Written by Steve Moltzen, Series Director.
We’re super excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Kangaroo Beach crew: Spyke!
As we geared up for the release of Series 3, we couldn’t wait for our viewers to meet this funny, energetic and cheeky new cadet. Spyke embodies the adventurous spirit of Kangaroo Beach, and her arrival was set to bring a whole new level of fun and excitement to the series.
The Journey to Spyke’s Design
Designing our new cadet, Spyke, was no small feat. Creating an echidna covered in prickly spines while ensuring she had the right balance of vibrant character and cuteness, came with its own set of challenges. Our art director Darren Keating embarked on numerous iterations, sketching and re-sketching until we finally nailed her look, capturing her cheeky spirit perfectly.
One of Spyke’s coolest features? She can roll into a ball to zoom around with a speed that matches her energy! This meant we had to build a special model so our animators could showcase this fun ability. Watching it all come together in the new episodes has been a blast!
Finding the Voice of Spyke
Casting the right voice for Spyke was another adventure in itself. We needed someone who could bring her spirited personality to life, someone who could encapsulate the spark and energy inherent in our design. It wasn’t an easy task; we auditioned many talented young actors, but we were determined to find the perfect match.
Enter Willow Smee. At just 7 years old, Willow is a fresh talent with an infectious energy that made her stand out from the crowd. The moment she stepped into the audition room, we knew we had found Spyke. Her playful enthusiasm and natural ability to infuse humor into her lines brought our character to life in a way we had only dreamed of. Willow is a firecracker who will undoubtedly steal the hearts of our audience!
Expanding the World of Kangaroo Beach
In addition to Spyke, we’re thrilled to expand the Kangaroo Beach universe for season 3 with a stunning new bush setting. Our creative team has designed an exciting new lake location, complete with a magnificent waterfall, hidden caves, and winding bush trails for our beloved characters to explore. This also gave us the opportunity to cover water safety advice for inland bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes.
The beauty of the Australian bush is on full display in Season 3, encouraging our young viewers to appreciate the outdoors and learn important water safety messages while joining our characters in their new adventures.
Looking Ahead
As we wrapped up production on Series 3 of Kangaroo Beach, we couldn’t help but feel a wave of excitement. The combination of Spyke’s vibrant personality, Willow’s charming voice performance, and the breathtaking new bush setting promises a season filled with laughter, adventure, and valuable new water safety lessons for our preschool audience.
We are thrilled with the reception of the new series on ABC and feedback from our audience who have fallen in love with Spyke and her new adventures. We hope you will love her too!