Joe Wicks and government join forces for campaign

The government has partnered with fitness influencer, Joe Wicks MBE, to create a new animated series for kids, as part of efforts to get more children across the country moving more.

Called Activate and launched ahead of the school holidays, the programming has been created by Wicks and produced by Studio AKA. Activate aims to tackle inactivity among children through fun, 5-minute workouts – led by Wicks as an animated character.

The 5-minute episodes combine animation with upbeat music, courtesy of Universal Music UK, encouraging children to enjoy short bursts of movement that easily fit into their day.

The first episode is now available on The Body Coach TV by Joe Wicks YouTube channel, with further episodes set to be released weekly over the summer holidays.

The government will be backing the programme to fund a further 10 episodes. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said the partnership was part of the government’s new 10 Year Health Plan, revealed earlier this month.

“Childhood obesity robs our young people of their future, and inactivity is one of the biggest culprits,” Streeting said. “That’s why it’s crucial to start building healthy habits from a young age.

“Our 10 Year Health Plan sets out how we would tackle obesity through prevention and today demonstrates how we’re taking action. In the spirit of mission-driven government, we’re building a coalition of the willing to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on.”