Big Little Fish options illustrated children’s series

Jim Smith’s million-selling madcap Barry Loser books to be adapted by growing Indie

(London – 4 July 2024) Big Little Fish Television today announces an exclusive partnership with RCW Literary Agency and The Artists Partnership and writer and illustrator Jim Smith to exploit the screen rights for the globally successful Barry Loser series of graphic novels for children aged 7+.

First published in 2012, the franchise now has over ten books following the hilarious adventures of young Barry Loser who experiences all the trials and tribulations of a typical ten-year-old boy. With silly jokes, pranks, funny drawings and plenty of burps and farts, Barry Loser won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2013 and has since been translated into 17 languages, selling over a million copies worldwide.

Describing himself as the most-boringly named graphic novelist in the world, Jim Smith said of the animated TV adaptation: “This is such an exciting project, I can’t wait! I’ve been making kids laugh-out-loud with Barry Loser books for over a decade now and seeing him and his best mate Bunky come to life on the small screen will be awesome, not just for me but also their many fans around the world.”

Last year, Big Little Fish Television launched its first ever children’s series, the MIPCOM Content Innovation Award-nominated comedy/reality series Meet the McQueens, starring 14-year-old vegan chef Omari McQueen. The emerging production company was also recently supported by the BBC with the Small Indie Fund to further its children’s development slate. 

Leading the company’s charge into animation is Big Little Fish Television’s Head of Children’s & Young Audiences, Ros Attille, who was appointed last year having previously been Head of Preschool Development at BBC Studios Kids & Family, developing and creating series including the multi-award-winning JoJo & Gran Gran.

 Attille said: “Full of fun and mayhem, this is perfect for lovers of wacky animation. Barry Loser navigates the world around him, confronting issues like peer pressure, popularity, FOMO, girls, parents, and independence. It’s sure to resonate with its many existing fans and appeal to millions more”.