Ireland’s inspirational young star of The Late Late Toy Show, Adam King is set to star in an upcoming Christmas animation from RTÉjr and Irish animation studio Kavaleer Productions entitled Adam Saves Christmas. The short will premiere on RTÉjr on Christmas Eve. The project was announced on Friday night’s episode of The Late Late Show.
“We are delighted to be lighting up our Christmas schedule on RTÉjr with Adam Saves Christmas. Adam is a real inspiration and his message of positivity and joy is something that we think is really important to get out there. It’s very hard not to be smiling from ear to ear by the end of this animation,” said Eimear O’Mahony, Executive Producer Children and Young People’s Programming, RTÉ.
Adam voice stars as the titular character, alongside broadcaster Ryan Tubridy as the voice of Santa. The special will also feature Paul Tylak (Jessy and Nessy, Becca’s Bunch) as Bubby, Nina Wadia (The Queen’s Corgi, The Sandman) as Shelby, Bonnie O’Meara (star of Maddie + Triggs on RTÉjr Radio) as Speedy, Portia McLoughlin as Zuzu and Seána Kerslake (Smother, A Date for Mad Mary) as Frizzle.
It’s Christmas Eve and Adam, Speedy, Bubby and Zuzu need to get back to planet Earth in time for Christmas to see what Santa will bring. But Christmas is in peril as Adam discovers when Santa calls to tell them the Northern Lights aren’t working and it’s so dark, he can’t find his reindeer. Unless Adam can figure out what’s happening to the Aurora, Christmas will be ruined! And so the adventure begins for Adam and his crew to save Christmas!
“We are delighted to be working with Adam and RTÉjr on his very first adventure, Adam Saves Christmas. This special will introduce Irish audiences to Adam’s crew; Bubby, Speedy, Zuzu and Shelby — and also to a particularly nasty alien who is trying to spoil Christmas for Santa and all the children!” said Andrew Kavanagh, CEO of Kavaleer. “Young audiences will also learn a little bit about how our sun helps create the spectacular Northern Lights, with a little help from our brilliant space expert, Dr. Norah Patten. We always knew there was nothing Adam couldn’t do once he put his heart into it, so children all over Ireland can rest assured that the fate of Christmas is in safe hands!”
Kavaleer previously announced the production of a new animated series inspired by and starring Adam King, entitled Adam ❤ Adventure, which will be the first animated Irish children’s program to feature a wheelchair-user as protagonist. With 150 million children living with additional needs worldwide, the show will introduce much-needed on-screen representation. Motivated by the magic of this production, the team at RTÉjr commissioned the special Christmas animation.
David King, Adam’s father, shared, “We are so excited about this collaboration between RTÉjr and Kavaleer. Adam just can’t believe he is going to have his own Christmas special! The journey over the last year in developing Adam ❤ Adventure has been incredible as it has celebrated Adam, a wheelchair user, as the hero. We are delighted the people of Ireland will get an early insight into the potential of this groundbreaking animation on Christmas Eve.”
RTÉjr and Kavaleer team up with Adam King for magical Christmas special “Adam Saves Christmas!” from Kavaleer on Vimeo.
