Lu & the Bally Bunch (formerly known as Ladybird Lu) is an Irish-Canadian-American animated preschool television series. The series premiered in March 2023 on TVNZ [1],in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2023 on Cartoonito, and on April 3rd in Canada on CBC Kids. The show also premiered on Cartoon Network in the United States on October 1, 2024 and was released on Max on February 7, 2025.
Plot[]
"Navigating life in pre-school comes with its share of trepidation, excitement, and a huge serving of fun! In this animated dramedy, three-and-a-half-year-old Lu embarks on a brand-new social life as she befriends the Bally Bunch. What ensues is a funny and affectionate adventure." [2]
Cast [3] [4][]
- Freya McLaughlin as Lu
- Marcus Power as Declan
- Alice Helenport as Elodie and Silkworm
- Leo Tobin as Barnaby
- Joy Tu Clarke as Biba
- Kolby McDonald as Gus
- Arlo Buchanan as Barry[5]
- Aileen Mythen as Shella and Silkworm
- Ross Breen as Slikworm
- Amy de Bhrun as Lu's Mam
- Donncha O'Dea as Lu's Dad
- Mehmet Ali Sayan as Biba's Dad
- Aisha Ali as Biba’s Mom
Episodes[]
Season 1 (2023) [6][]
| Episode # | Title | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fruit Caboose | Lu's upset when Declan takes a bite of her apple. |
| 2 | Bin Bug | Lu upsets the other bugs when she refuses to share the funnest role in a game. |
| 3 | Bug Hugs | Barnaby is in the mood for hugs, but not all his friends are. |
| 4 | Tower Tower Wow | Declan accidentally upsets Gus by not properly explaining the rules of a game. |
| 5 | Xylophone Blues | Lu feels discouraged when her xylophone playing doesn't get the reaction she'd hoped for. |
| 6 | Copy Copy Caterpillar | Lu gets frustrated when Gus won't join in her mimicking game. |
| 7 | What if I Can't | Lu is a good friend to Barnaby when he regrets not showing the class his backwards roly poly. |
| 8 | Home Toy | Lu gets upset when she loses Declan's special toy. |
| 9 | Elevator Play Date | Lu fails to realise that Biba is scared by a game they are playing together. |
| 10 | Wibble Blobs | Lu refuses a snack that turns out to be yummier than she'd imagined. |
| 11 | Down in the Grumps | Lu tries to cheer Declan up, but he doesn't want to be cheered up. |
| 12 | Counting Spaghetti | Lu and Barnaby have a disagreement during Art Time at Shell School. |
| 13 | Lu's New Shoes | Lu's upset when no-one seems to like her new shoes. |
| 14 | Droopy Patrick | Lu is sad when her flowery friend begins to droop. |
| 15 | Horsefly Jumps | Lu struggles to understand that Elodie's upset when she accidentally spoils her game. |
| 16 | When's My Turn | Lu has trouble waiting for her turn to play with a toy. |
| 17 | A Twig's Tale | Lu accidentally breaks Barnaby's special twig and realises how much it means to him. |
| 18 | Play With Me | Biba gets frustrated when Lu abandons their cushion castle to play with baby Bo. |
| 19 | Proper Game | Gus demands Lu play by the rules. |
| 20 | My Friend Biba | Lu wants Biba to play only with her at Shell School today. |
| 21 | Vacuumasarus | Lu struggles to understand why Gus is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. |
| 22 | The Box | Lu and Barnaby can't agree on how to play with a cartboard box. |
| 23 | Spotty Rocket | Gus is upset when he can't finish his rocket as he planned. |
| 24 | Goodbye Rain Boots | Lu has difficulty getting rid of her favourite but-now-too-small rain boots. |
| 25 | I Can Catch | Lu isn't as good at catching as she thought she was. |
| 26 | That's My Favourite | Declan is frustrated when Lu has the same favourite thing as him. |
| 27 | Tidy Up | Biba gets upset when her clay star goes missing during tidy up time. |
| 28 | Find the Blueberries | Lu and Biba accidentally rig a treasure hunt. |
| 29 | Green Eyed Birthday Monster | Biba gets a birthday present that Lu herself really wants. |
| 30 | But Why? | Declan learns that there are some things that we don't know the answer to and that's okay. |
| 31 | Cupcake Surprise | Lu is upset when a surprise is spoiled. |
| 32 | A New Pet | Lu is excited to play with the new class pet, but he seems less keen. |
| 33 | Don't Want to Miss Out | Lu struggles to choose between three fun activities. |
| 34 | Penguin Please | Lu and Declan learn to navigate a stalemate. |
| 35 | Swing Me | Elodie learns the importance of keeping her promises. |
| 36 | The Long Goodbye | Lu learns that it's okay to miss the people you love. |
| 37 | Squeaky Squid | Lu feels like she gets a raw deal when she and Biba get new toys. |
| 38 | Mon Ami Celeri | Lu and Elodie fear they've broken a treasured toy. |
| 39 | Wiggling and Flapping | Elodie gets upset when Lu makes an incorrect assumption. |
| 40 | Bubble Trouble | Lu pops bubbles with ease, but struggles to blow them. |
| 41 | Baby Barnaby | Barnaby plays the baby in a game of family. |
| 42 | Lu's Decision | Lu stays in the pool while her friends go out for drinks. |
| 43 | Rocky Day | The bugs decorate rocks. |
| 44 | Leaf Boats | Lu finds a special leaf for the autumn collage. |
| 45 | Bike Ride | Lu struggles to keep up with Biba on her new balance bike. |
| 46 | Roly Poly Disappearance | Lu takes the class pet home for the weekend. |
| 47 | Ask Me First | Barnaby gives away some shared treats without asking Lu. |
| 48 | When Bugs Cry | Dermot is upset when he misses a goal and struggles to explain himself. |
| 49 | Long Long Line | Biba struggles to wait for her turn on a new trampoline. |
| 50 | The Chalk | The bugs get creative with new chalk... until some of it runs out. |
| 51 | Elodie Wants to Decide | Lu has fun playing with Elodie's cousin, leaving Elodie herself feeling left out. |
| 52 | Swim Class | Declan struggles on his first visit to the pool. |
| 53 | Squeak Jumps | The bugs jump on a squeaky toy until it breaks. |
| 54 | Boat Trip | Lu goes on a boat trip and loses Tara. |
| 55 | Treasure Hunt | Lu struggles to find any treasure during a trip to the park. |
| 56 | Toy Hospital | Lu and Declan race their home toys, but Declan is a bit careless. |
| 57 | Silly Soup | Barnaby gets upset when he can't contribute to Lu's silly soup. |
| 58 | Scary Tara | Lu gets scared when she meets a huge Tara at the library. |
| 59 | Home School Day | Lu wants dad to play with her while he's working from home. |
| 60 | New Library Book | Lu has trouble finding a new book she enjoys as much as her last one. |
| 61 | Betty the Bookworm | Gus finds his own voice when a toking toy he likes loses its voice. |
| 62 | Costume Day | Lu is disappointed to see she's not the only Tara at Costume Day. |
| 63 | Barnaby's Choice | Barnaby doesn't like the pressure of choosing between Lu and Biba's games. |
| 64 | Uncle Lorcan | Lu gets jealous when Biba hits off with Uncle Lorcan. |
| 65 | Baby Trouble | Lu gets irked when baby Lola chomps on Tara's tail. |
| 66 | Bright Beetle Lu | Lu struggles to do all the things she wants to do in her new costume. |
| 67 | Gotcha! | Declan upsets when he doesn't play by the rules. |
| 68 | Sing Along | Lu upsets Barnaby when she co-opts his favorite song. |
| 69 | The Big Laugh | Lu upsets Elodie when she laughs at an involuntary noise she makes. |
| 70 | Power Flower | Declan gets carried away when he's put in charge of an all-powerful flower. |
| 71 | Baby Horsefly | Barnaby gets scared of the big horseflies and bonds with a baby one. |
| 72 | Margo Mayfly | The bugs help a new bug to feel welcome in Shell School. |
| 73 | Grow Lines | Lu upsets Grace when she doesn't follow her instructions. |
| 74 | Packing for France | Lu decides she is going to France with Elodie and gets packing. |
| 75 | Elodie's Graduation | The bugs celebrate Elodie on her last day in Shell School. |
| 76 | Bug Nollig | In this half hour special, Lu can't wait to celebrate Bug Nollig with her friends and family, especially her new baby cousin. |
Shorts (2023) [7][]
| Episode # | Title | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talking About Things We Love | The bugs talk about what they love. |
| 2 | Talking About Games | The bugs talk about what gams they like to play. |
| 3 | Talking About Trying | The bugs talk about trying new things. |
| 4 | Talking About Friends | The bugs talk about what it means to be someone's friend. |
| 5 | Talking About Sadness | The bugs talk about feeling sad. |
| 6 | Talking About Kindness | The bugs talking about ways to show kindness. |
| 7 | Talking About Listening | The bugs talk about listening. |
| 8 | Talking About Change | The bugs talk about how they feel when things change. |
| 9 | Talking About Favorite Things | The bugs talk about their favorite things. |
| 10 | Talking About Birthdays | The bugs talk about birthdays. |
| 11 | Talking About Waiting | The bugs talk about waiting for things they really want. |
| 12 | Talking About Disappointment | The bugs talk about times they felt disappointed. |
| 13 | Talking About Things That Are Dear to Your Heart | The bugs talk about things that are dear to your heart. |
| 14 | Talking About Siblings | The bugs talk about having fun with their siblings. |
| 15 | Talking About Playing Outside | The bugs talk about playing outside. |
| 16 | Talking About Expressing Emotions | The bugs talk about expressing their emotions. |
| 17 | Talking About Solutions for All | The bugs talk about finding solutions that work for all. |
| 18 | Talking About Taking Your Time | The bugs talk about taking their time. |
| 19 | Talking About When I Grow Up | The bugs about what they'd like to do when they grow up. |
| 20 | Talking About Books | The bugs talk about books they love. |
| 21 | Talking About Funny Voices | The bugs talk about doing funny voices. |
| 22 | Talking About Family | The bugs talk about their families. |
| 23 | Talking About What We Find Funny | The bugs talk about things they find funny. |
| 24 | Talking About Nature | The bugs talk about nature. |
| 25 | Talking About Feeling Happy and Sad | The bugs talk about times they felt both happy and sad. |
Images[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second show created by Nicky Phelan and produced by Brown Bag Films to air on Cartoonito, following Bing.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/lu-and-the-bally-bunch/episodes/
- ↑ https://issuu.com/asiatvforum/docs/atf2022_d2
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27302116/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm
- ↑ https://www.screenireland.ie/images/uploads/general/LOW_RES_SI_Prod_Catalogue_2022_Nugno_Jul19_Updated.pdf
- ↑ YOUNG ARTISTS MANAGEMENT
- ↑ https://gem.cbc.ca/lu-the-bally-bunch
- ↑ https://www.tvpassport.com/series/lu-the-bally-bunch/5564221