloon Scrapbook

|work = CBeebies

|publisher = BBC

|date=January 2010

|accessdate=22 February 2010}}

Note: episode 13 was not shown between episodes 12 and 14, as it was shown within the Christmas schedule

• The show began airing in Australia on their version of CBeebies in late 2009, in time for the summer season. Until 2019, the show still aired on the channel, in a late-night slot.
• The show also aired on CBeebies Poland from 2010 to 2013, titled Podróże z Zielonym Balonem ("Travel with the Green Balloon") and dubbed into Polish by now-defunct dubbing company Eurocom Studio.

{{reflist}}

• {{BBC programme}}

Category:BBC children's television shows

Category:British television shows featuring puppetry

Category:2008 British television series debuts

Category:2009 British television series endings

Category:2000s British children's television series

Category:CBeebies

Category:British preschool education television series

Category:2000s preschool education television series

Category:Television series about children

Category:Television series by BBC Studios

Category:British English-language television shows