My Life Renewed For Series 8 By CBBC!

My Life, CBBC’s award-winning documentary strand, will return to the channel later in the year with a series of films that follows the lives of children with incredible stories to tell.

From children learning to cope with Tourette’s to two brothers who live on a desert island, My Life tells personal stories from the young person’s perspective, tackling often difficult subject matters in a unique and inspirational way.

My Life has been commissioned by Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC, who says: “We are all very proud of the quality and breadth of the My Life series. Not only do our viewers benefit hugely when they learn in detail about how other children go about their daily lives – but these films are a huge comfort to those who see their own, often complex, lives reflected back to them.”

Films featured in the new series include:

MY LIFE: Where’s My Home?
When Liverpool fan Adel arrived in Bristol from Syria, he found the best way to feel at home was to play football. His sister Ola discovered that drawing was a great way of telling her new friends her story. When some new refugees arrive in the city Adel plans a football match so they can all join in and Ola gets her own group together to paint a mural in a skate park showing what they all remember from their old home, and what they make of their new one.

MY LIFE: How We Roll
Back flips, jumps and half pipes are run of the mill for kids like Kumaki, Ella and Luzi. This film follows these three American kids as they head to the Wheelchair Skating World Championships in Texas, USA. But will Ella conquer her fear of being watched? Will Luzi be brave enough to attempt the course and will Kumaki win that medal he is so desperate to get hold off?

MY LIFE: Making Waves
The film follows Scottish surfer Iona as she trains and prepares to compete in her first ever World Surf Championships. At only 16 years of age Iona will be up against more experienced, much older surfers and bigger waves than she has ever surfed before.

MY LIFE: Our Desert Island
This film follows the adventures of two brothers who live on a Pacific Island. After being caught in the worst tropical cyclone in memory, Felix and Luca are determined to save their coral reef from any more damage. If they can protect the reef and local marine life the migrating whales will come back every year…. can they persuade these magnificent animals to come back this summer?

MY LIFE: Flying High
What is it like to fly a plane when you’re only 13? This film follows three children who get the improbable chance to do just that.

MY LIFE: What Makes Me Tic
Blinking eyes, sniffing, neck jerks, gasping, eye-rolling and swearing are just some of the involuntary and uncontrollable tics suffered by children with Tourette’s Syndrome. In this intimate and personal film we follow Rupert as he undergoes pioneering treatment to learn how to suppress his tics, and Grace as she turns to friends to help her with problems at school – and finds her own way to accepting a life with Tourette’s.

MY LIFE: Mum’s Last Wish
Mum’s Last Wish follows sister and brother, Shanti and Kalvin as they try to complete a very special wish list, left by their mother before she sadly passed away from cancer in 2015. With their mother posting vlogs about her illness and building up a large following on social media, the kids pay homage in their own special way by making a self- recorded film of their progress to show at their next movie night.

MY LIFE: Ninja Girl!
A thrilling insight into the high-kicking world of junior martial arts, seen through the eyes of one of its biggest stars. Ten year-old karate sensation JJ spends every waking hour preparing for the all-important World Championships, where she’ll defend her world title in what will be her toughest competition yet.

MY LIFE: Dog Eared
This film follows the journey of a 12 year-old deaf boy who is about to receive a very special gift – a dog that will become his ears. But getting used to each other will be tricky: what if they don’t get on? And will the dog bring him new freedoms and the confidence that he so desperately needs?

MY LIFE: Butterfly Girl
Eleven year-old Nikki Lilly is busy. And it all happened by chance. Her rare medical condition, which means she has a facial disfigurement, has led to Nikki missing loads of school. So to keep herself busy she decided – with her parents onboard – to start a vlog. Now, two years later, she is an international hit with a global following. The CBBC cameras will follow her across the summer as she travels to Denver for medical treatment (to date she has had 300 hospital visits and 25 operations) and keeps up her vlog.

Each film is made by a different Independent Production Company: Where’s My Home? is produced by Drummer TV. How We Roll is produced by MarkThree. Media Making Waves is produced by CTVC. Our Desert Island is produced by MCC Media. Flying High is produced by Nine Lives. What Makes me Tic is produced by Factory Films. Mum’s Last Wish is produced by Big Deal. Ninja Girl! is produced by Tyrone Productions. Dog Eared is produced by Juggle TV. Butterfly Girl is produced by Blakeway North.

My Life has been commissioned by Cheryl Taylor, Controller of CBBC and the Executive Producer for CBBC is Kez Margrie. The Series will return to CBBC later in the year. All films are working titles and may change.

CBBC