Hey Duggee airs special episode to welcome Ukrainian children to UK

Hey Duggee will sing Ukrainian phrases to try and get across the language barrier. Credit: PA

A special episode of the children's TV show Hey Duggee will introduce new Ukrainian friends to viewers in a bid to make Ukrainian arrivals to the UK feel welcome.

In an "extra special" episode of the BBC show, Hey Duggee will be joined by Ukrainian friends Mavka and Swampy the Kittyfrog, who are part of the Ukrainian animated feature film, Mavka. The Forest Song.

Due to the language barrier, the animated dog, The Squirrels and Hummingbirds sing The Welcome Song to help the new arrivals feel at home, which includes translations of Ukrainian phrases.

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A mix of children living in the UK and recent arrivals from Ukraine, who have sung the song in their native languages, have joined the show’s narrator – Alexander Armstrong for the episode.

Harriet Newby-Hill, the vice president of marketing at the BBC said that she felt "very proud" that the show is "playing its part to help children coming to the UK from Ukraine feel welcome in such a charming and educational way".

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Hey Duggee will introduce the new arrivals to his friends in the episode. Credit: PA

Felix Richter, a partner at Mother London, a creative company which introduced Mavka and Hey Duggee, added: "Collaborating together on this project to help thousands of children see the value of friendship, across language barriers, has been an absolute privilege."

The episode can be viewed across all of Hey Duggee’s social media channels, as well as on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

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