BOAT ROCKER STUDIOS ANNOUNCES A SECOND SEASON OF TWEEN DRAMA “THE NEXT STEP: CHEER” FOR CBBC AND iPLAYER
TORONTO, ON, AUGUST 19, 2026 –Boat Rocker Studios, the dynamic, award-winning global entertainment company, has announced that a second season of its live-action kids & family series The Next Step: Cheer has been commissioned by CBBC/BBC iPlayer in the UK and is currently in production in Hamilton, ON for broadcast in 2027.
A spin-off of the long-running tween dance sensation The Next Step, The Next Step: Cheer brings audiences inside the cheerleading gym, inviting viewers to get to know a whole new sport. A huge success when it debuted on CBBC and iPlayer earlier this year, the series features the ups and downs of The Comets, a fractured competitive cheerleading squad led by The Next Step’s Kenzie (Emmerly Tinglin), who is trying to build a winning squad from scratch.
Season two (20 × 30’) starts as The Comets lose one of their top athletes to their rivals The Cheery Bombs and Kenzie and The Comets must work harder than ever to win a bid to Nationals.
“The enduring success of The Next Step reflects the strength of the franchise and its ability to continually engage new generations of fans,” said Jon Rutherford, President, Global Content & Rights, Boat Rocker Studios. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with CBBC on The Next Step: Cheer and bring audiences another season of inspiring young talent, jaw-dropping choreography and dramatic storytelling.”
“The Next Step has an incredible legacy with CBBC audiences, and The Next Step: Cheer has successfully built on that foundation by introducing viewers to the exciting world of competitive cheerleading. The first season quickly found an audience on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, bringing a fresh new chapter to a franchise that continues to resonate with young viewers,” said Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Commissioning 7+, BBC Children’s and Education. “This next season sees The Comets face new challenges and rivalries as they push themselves even further in pursuit of their goals, and we know audiences will enjoy following their journey to see what lies ahead.”
In addition to Kenzie, The Next Step regulars Heath (Carter Musselman) and Olive (Hattie Kragten) continue to star in Cheer. They are joined by Jordan (Neo Brunton), Cammy (Malia V.J. Tinglin), Melody (Elya Wardini), Layla (Gabriela Francis), Jax (Jai Benjamin), Ruby (Chiara DiBerto), Levi (Matteo Sanchez), Ashton (Adam Raikou), Angel (Samara Marion Kabat), and Damian (Kostyn Mitruk).
The Next Step: Cheer was developed by Courtney Jane Walker (Holly Hobbie) and Matt Huether (Degrassi: Next Class), who serve as showrunners and executive producers. It is based on the television series The Next Step, created by Frank Van Keeken (Lost and Found Music Studios, Wingin’ It). The series is executive produced by Boat Rocker Studios’ Partners David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg (The Next Step, Dino Ranch: Island Explorers), as well as Jon Rutherford (Bet, Dino Ranch), Nick Nantell (Video Nasty, Beacon 23), and Amy Wright (The Next Step).
The series was commissioned for CBBC by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+, and the Commissioning Editor is Aubrey Clarke. The Next Step: Cheer has sold to CBC in Canada, ABC in Australia, YLE in Finland, SVT in Sweden, DR in Denmark, RTE in Ireland, and HOT in Israel.
The Next Step: Cheer is produced by Boat Rocker Studios, with the participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund. It is distributed globally by Boat Rocker Studios, which manages the global franchise development and consumer products for The Next Step and The Next Step: Cheer.
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About BBC Children’s & Education
BBC Children’s & Education’s unique public service provision gives kids an understanding of their nation and the world beyond. Its significant annual investment for the audience underpins the entire UK children’s sector, in the face of retreat by other providers. Not only delivering high quality, culturally relevant entertainment but also educating the nations young people.
About Boat Rocker Studios
An independent, integrated global entertainment company, Boat Rocker Studios’ mission is to create and own premium content, build a world-class library of IP and deliver unmatched expertise in the curation and distribution of entertainment from creators worldwide to audiences everywhere. With offices around the world, Boat Rocker brings end-to-end creative expertise, robust business operations, and global franchise capabilities across Scripted, Unscripted, Documentary, Kids & Family and Animation content. A selection of Boat Rocker’s projects includes Bet (Netflix), Mix Tape (BBC, Binge, RTE), The Ridge (BBC Scotland, Sky New Zealand Originals), Geek Girl (Netflix), Invasion (Apple TV+), Palm Royale (Apple TV+), Orphan Black (BBC AMERICA, CTV Sci-Fi Channel), The Next Step (BBC, Corus, CBC), Dino Ranch (Disney+, Disney Junior, CBC), and Dino Ranch: Island Explorers (Amazon Kids+, CBC, Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA). For more information, please visit www.boatrocker.com.
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