by Brock Horning | April 2025
The release of preschool show Mixmups with Ultra Access marks the first innovation in accessible TV in decades.
Set in the bright colourful world of Mixington Valley, Mixmups sees friends, Pockets, Giggle, and Spin, ‘Mix up the Magic!’ of play and imagination. Their magical wooden spoon transports them on comical adventures, along with trustee assistance pets, Roller Guinea and Yapette the Guide Dog.
A still from Mixmups with Ultra Access. Simplified Visuals are turned on.
The ground-breaking new service allows viewers to choose how they experience the show. BSL or Makaton, standard or BIG subtitles, low background sound or simpler visuals, and more – in any combination required.
The lasting impact of accessible TV
This world-first innovation has the potential to revolutionize TV viewing with thousands of ways to watch and meet the unique needs of every child. And has naturally captured plenty of attention:
“The launch of Mixmups with Ultra Access marks an important milestone in broadcasting. With a choice of 14 access features – from low background sound to Makaton and big subtitles – the permutations of viewing Mixmups with Ultra Access are mind boggling. There are now thousands of ways to watch, and meet every child’s unique needs.”
Mixmups creator Rebecca Atkinson in The Guardian
The Ultra Access concept was conceived by show creator Rebecca Atkinson. In this wonderful article, she shares how her experiences growing up fuelled her drive to create television that’s accessible for all. Watching Netflix’s You vs Wild provided the spark of inspiration to reimagine interactive technology as a means to create more accessible TV.
The opening menu for Mixmups with Ultra Access
“Mixmups is first series to enable customised experiences for disabled kids. Bespoke accessible viewing being introduced in preschool animated series Mixmups, marking the first time it has featured in multiple episodes of a TV show.”
Broadcast covered the pioneering launch of Mixmups with Ultra Access highlighting the inclusivity of the series, allowing every child to view the episodes in their own way.
“So why has it taken so long for this to become a reality? In short, the technology. Programming shows like this took teams of developers hours of coding work – a very expensive undertaking. However, this is all changing with brand new Mixmups with Ultra Access episodes showcasing the power of Stornaway’s drag-and-drop interactive technology – no coding required.”
Find our own write-up about working on Mixmups with Ultra Access on our blog. We consider viewer personalization and the concept of object-based media, and how these ideas have been fully realized by the power of Stornaway.
A still from Mixmups
“Inclusivity is at the heart of Mixmups – a show for every preschooler, featuring loveable characters, exciting adventures and captivating storytelling. Set in a playful, compelling world without barriers, we wanted to ensure that every child could enjoy the series in their own unique way. We’re really excited about these episodes – it’s something that’s never been done before and we’re looking forward to seeing how they resonate with neurodiverse and disabled viewers.”
Paramount’s Louise Bucknole, series commissioner
Our Press Release has more details and thoughts from all the wonderful people that lead the way on Mixmups, from Stornaway Co-Founder Kate Dimbleby to show creator Rebecca Atkinson.
Powering the next stage of accessible TV
A generation used to playing and interacting with their media increasingly expects experiences that adapt to their preferences. Personalized viewing opens up a new world and more relevant experiences for every generation.
The Stornaway platform gives content producers everything they need to create engaging and exciting interactive content – even for those working on tight budgets. The drag-and-drop interface requires no coding or programming knowledge and can be used to quickly create interactive projects using pre-designed templates or from scratch.