Comedian Akmal Saleh Joins Voice Cast of New Blinky Bill TV Series “The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill”
Months after his release from the jungle comedian Akmal Saleh will heading to the outback – joining the voice cast of the new Blinky Bill TV series “The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill” as Blinky’s best friend, Jacko the frill-necked lizard.
The 26 x half hour series will premiere later this year on Australia’s most watched television network Seven for its broadcast channel, 7TWO.
Set a few years after the feature film, the television series sees a slightly older Blinky (voiced by Cam Ralph) taking on the role as defender of his outback home with his best friend, the wise-cracking and loveable Jacko (voiced by Akmal Saleh). Armed with a knack for mischief and an unstoppable imagination, Blinky and Jacko take on the outback, turning even the simplest challenges into epic adventures.
Akmal is one of Australia’s most respected and accomplished comedians. His list of credits include movies, stand-up, TV appearances, radio DJ, talk show host and he is a published author. He has appeared at festivals all around the world, including Adelaide Fringe Comedy Festival, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Montreal ‘Just For Laughs’ Festival, Vancouver Comedy Festival, New Zealand Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Produced by Sydney-based Flying Bark Productions, the CGI animated TV series is the latest incarnation of the iconic Aussie character following on from last year’s box office success, Blinky Bill the Movie.
Produced in association with Telegael (Ireland) and Giant Wheel (India).
About Blinky Bill
- 1930’s: Classic Book: First introduced to audiences in the 1930’s through a series of children’s books, The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill is considered a quintessential Australian children’s classic. The title has never been out of print in Australia.
- 1990’s: Feature Film: In 1992, Yoram Gross Film Studios – now Flying Bark Productions – produced the iconic Blinky Bill feature film, Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala. The film has sold around the world, including in territories such as the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, Yugoslavia, Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand – generating almost A$3.5 million in gross receipts.
- 1990’s TV Series: Blinky Bill: The Mischievous Koala was followed by several successful television series, which aired extensively in the US and continue to air around the world today in over 80 countries, including Germany [WDR], France [Canal J], Island [TG4], Italy [Viacom Networks], Spain [Telephonica], Hungary [MTV], Africa, Australia [ABC] and New Zealand – generating almost AUD $18 million in gross receipts. The 1990s Blinky Bill TV series is still on air in Australia and regularly rates in the top 20 children’s programs on ABC TV.
- 2015: First CGI Feature Film
- Blinky made his CGI debut in Blinky Bill the Movie, a box office success in Australia and New Zealand, taking over $4 million AUD. Introducing an iconic Australian treasure to a new generation of children and their families, Blinky Bill the Movie was accompanied by a strong licensing program and a wide DVD/VOD release throughout Australia and NZ. The film is due to release in key European territories throughout 2016 – including Germany, Spain and Italy.
- 2016: First CGI TV Series
Hot on the heels of the feature film release, Blinky will return back on Aussie TV screens in The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill, completing the comeback of Australia’s favourite Koala. The new series, set a few years after the feature film, sees a slightly older Blinky taking on the role as defender of his outback home, Greenpatch. True to its roots, the show will continue to embody a quintessentially Aussie spirit, expressed through mischief, mayhem, adventure and humour.
About Flying Bark Productions
Flying Bark Productions is proud to be an independent producer with a long history in creating iconic animated children’s entertainment. Operating as a full-service animation production facility, Flying Bark employs Australia’s brightest talent to produce feature films, television series, web series and corporate content that delights and captivates family audiences worldwide.
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