Leading kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE has announced a deal with BBC Studios for 2D animated family sitcom Nikhil & Jay
The agreement finalised by CAKE’s Director of Sales Julien Farçat will see the 52 x 11 minute funny family centred series launch later this year on CBeebies in Poland, South Africa, Asia and India.
Based on award-winning author Chitra Soundar’s book series, Nikhil & Jay is produced by King Banana TV (Yakka Dee!, Meet the Experts), Paper Owl Films (Pablo, Happy The Hoglet), exec produced and distributed by CAKE (Angry Birds Summer Madness and Supa Team 4) and with funding from Northern Ireland Screen. The series premiered in the UK on CBeebies and iPlayer in 2025.
A multi-award-winning series, Nikhil & Jay most recently won an RTS Northern Ireland Award for Children’s Animation as well as being nominated for a Rockie Award in 2025. The series is a finalist in the 6+ fiction category at this year’s Prix Jeunesse.
Nikhil & Jay follows the adventures of two dual heritage brothers and their loveable family. With both Indian and English grandparents, their life is a rich blend of customs, traditions, festivals, foods and music. A family sitcom written from a place of knowledge, love and authentic, lived experience of two cultures coming together, Nikhil & Jay celebrates the similarities and differences with funny and relatable stories, full of warmth, heart and humour.
The series stars British Tamil actor Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton, One Piece, Dune Prophecy, Alex Rider, How to Date Billy Walsh, Instructions for A Teenage Armageddon), Janine Duvitski (Old Jack’s Boat, One Foot in the Grave, Abigail’s Party, Benidorm); Mark Benton (Early Doors, Waterloo Road, Christmas Lights, Catterick, Shakespeare and Hathaway, The Syndicate) as well as a diverse team of writers, animators, composers and directors who make up Nikhil & Jay’s offscreen talent.
“Nikhil and Jay is a beautifully animated, world-class series and a wonderful addition to our slate. Featuring two dual-heritage brothers, it offers a joyful and authentic portrayal of everyday family life while strengthening representation of South Asian and multicultural families in children’s media. Created by the acclaimed production company behind Yakka Dee!, a cornerstone of CBeebies’ output, the show brings diverse stories to life with warmth and charm.”
Maga Diaz, Global Acquisitions Executive at BBC Studios
“We’re proud to see Nikhil & Jay continue its journey around the world. Its warmth, humour and authentic cultural storytelling make it a standout series, and we’re delighted to partner again with BBC Studios to bring it to new audiences.”
Dominic Gardiner, Managing Director Distribution at CAKE
